Grayson’s was formed in Jan 1777 as one of 16 additional regiments authorized by Congress in Dec 1776 to reinforce the existing 88 battalions of the Continental Line. The Additional Regiments were intended to be raised at large with no specific state affiliation. Gen. Washington was given great latitude in choosing where the Regiments were to be raised and in appointing the officers to command, even down to the company level. Col. William Grayson was a neighbor of and former aide-de-camp to the commander-in-chief as well as a former militia commander in the first year of the war. After his appointment, Grayson began recruiting in what today is known as northern Virginia and in Charles County, MD where he was related to the Smallwood family by marriage. Despite several recruiting challenges early on, several companies began marching north to Philadelphia by spring of 1777. According to Clothier General James Mease in May 1777, Grayson’s had “fallen upon blue & red [Regimental Coats] & has obtained near 400 suits”. These uniforms were originally intended for the 15th Virga Regt, but low recruiting numbers kept that unit in Virginia while Grayson’s was ready to march. Grayson’s would ultimately participate in the battles of Brandywine, Germantown, and Monmouth in addition to encamping at Valley Forge as part of Charles Scott’s 4th Virga Bde. In the summer of 1778, Grayson’s augmented her numbers when Patton’s Additional Regiment from the Philadelphia area was absorbed into the unit. While we have discovered some information about the Regiment’s performance at Brandywine and Germantown, the most specific documentation is at Monmouth. As Gen. Scott was detached to command the Light Corps, Col. Grayson was given a brevet command of the 4th Virga Bde and commanded the vanguard of Gen. Charles Lee’s expeditionary force as the army pursued the British. Testimony from Lee’s subsequent courts martial provide a plethora of information about Grayson and his Regiment’s performance in the early stages of the battle. Col. Grayson would resign in Oct 1778 sighting a desire to command a Virga Line Regiment and the unit shifted to William Smallwood’s 1st Maryland Bdg with orders to uniformed in blue regimentals with red facings and red waistcoats and breeches like the rest of the brigade. At this time, the Regiment’s numbers had been greatly reduced and April 1779 the three remaining companies were amalgamated into Gist’s Additional Regiment, another Virginia Additional, along with the remnants of Thruston’s Additional Regiment. Gist’s would be ordered south to assist with the defense of Charleston, SC and the majority of the three Virga Additionals would surrender to the British in May 1780 with the rest of the Virga Line. Gist’s and Grayson’s were formally disbanded in Jan 1781 with any remaining officers and men being transferred to Virga state defense regiments.