It was at first commanded by Colonel Samuel Gerrish, of Newbury,[1] who was dismissed from the service for cowardice, after he hid in his tent during the battle.

On 17 August 1775, the Continental Army court-martialed Gerrish on the charge “That he behaved unworthy an Officer.” With Gen. Nathanael Greene presiding, a panel of officers found him guilty and ordered him “to be cashiered, and render’d incapable of any employment in the American Army.” Gen. George Washington approved that sentence on 19 August.

Command of the regiment passed to its next senior officer, Lieutenant Colonel Loammi Baldwin, of Woburn.

Command of the newly formed 26th Continental Regiment was given to Baldwin, who was promoted to the rank of Colonel on January 1, 1776.

In 1776, Congress authorized an infantry regiment to consist of three field officers, a small staff, and eight line companies.

The combat strength of a fully manned Continental Infantry Regiment in 1776 was 640 privates and corporals all armed with muskets.

The 32 officers and 32 sergeants provided a favorable ratio of one supervisor to ten rank and file for maintaining company-level control.

In early March 1776, the cannons captured at Fort Ticonderoga had been moved to Boston by the heroic efforts of Henry Knox.

British forces, led by General Howe, evacuated the city on March 17, 1776, and sailed to Canada.

[44] On the night of December 25, 1776, in the face of a violent and extremely cold storm of snow and hail, General Washington and his army crossed the Delaware to the New Jersey side and fought the Battle of Trenton.

"[45] Captain Mighill rearmed his grenadiers in July 1776 with Short Land Pattern Muskets and bayonets that had been captured from the British.

At Valley Forge (1777–1778), under the command of Col. Wesson and assisted by Lt. Col. James Mellen, it was incorporated into Major General DeKalb's division.