• Authorized on December 9, 1775 in the Continental Army as the 4th Pennsylvania Battalion.
• Organized between January 2- February 11, 1776 at Chester to consist of 8 companies from Chester, Bucks and Lancaster Counties.
• Assigned on February 27, 1776 to the Middle Department.
• Relieved on March 15, 1776 from the Middle Department and assigned to the Canadian Department .
• Relieved on July 2, 1776 from the Canadian Department and assigned to the Northern Department.
• Assigned on July 20, 1776 to St. Clair's Brigade, an element of the Northern Department.
• Relieved on November 18, 1776 from St. Clair's Brigade.
• Reorganized and redesignated on January 1, 1777 as the 5th Pennsylvania Regiment, to consist of 8 companies.
• Relieved on January 24, 1777 from he Northern Department and assigned to the Main Continental Army.
• Captain John Nelson's Independent Rifle Company consolidated on March 24, 1777 with the 5th Pennsylvania Regiment.
• Assigned on May 22, 1777 to the 2nd Pennsylvania Brigade, an element of the Main Continental Army.
• Reorganized on July 1, 1778 to consist of 9 companies.
• Consolidated on January 17, 1781 with the 9th Pennsylvania Regiment and redesignated as the 5th Pennsylvania Regiment; concurrently furloughed at Trenton, New Jersey.
• Disbanded on January 1, 1783.

Lineage taken from "The Continental Army" by Robert K Wright

• Defense of Canada
• Lake Champlain
• Northern New Jersey
• Defense of Philadelphia
• Philadelphia - Monmouth
• New Jersey 1780

The 5th Pennsylvania Regiment was raised December 9, 1775 at Chester, Pennsylvania for service with the Continental Army. The regiment would see action during the Battle of Valcour Island, Battle of Brandywine, Battle of Germantown, Battle of Monmouth and the Battle of Springfield. The regiment was furloughed January 17, 1781 at Trenton, New Jersey and disbanded on January 1, 1783.