United States. Continental Army. Southern Dept.

The Continental Army was organized shortly after the first encounter of the American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775). In 1776 Congress established the Middle and Southern Departments of the Continental Army for the administration and command. South Carolina troops were included in the Southern Department.

One member of the Southern Department, John F. Grimke (resident of Charleston and Union District of South Carolina), entered the South Carolina Artillery Regiment (South Carolina Regiment, 4th) as a lieutenant, was promoted to captain, then major, and by November of 1778 was serving as deputy adjutant general with the rank of lieutenant colonel. Paroled by the British after the siege of Charleston, Grimke was imprisoned in March 1781. Upon his release Grimke joined General Nathanael Greene's Continental Line. After the war Grimke (an attorney trained in London) served as a judge and a member (1782-1790) and the Speaker (1785-1786) of the House of Representatives of South Carolina.