Career
He later served as the State Commissioner for Prisoners in Maryland. Rawlings was appointed as first lieutenant in Captain Michael Cresap"s Independent Rifle Company from Frederick County, Maryland.
Shortly afterward Cresap died, and Rawlings replaced him as company commander.
On June 17, 1776 the company was joined to the newly formed Maryland and Virginia Rifle Regiment and Rawlings was named second-in-command and promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel. When the regimental commander, Colonel
Hugh Stephenson, died in August 1776 Rawlings took command of the regiment. The unit consisted of approximately 250 rifelmen, and was often referred to as "Rawlings" Regiment".
During the Battle of Fort Washington the Maryland and Virginia Rifle Regiment was positioned about a half mile north of Fort Washington on Manhattan Island.
Rawlings was taken prisoner, but was released as part of a prisoner exchange George Washington referenced in a letter written on January 14, 1777 Washington to Joshua Loring. Throughout the remainder of his military career, Rawlings often wrote to General Washington concerning pay for his soldiers and recruits, as he had difficulty paying his soldiers. Washington"s response often included requests that Rawlings use his own money to pay his soldiers until more money could be obtained from Congress.
As of 1781 Rawlings was referred to as the "State Commissioner of Prisoners" out of Frederick Town, Maryland.
Rawlings was married to Elizabeth McMahon. He also had a son named Moses Rawlings.
