| 1st New Jersey Regiment | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1744–1783 |
| Country |  New Jersey  United States |
| Branch | New Jersey Provincial Forces  Continental Army |
| Type | Regiment |
| Role | Infantry |
| Part of | New Jersey Line |
| Nickname(s) | Jersey Blues |
| Engagements | Battle of Valcour Island Battle of Brandywine Battle of Germantown Battle of Monmouth Sullivan Expedition Battle of Springfield Battle of Yorktown |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Col. William Alexander (1775–1776) Col. William Winds (1776–1777) Col. Silas Newcomb (1777) Col. Matthias Ogden (1777–1783) |
The 1st New Jersey Regiment was the first organized militia regiment in New Jersey, formed in 1673 in Piscataway "to repel foreign Indians who come down from upper Pennsylvania and western New York (in the summer) to our shores and fill (themselves) with fishes and clams and on the way back make a general nuisance of themselves by burning hay stacks, corn fodder and even barns."[1] The first commander and founder of the regiment was Captain Francis Drake (1615-1687) who served from 1673 to 1685. All of New Jersey's regular organized military forces trace their lineage to this first provincial militia unit.
The regiment's allegiance was to the British Crown until 1775, when the regiment was raised for service in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.
- ^ "The Ancient & Honourable Order of The Jersey Blues" (Website). The Hereditary Register Publications. Retrieved 2007-11-08.