Coren's Independent Artillery
c/o Bill Myers
P.O. Box 37361
Philadelphia, PA 19148-2710

A Brief History of Coren's Independent Artillery

His Excellency, General George Washington, and General Henry Knox (commander of the Continental Artillery) authorized Isaac Coren - a Philadelphia artificer - to raise a company of independent artillery in February of 1777. But there was a catch: Capt. Coren could only recruit able-bodied, free and willing soldiers - not deserters or former Tories, which was a common practice in other regiments at the time. With the Revolutionary War in full swing and recruits few and far between in the more populated parts of the state, Coren drew recruits from Carlisle and Cumberland counties further west in Central Pennsylvania, as well as from the Philadelphia area.

Once recruited to full strength, the regiment was stationed in Philadelphia. Part of the membership served in the field artillery company, while the others found employment in the laboratory of the artificers, where they made ammunition for the Continental Artillery.

The unit served in conflicts and skirmishes around the Philadelphia area until 1780, when it was deactivated. The surviving members joined Captain Porter's company of the 4th Continental Regiment of Artillery. Here, they served out their terms of enlistment or were discharged at the end of the war. It appears the unit was deactivated due to Captain Coren being relieved of command over a dispute with a superior officer, Major Benjamin Flowers. However, the reorganization of the army also may have played a part.

Links to excerpts from the Pennsylvania Archives:

• Recruiting instructions for Captain Isaac Coren, February 1777
• Roll of Captain Isaac Coren's Company, April 1779
• Roll of Captain Lieutenant William E. Godfrey's Company, June 1780
• Roll of Lieutenant Benjamin Hoey's Company, November 1780
• Deserter Descriptions

Coren's Independent Artillery Today

Our recreated unit of Coren's Independent Artillery formed in 1994. Comprised largely of volunteers from Pennsylvania and New Jersey, we strive to honor the memory of the original regiment by educating the public about the lives of the American Revolutionary War artillery soldiers and distaff (camp followers and civilian supporters). We travel all over the East Coast of the United States and Canada participating in reenacted battles and educational living history demonstrations that illustrate the camp life, equipment, tactics and crafts typical to an American artillery unit.