In 1777, Virginia had difficulty meeting its quota for the regular line of the Continental Army.

As a result, in July 1777 under the command of Colonel George Gibson, the regiment began a march North to temporarily join the Continental Army in the Philadelphia Campaign.

[1][2] In January 1778, the Virginia General Assembly passed an act directing that the 1st Virginia State Regiment "now in Continental service, be continued in said service instead of the Ninth Virginia Regiment, made prisoners by the enemy in the Battle of Germantown.

The regiment remained in the service of the Continental Army until late 1779 when redeployed Virginia.

[5][3] Unlike the standard division of eight found in the regular line regiments of the Continental Army, the 1st Virginia State Regiment consisted of ten companies including one of light infantry.