The 3rd Maryland Regiment was organized on 27 March 1776 of eight companies from Anne Arundel, Prince George's, Talbot, Harford and Somerset counties of the colony of Maryland. The regiment was authorized on September 16, 1776 for service with the Continental Army and was assigned on December 27, 1776 to the Main Continental Army. On 22 May 1777 it was assigned to the 1st Maryland Brigade, an element of the Main Continental Army. The regiment was re-organized to nine companies on May 12, 1779. On 5 April 1780 the 1st Maryland Brigade was re-assigned to the Southern Department. The regiment was relieved from the 1st Maryland Brigade on 1 January 1781. It was assigned to Gist's Brigade, an element of the Main Continental Army, on September 24, 1781. Three days later (September 27, 1781) Gist's Brigade was re-assigned to the Southern Department. On January 4, 1782 the regiment was re-assigned from Gist's Brigade to the Maryland Brigade, an element of the Southern Department. The regiment disbanded on January 1, 1783 at Charleston, South Carolina.