 The Maryland and Virginia Rifle Regiment , most commonly known as Rawlings ' Regiment in period documents , was organized in June 1776 as a specialized light infantry unit of riflemen in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War . The American rifle units complemented the predominant , musket @-@ equipped , line infantry forces of the war with their long @-@ range marksmanship capability and were typically deployed with the line infantry as forward skirmishers and flanking elements . Scouting , escort , and outpost duties were also routine . The rifle units ' battle formation was not nearly as structured as that of the line infantry units , which employed short @-@ range massed firing in ordered linear formations . The riflemen could therefore respond with more adaptability to changing battle conditions . 
