Rhode Island Line

Officers of the Continental Army below the rank of brigadier general were ordinarily ineligible for promotion except in the line of their own state.

These "dictatorial powers" included the authority to raise sixteen additional Continental infantry regiments at large.

Early in 1777, Washington offered command of one of these additional regiments to Ezekiel Cornell of Rhode Island.

Cornell declined in order to command a brigade of Rhode Island state troops.

Washington also offered command of an additional regiment to Henry Sherburne of Rhode Island, who accepted.

Still other Continental infantry regiments and smaller units, also unrelated to a state quota, were raised as needed for special or temporary service.

In response, the Rhode Island Assembly voted, on May 6, 1775, to contribute 1,500 men to this army.

(The Rhode Island Train of Artillery, which was a part of this force, brought the brigade's strength up to 24 companies).

This term was also used for the forces raised by the four New England colonies to observe the British garrison in Boston, Massachusetts.