During the opening months of the American Revolutionary War, the defense of New Hampshire’s northern frontier underwent a dramatic transformation. Just over a month after the Battles of Lexington and Concord, the Provincial Congress of New Hampshire initially authorized Timothy Bedel to raise a single company of up to 60 Rangers at Coos (modern-day Haverhill, NH) to protect the northwestern frontier.

A significant milestone occurred between July 5 and July 6, 1775, when this command was formally expanded and organized into Major Timothy Bedel’s Corps of Rangers, growing to consist of three entire companies. This expansion marked the exact moment Bedel shifted from a local militia captain to a major force commander organizing the defense—and impending counter-invasion—of the northern theater.

Originally formed strictly for local frontier defense, this strategic expansion set the stage for Bedel’s forces to transition into an offensive asset for the Continental Army. By August 1775, his corps was assigned to the Northern Department, and in September, Bedel marched his three companies into Canada to participate in the American invasion, playing a key role under General Richard Montgomery at the Siege of Fort St. Jean. This unit served as the direct precursor to “Bedel’s Regiment” in early 1776, which grew to eight companies and recruited heavily among local settlers and friendly Abenaki Native Americans.