• Authorized on September 16, 1776 in the Continental Army as the 11th Virginia Regiment.
• Assigned on December 27, 1776 to the Southern Department.
• Organized on February 3, 1777 to consist of 4 companies from Loudoun, Frederick, Prince William and Amelia Counties, Daniel Morgan's Independent Rifle Company and 5 companies comprising of the Virginia portion of the Maryland and Virginia Rifle Regiments.
• Maryland and Virginia Rifle Regiment element reorganized to consist of 4 companies and Capt. George Rice's company (organized on January 18, 1777 in the Virginia State Troops in Frederick and Augusta Counties) transferred on April 15, 1777 to the regiment.
• Assigned on May 11, 1777 to the 3rd Virginia Brigade, an element of the Main Continental Army.
• Reorganized on November 1, 1777 to consist of 8 companies.
• Relieved on July 22, 1778 from the 3rd Virginia Brigade and assigned to the 2nd Virginia Brigade, an element of the Main Continental Army.
• Reorganized and redesignated on May 12, 1779 as the 7th Virginia Regiment, to consist of 9 companies.
• Relieved on December 4, 1779 from the 2nd Virginia Brigade and assigned to the Southern Department.
• Captured on May 12, 1780 by the British Army at Charleston, South Carolina.
• Disbanded on January 1, 1781

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

• New York City
• Northern New Jersey
• Trenton - Princeton
• Defense of Philadelphia
• Philadelphia - Monmouth
• Charleston 1780

The 12th Virginia Regiment was raised on September 16, 1776 at Williamsburg, Virginia for service with the (U.S.) Continental Army. The regiment saw action in the Battle of Brandywine, Battle of Germantown, Battle of Monmouth and the Siege of Charleston. Most of the regiment was captured at Charlestown, South Carolina on May 12, 1780 by the British and the regiment was formally disbanded on January 1, 1783.