• Authorized on August 23, 1776 in the Continental Army as the Northampton and Northumberland Defense Battalion and assigned to the Middle Department.
• Redesignated on September 16, 1776 as the 12th Pennsylvania Regiment.
• Organized in between September 28- December 18, 1776 at Sunbury to consist of 8 companies from Northampton, Berks, Cumberland and Northumberland Counties.
• Assigned on December 1, 1776 to the Main Continental Army.
• Assigned on May 22, 1777 to the 3rd Pennsylvania Brigade, an element of the Main Continental Army.
• Consolidated on July 1, 1778 with the 3rd Pennsylvania Regiment.

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

• Northern New Jersey
• Defense of Philadelphia
• Philadelphia - Monmouth

The 12th Pennsylvania Regiment also known as Northumberland Defense Battalion was raised August 23, 1776 at Sunbury, Pennsylvania as a state militia regiment and later for service with the Continental Army. The regiment would see action during the Battle of Brandywine, Battle of Germantown and the Battle of Monmouth. The regiment was merged into the 3rd Pennsylvania Regiment on July 1, 1778.