Continental army
Infantry of Continental Army, Wikimedia Commons
The Continental Congress helped established an army on June 30, 1775. The size of the Continental Army would range from 10,000 to 30,000 men during the eight years of the American Revolution. General Richard Lee had originally objected to an army, believing that the Americans should primarily focus on guerilla warfare. He believed that if the Colonists were to train an army on the same playing field as the British, the Americans would not be on par with them. Washington disagreed, claiming that such tactics would cause chaos without structured commands. Washington along with the congress decided that the colonies would need to form a professional army: The Continental Army.
A misconceived notion about the Continental Army is that they were the complete antithesis of the British. While it is true that they were perhaps not as well trained or experienced, the American forces in many ways resembled the British Army. Many Continental Army officers came from the aristocrats of Britain. Just like in the British army, Continental officers were expected to act in a respectable way, had higher earnings than soldiers, and were to be obeyed. In addition, officers had more privileges and would not dwell or dine with soldiers. The colonists also borrowed several of the divisions in the army from the British. The Continental Army was able to be formed so quickly because it’s structure was largely borrowed from that of the British Army.
A major transformation in the Continental Army occurred at the Valley Forge encampment. There, under the direction of Baron von Steuben, the Continental Army became more disciplined and resembled even more a European military like the British. Instances of punishment at Valley Forge indicate the severity of discipline in the army. These included 100 lashes with a whip and fourteen troops who came under the death sentence for misconduct or desertion, of which four were finally executed. Earlier, punishments had been more relaxed, but Congress would pass stricter regulations when military officers complained that weak punishments could not discipline troops. Steuben, during the Valley Forge encampment, instructed forces on how to march, follow orders and move into formations. Much of what Steuben taught the Americans was standard procedure for well-trained armies like the British.
A large portion of the American troops who were fighting were not in the official Continental Army, but were rather militiamen: civilians serving in case of an emergency. Besides differences in training, there were also distinctions in wealth between the Continental Army and militia. Research has shown that soldiers in the Continental Army were not as wealthy as men in the militia. Indeed, those in the Continental Army earned regular wages, while the milia was not so much an occupation. Both types of soldiers had to give up some of their liberties to join military service, but those in the Continental Army had more restrictions. Near the beginning of the war, Washington had been critical of the militia, but when they assisted him in victories at the Battles of Trenton and Princeton, he began to think otherwise. Despite the aid of the militia American leaders knew that the Continental Army was necessary to defeat the British.
Although the Continental Army had been modeled after the British, some differences remained with regard to the troops. Troops in the colonies had more freedom than British soldiers and could choose to serve limited terms. When the term of a soldier expired, he could either re-enlist or go back home to his family. Sometimes, soldiers could even negotiate prices for their terms with the states. In the British army, when soldiers served, they were in the army for life and could not as easily leave.
Often colonists wanted to avoid the masses of troops of the Continental Army. Many feared these soldiers when they went through their towns. States sometimes struggled to raise funds and supplies for the troops. Nevertheless, the Continental Army would become an enriching community for the soldiers. Although they faced many hardships and had to give up some of their liberties, the Continental Army would be a force that would change the course of history.
(N.B., please find sources and footnotes in digitized copy on Home Page.)
A misconceived notion about the Continental Army is that they were the complete antithesis of the British. While it is true that they were perhaps not as well trained or experienced, the American forces in many ways resembled the British Army. Many Continental Army officers came from the aristocrats of Britain. Just like in the British army, Continental officers were expected to act in a respectable way, had higher earnings than soldiers, and were to be obeyed. In addition, officers had more privileges and would not dwell or dine with soldiers. The colonists also borrowed several of the divisions in the army from the British. The Continental Army was able to be formed so quickly because it’s structure was largely borrowed from that of the British Army.
A major transformation in the Continental Army occurred at the Valley Forge encampment. There, under the direction of Baron von Steuben, the Continental Army became more disciplined and resembled even more a European military like the British. Instances of punishment at Valley Forge indicate the severity of discipline in the army. These included 100 lashes with a whip and fourteen troops who came under the death sentence for misconduct or desertion, of which four were finally executed. Earlier, punishments had been more relaxed, but Congress would pass stricter regulations when military officers complained that weak punishments could not discipline troops. Steuben, during the Valley Forge encampment, instructed forces on how to march, follow orders and move into formations. Much of what Steuben taught the Americans was standard procedure for well-trained armies like the British.
A large portion of the American troops who were fighting were not in the official Continental Army, but were rather militiamen: civilians serving in case of an emergency. Besides differences in training, there were also distinctions in wealth between the Continental Army and militia. Research has shown that soldiers in the Continental Army were not as wealthy as men in the militia. Indeed, those in the Continental Army earned regular wages, while the milia was not so much an occupation. Both types of soldiers had to give up some of their liberties to join military service, but those in the Continental Army had more restrictions. Near the beginning of the war, Washington had been critical of the militia, but when they assisted him in victories at the Battles of Trenton and Princeton, he began to think otherwise. Despite the aid of the militia American leaders knew that the Continental Army was necessary to defeat the British.
Although the Continental Army had been modeled after the British, some differences remained with regard to the troops. Troops in the colonies had more freedom than British soldiers and could choose to serve limited terms. When the term of a soldier expired, he could either re-enlist or go back home to his family. Sometimes, soldiers could even negotiate prices for their terms with the states. In the British army, when soldiers served, they were in the army for life and could not as easily leave.
Often colonists wanted to avoid the masses of troops of the Continental Army. Many feared these soldiers when they went through their towns. States sometimes struggled to raise funds and supplies for the troops. Nevertheless, the Continental Army would become an enriching community for the soldiers. Although they faced many hardships and had to give up some of their liberties, the Continental Army would be a force that would change the course of history.
(N.B., please find sources and footnotes in digitized copy on Home Page.)
