 The Maryland and Virginia Rifle Regiment complemented the existing garrison at Fort Pitt : the 8th Pennsylvania and 9th ( formerly 13th ) Virginia Regiments . The men of these Pennsylvania and Virginia line infantry units had been recruited from the central and western frontier counties of the two states and were assigned to the army 's Western Department while at Valley Forge , reflecting a clear logic on Washington 's part . With the arrival of Rawlings ' regiment , Western Department commander Col. Daniel Brodhead now led a force of largely frontier raised men experienced in Indian @-@ style woodlands warfare . In his most notable tactical achievement , Brodhead headed a campaign of about 600 of his Continental regulars , which included the Maryland and Virginia Rifle Regiment , local militia , and volunteers to the upper waters of the Allegheny River in August and September 1779 , where they destroyed the villages and crops of hostile Mingo and Munsee Indians . Brodhead 's expedition was part of Washington 's wide @-@ ranging , coordinated offensive of the summer of 1779 that also included the larger , concurrent Sullivan Campaign led by Maj. Gen. John Sullivan and Brig. Gen. James Clinton against enemy Iroquois and Loyalist units in southern and western New York State . From mid @-@ 1779 until late 1780 , however , the Maryland and Virginia Rifle Regiment was primarily deployed in detachments to support line infantry contingents at several of the frontier outposts in the general vicinity of Fort Pitt , including Fort Laurens , Fort McIntosh , and Fort Henry ( Wheeling ) in what is now eastern Ohio , western Pennsylvania , and northernmost West Virginia , respectively . 
