In January, 1778, with low recruitment to the Virginia line of the Continental Army and in the wake of heavy losses to Virginia regiments at the Battle of Germantown, the 2nd Virginia State Regiment was sent by Governor Patrick Henry (per an act of the General Assembly) to join the Continental Army in the Philadelphia Campaign.

[1][2] By May, 1778, the regiment was in Valley Forge training with the Continental Army.

The regiment camped at Middlebrook in the winter of 1778-79 and participated in the Battle of Monmouth.

The regiment remained in the service of the Continental Army until late 1779 when called back to Virginia.

The remaining companies of the Virginia state regiments were organized under Colonel Charles Dabney in the summer of 1781 and were under his command at the siege of Yorktown.