Revolutionary War 1st Virginia Regiment T-shirt

The 1st Virginia Regiment was authorized by the Virginia Convention of July 17, 1775, as a provincial defense unit under the command of Patrick Henry. The Regiment saw service in the Tidewater area fighting the troops of Virginia's Royal Governor, Lord Dunmore, also engaging Dunmore's troops at Hampton, Jamestown and Norfolk. In December, 1775, the Regiment helped defeat Dunmore's troops at the Battle of Great Bridge near Norfolk. In February, 1776, the Regiment was accepted into the new Continental Line authorized by Congress. In September, 1776, the First Virginia joined Washington's army and fought at the Battle of Harlem Heights, New York. In the morning fog of December 26, Washington's small band, including the First Virginia, crossed the Delaware River, reaching the outskirts of Trenton and surprising the Hessians, soon forcing them to surrender. At Princeton, the Virginia regiments were involved in the heaviest fighting and suffered the most casualties. At Brandywine Creek, the Virginians held out against a British force three times larger until nightfall, allowing Washington's troops to fall back, and preventing the British from destroying the entire American army. The Regiment also fought at Germantown, Valley Forge, Stony Point, and Paulus Hook. In May, 1780, most of the Virginians were captured at Charleston, but those that escaped captivity would fight at Cowpens, Guilford, and Yorktown. The Virginia Regiments were disbanded in June-August, 1783.