Daily AncestorContinental Line
The Continental Line was the body of numbered regiments each state supplied to the Continental Army; a soldier of the Virginia Line served in Virginia's quota.
Congress set a quota of regiments for each state, and together those contingents formed the Continental Line. Officers below brigadier general were normally promoted only within their own state's line.
The distinction matters in pension files. Nine months of Continental service could qualify a needy veteran under the act of 1818, which did not cover militia. The act of 1832 then covered the Continental Line, state troops and militia alike.
How to cite this page
Daily Ancestor. "Continental Line." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/military/continental-line. Last checked 2026-10-03.