New York Provincial Company of Artillery
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| New York Provincial Company of Artillery | |
|---|---|
 Alexander Hamilton in the Uniform of the New York Artillery, by Alonzo Chappel | |
| Active | 1776 |
| Allegiance |  New York United States |
| Type | Milita |
| Role | Coastal artillery, Field artillery |
| Part of | New York Militia |
| Engagements | |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Alexander Hamilton |
During the American Revolutionary War, the New York Provincial Company of Artillery was created by the New York Provincial Congress in 1776 to defend New York City from British attack.
Revolution
The revolutionary government of the province commissioned Alexander Hamilton, then a student at King's College (now, Columbia University) and an officer in a militia unit of artillery called the Hearts of Oak, to create the new Provincial Company of Artillery.[1] The new Company saw action in the Battle of White Plains and the Battle of Trenton, among others.[2] It was while commanding this unit with distinction that Hamilton came to the attention of many high-ranking officers in the Continental Army, a number of them offering him positions on their staffs. Hamilton refused them all to become de facto Chief of Staff to the commander-in-chief, General George Washington, for much of the remainder of the war.
The New York Provincial Company of Artillery is considered the ancestor of the 1st Battalion, 5th Field Artillery Regiment, making it the oldest active unit in the U.S. Regular Army and the only one with credit for the Revolutionary War. It is also one of the few with credit for the War of 1812.[3][4]
Post Revolution
In November 1783, the Continental Army was reduced to one regiment. In June 1784, Congress decided to have only one artillery company on active duty. The company commanded by Captain John Doughty, which was the direct descendant of New York Provincial Company, was the one selected. The company was assigned to guard stores of arms and equipment at West Point, New York and Fort Pitt in Pennsylvania.
In August 1784, the Army expanded to one regiment, under the command of Colonel Josiah Harmar, and one artillery battalion, to which Captain Doughty's company was assigned. Along with the regiment, the company participated in the campaigns against the Miami tribe in the Northwest Territories (modern day Ohio), in 1790 and 1791.
The company served in the War of 1812 in Louisiana, where in January 1815, under the command of Captain Charles Wollstonecraft, defended Fort St. Philip against the British Navy after the British Army had been defeated at the Battle of New Orleans earlier that month.
In the Army's reorganization of 1821, the company was designated as Company F of the 4th United States Artillery. It retained this designation until 1901.
During the 19th Century, the company served in the Mexican War, American Civil War, and in campaigns against Native Americans, including Little Big Horn and Pine Ridge.
20th century
In 1907, the company was re-designated as Battery D of the 5th Field Artillery Regiment.
Following the entry of the United States into the First World War, in 1917, the 5th Field Artillery was assigned to the 1st Division (later re-designated as the 1st Infantry Division). The 5th Field Artillery has been a subordinate unit of the 1st Infantry Division for most of its history, from 1917 to the present.
The company deployed with the division to France in 1917 and served in France for the remainder of the war. It participated in the Lorraine, St. Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne offensives in 1918.
In World War II the 5th Field Artillery Regiment was reorganized as the 5th Field Artillery Battalion and assigned to the 1st Infantry Division in 1940. The company has been a subordinate unit of the 1st Infantry Division ever since.
During the war, the company, along with the division, participated in the invasion of North Africa in 1942, the invasion of Sicily in 1943, the invasion of Normandy in 1944 and was in Germany with than country surrendered on 8 May 1945. The company participated in a total of 8 campaigns during the war.
The company later served in Korea, Vietnam, Operation Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom as an element of the 1st Infantry Division.
1st Battalion, 5th Artillery was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Charles Calvin Rogers when he earned the Medal of Honor in 1968. Rogers retired from the Army in 1984 as a major general. He is the highest ranking African-American to receive the Medal of Honor.
