 Soon after Lt. Col. Moses Rawlings , a Marylander , was exchanged from British captivity in late December 1777 or January 1778 , the Board of War , at the request of the Maryland state government , assigned him command of the prisoner @-@ of @-@ war camp at Fort Frederick , Maryland , and its state militia guard . The elements of the Maryland and Virginia Rifle Regiment in the field continued to be led by the company commanders until recruiting could bring the regiment up to greater strength . Maj. Otho Holland Williams , exchanged on January 16 , 1778 ( likely with Rawlings ) , had been promoted to colonel of the 6th Maryland Regiment in December 1776 while a prisoner of war ; he took command of this unit upon his release . The position of major in the reduced Maryland and Virginia Rifle Regiment was never refilled . 
