The 5th Maryland Regiment (The Dandy Fifth) was organized on 27 March 1776 composing of eight companies of volunteers from the counties of Queen Anne's, Kent, Caroline, and Dorchester of the colony of Maryland and was authorized on September 16, 1776 for service with the Continental Army. It was assigned to the Main Continental Army on 27 December 1776. On 22 May 1777, it was assigned to the 1st Maryland Brigade and re-organized on 12 May 1779 to nine companies. It was re-assigned to the Southern Department on 5 April 1780. The regiment was re-assigned from the 1st Maryland Brigade and assigned to the Maryland Brigade, an element of the Southern Department. The regiment was furloughed January 1, 1782, at Round O, South Carolina and disbanded on January 1, 1783.