Revolutionary War Continental Army T-shirt

The Middle Department was established on February 27, 1776. Originally it included all of the colonies of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland. In April 1776, the Main Army moved from Boston to New York, and became the field army associated with the Middle Dept. for the remainder of the war. On April 14, 1776, that portion of New York north of the Hudson Highlands and the present state of Vermont were separated from the Middle Dept. and organized as the Northern Department. The Middle Department then comprised the Hudson Highlands in the state of New York, the rest of New York south of the Highlands, and the states of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland, The term Main Army had come into use during the Siege of Boston, because the majority of Continental Army regiments were assigned to it, and the term was retained throughout the war. Most units in the Middle Department were assigned to the Main Army, under George Washington, or to the Highlands Dept., which was under Washington's close supervision. A few regiments and independent companies were assigned to the Middle Dept. from time to time, but were not assigned to Washington's army or to the Highlands. These units were simply said to have been assigned to the Middle Department. Some of the Continental Army's most important campaigns were fought in this department. These included the New York campaign and the New Jersey campaign which ended with the battles of Trenton and Princeton. The Philadelphia campaign was also fought in this department, after which the Continental Army went into winter quarters at Valley Forge. In 1778, this department was the scene of the Monmouth campaign. After Monmouth, on June 28, 1778, major military operations in the United States shifted to the Southern Department. The Middle Department existed until the close of the war. It was the scene of one of the war's last episodes when the British Army evacuated New York City on November 25, 1783.