Pennsylvania. Army National Guard. 1st Infantry Regiment.

The 103rd Engineer Battalion of the Pennsylvania National Guard--nicknamed the "Dandy First"--is the oldest continuously-serving military unit in Pennsylvania, and one of fewer than ten organizations whose lineage goes back to before 1747 (as verified by the Center for Military History). The unit, which today is known as the 103rd Engineer Battalion, Pennsylvania Army National Guard, has undergone many name changes over the years.

Benjamin Franklin started the Artillery Companies of the Associated Regiment of Foot of Philadelphia in 1747, although Philadelphia men were already meeting as an informal militia as far back as the 1730s. From 1747 to the beginning of the Revolutionary War, the regiment's predecessor was a Company of Artillery commanded by Captain Jehu Eyre. This unit was increased to battalion strength and became the Artillery Battalion of Philadelphia; Eyre was promoted to the rank of Colonel and commanded the unit until his death in 1781. The unit reorganized after the War of 1812 as the Volunteer Corps of Light Infantry, Washington Grays and in 1828 again reorganized as the Artillery Corps, Washington Grays.

Just prior to the outbreak of the Civil War many of the artillery companies in the city of Philadelphia formed the First Regiment of Artillery, The Gray Reserves. Since the Washington Grays were the senior company their officers led the new unit. When the Civil War broke out many of the members of this unit enlisted in several 90-day units, and when the call came out from President Lincoln for three-year regiments, the Grays formed the 118th and 119th from their ranks ("The Corn Exchange Regiment" and "The Gray Reserves," respectively). After the war the unit reformed as the old Washington Grays. When Pennsylvania reorganized their militia into a modern National Guard structure in 1870, the Washington Grays were enlarged to regimental strength and became the First Regiment Infantry, National Guard of Pennsylvania. (They became the First Regiment again, because of their seniority.) The First Regiment fought in the Spanish-American War, helped push Pancho Villa south of the US border during the Mexican Revolution, and died in great numbers on the front lines of World War I. After WWI, the unit was reorganized as the 103rd Engineer Regiment of the Pennsylvania National Guard. It remained a combat battalion, serving in World War II and the Korean War. In between battles, the unit never disbanded, but helped keep the peace during the Whiskey Rebellion of 1793, Know Nothing riots in the 1840s, and numerous other incidents before, in between, and since.

As of 2012, the 103rd Engineer Battalion, Pennsylvania Army National Guard is still in existence. Its armory on the campus of Drexel University in Philadelphia houses the 1st Regiment Infantry Museum.

Bibliography:

Benson, Michael R. E-mail message to author, May 29, 2012.

Crowley, Dennis. "Pennsylvania's Historic Regiments: The 103rd Engineers." Accessed May 7, 2012. http://graywolf1.home.pipeline.com/103rdeng.html

Murphy, Christopher. "The Armory and "The Dandy First" 103rd Engineer Regiment." February 16, 2011. Accessed May 7, 2012. http://www.library.drexel.edu/blogs/drexelarchives/2011/02/16/students-write-7/

Signs on display throughout 1st Regiment Museum, viewed May 7, 2012.

From the guide to the 1st Regiment Infantry, Pennsylvania records, 1812-1970, (1st Regiment Infantry Museum)