Patriot
"As we must account for every idle word, so must we account for every idle silence." Benjamin Franklin

Events

Our Commander-in-Chief Color Guards have participated in Marching Through History Exposition, Chino, Fort MacArthur Old Days Event, San Pedro, the Reagan Presidential Library Constitution Day Living History Reenactment, Simi Valley, the Summer Muster, Living History Encampment, Riley's Farm, as well as numerous Independence Day parades, and SAR, DAR, and CAR sponsored events.

Request the Commander-in-Chief Guards at your event.

Commander-in-Chief Guards

History

As soon as General Washington forced the British to evacuate the City of Boston, he realized his army would become mobile. To protect the headquarters and its staff, he ordered a special guard be created. It was appropriately named "The Commander-in-Chief Guards." Among the men, it was called "The Washington Life Guards."

The Guard consisted of hand picked men, the best in the army, all of good character, 5 foot 10 inches in height, well built, and of good appearance. A Massachusetts Captain, Caleb Gibbs, was appointed Commandant of the Guard. With Washington’s approval Gibbs equip the Guard with smart uniforms. Blue coats with buff facings, red vests, buff breeches, and a distinctive leather helmet, with a bear skin crest, surmounted by a blue and white plume.

Guards and flags

At first the “Guard” was typical of a headquarters detachment, but, it soon evolved into one of the elite units of the Continental Army. Major General, the Baron Von Steuben picked the Guard to serve as his demonstration company for the newly defined "American Military Drill." Once they perfected the drill, the Sergeants and Corporals of the Guard became instructors for the entire Army. Under the watchful eye of General Von Steuben they turned the rabble that was the Continental Army, into a well disciplined fighting force!

The Commander-in-Chief Guards was considered light infantry and on several occasions General Washington did not hesitate to used them as such. Just prior to the Battle of Monmouth Court House, operating with the famed Morgan’s Rifles, the Guard repulsed an attack of a superior force. Not only did they stop the attack, they devastated the attacking British Regiment, killing and wounding many, and capturing 39 of the survivors.

Again at the Battle of Connecticut Farms, New Jersey, General Washington deployed the Guards in a forward position, with orders to hold until the main army came up. Although only supported by one regiment, the Guard not only held, but broke the back of the attacking Hessian and British Regiments forcing them to retreat back to New York. In 1781, at Kings Bridge, New York, while escorting General Washington on a reconnaissance mission, they encountered a 1,500 man British forging party. The Guard numbered but 50 men, but, they fought a rear guard action, allowing time for the General to retire to safety. They lost one third of their men. In the final assault on Redoubt Number Ten at Yorktown, the Guard was selected to make the final attack along with other light infantry units.

The Commander-in-Chief Guards carried it’s own banner, depicting ‘liberty’ presenting a flag to a dismounted officer. On the banner, was a motto scroll which read: "Conquer or Die," the motto of the Guard. As with any elite unit, the Guard set the standards for whole Army to follow and seemingly establish a number of "firsts." The Guard was the first known unit in the American Army to employ the cipher, "USA," on their buttons and canteens.