 During the American Revolutionary War , the Continental Congress directed the organization of the Maryland and Virginia Rifle Regiment in resolves dated June 17 and 27 , 1776 . The unit comprised three of the four independent Continental rifle companies that had formed in Maryland and Virginia by decree of Congress in mid @-@ 1775 , and six new companies — two from Maryland and four from Virginia . The three 1775 companies , among the first of the colonial units to join the newly constituted Continental Army , were raised and initially commanded by Capts . Michael Cresap , Thomas Price , and Hugh Stephenson . The nine @-@ company force became a regiment on the same tables of organization as the 1st Continental Regiment , which was originally the Pennsylvania Rifle Regiment . Unlike this Pennsylvania unit , however , the Maryland and Virginia Rifle Regiment was an Extra Continental regiment because of its two @-@ state composition . It was not part of a state line organization but was instead directly accountable to national authority ( Congress and the Continental Army ) . The Maryland and Virginia Rifle Regiment 's field officers were drawn from the original three 1775 companies based on their seniority . Hugh Stephenson from Virginia became the colonel , and Marylanders Moses Rawlings of Cresap 's company and Otho Holland Williams of Price 's company were designated the lieutenant colonel and major , respectively . All company officers were appointed in the summer of 1776 , and subsequent recruiting for the unit in the two states extended to the end of the year . Recruiting occurred in Frederick and Harford Counties , Maryland , and Berkeley , Frederick , Loudoun , Fauquier , Prince William , and Culpeper Counties , Virginia . The enlisted men of the regiment served for three years or the duration of the war . 
