Raised for service during the American Revolutionary War, as originally organized, the regiment comprised 10 artillery companies from Virginia.

The regiment was first assigned to the Southern Department, but in March 1778 it was reassigned to General George Washington's main army.

Elements of the regiment fought at Monmouth, Charleston, Camden, Hobkirk's Hill, Eutaw Springs, Yorktown, and Combahee River.

On 13 March 1778, it was transferred to Washington's main army where elements fought at the Battle of Monmouth on 28 June 1778.

[3] In that action, Carrington commanded some guns on the left flank under William Alexander, Lord Stirling.

[7] Henry Knox, Washington's artillery chief, planned to have four 3-pound or 6-pound cannons attached to each infantry brigade.

Though Knox preferred the more versatile French 4-pound cannon, he had to abandon a plan to adopt the piece because so much ammunition and material for the other guns were available.

[3] When General Johann de Kalb was sent south in 1780, Carrington accompanied his division with three artillery companies.

Two more guns were loaned to Colonel Thomas Sumter's partisans and 10 were left in the rear for lack of horses to pull them.

[11] During the Siege of Yorktown in the fall of 1781, Captain Whitehead Coleman's company of the 1st Artillery fought under the overall command of Carrington.

[12] In the Battle of the Combahee River on 27 August 1782, a howitzer and its crew under Captain Smith were captured by the British.