49. IN 1776.
the United States Army - Encyclopedia Britannica 31.
47. JCC, 5:645; Force, American Archives, 5th
A
considered. June 14 we celebrate 248 years of turning obstacles into possibilities and challenging our Soldiers to be all they can be. Original plans assumed that
diss., University of Southern
instructed to discuss the projected total cost, the rates of pay and the
Launching of the American Revolution" (Ph.D. 14 Jan 77); 411 (Barrington to Howe, 24 Feb 77); 552 (Howe to Barrington,
The Continental Congress, pp. New Hampshire had General Sullivan organize a regiment from companies already
Connecticut formed its regiment in Litchfield County, which had a tradition
Staff organization was identical
Morgan, Magazine of American History 30 (1893):185-206.
it, however, and it marched north under Capt.-Lt. Gibbs Jones. 4: 193-95; Smith, Letters of Delegates, 2:67; David o. The army furnishes most of the ground forces in the U.S. military organization. American Archives, 4th ser., 4:1094; 5:294, 301, 312, 330-31,
and later served on the northern frontier.38 Col. Elisha Porter,
Valuable sources for the formation of the Canadian
Benjamin Franklin and Samuel Chase and two leading Maryland Catholics,
solutions.
Appleton
regiments. (Chart 4) The regiment's staff was similar to
Fitzpatrick, Writings, 4:208.
Willson Peale. to offset losses. Hazen
The planning phase of the Main Army's reorganization in 1775 was short
Between 1775 and 1783, the Continental Army fought against British and Hessian soldiers in a number of skirmishes, small-scale engagements, and more than a dozen large-scale set-piece battles.
regiments include the following: George Francis Gilman Stanley, Canada
New Hampshire, and Connecticut each to raise a regiment for Canadian service. in a month.
personnel were absent to a greater extent. Opposition from officers and men alike ended
The officers wanted the new Main Army to consist
Ten Facts: The Continental Army | American Battlefield Trust specific measures needed to reorganize the Continental Army, including
Fitzpatrick, Writings, 3:327.
6.
11.
The others were under three senior colonels: James
but Governor Carleton's British and German regulars still drove the field
Fitzpatrick, Writings, 4:213-14. some basic philosophical differences and sheds light on their relative
That colony had misinterpreted a
of the Army. Where a regiment could
had an excess of candidates, while the other colonies had some shortages. On 29 September Congress established
of a uniform regimental organization; they were also to recommend a plan
originally had intended for Canada. in every company were "contingent men," fictitious names carried on the
23.
the 2d New York Regiment, an Albany-based unit, as soon as he had learned
Wish the Army a Happy Birthday!
By the era of the Revolution, however,
Army's logistical capability; it certainly had ruined many regiments. Bedel, 4 Mar 78, Gates Papers, New-York Historical Society. Dutchess and Westchester Counties furnished
George Washington's Mount Vernon As Major General and Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army, George Washington won the military struggle for American Independence.
110-11. Schuyler
This practice deprived a regiment of its best men; in addition, the remaining
They also conveyed a message that Congress
officers from several colonies in each regiment. Its cadre, Seth Warner's Green
Adjutant General Gates had compiled preliminary statistics. troublesome for the British.10. since Washington considered it "a matter of too much importance, to intrust
The events of the campaign,
the aftermath of Lexington, and New York followed suit with encouragement
America, including the two colonels, and were ardent supporters of the
of its rank and file goal, 10 others were at least three-quarters full,
The evacuation of Canada in
of 1776. When Antil, son of a former chief justice
in Berkshire County. Unlike the
the theoretical total; only 448 were musketmen.
Adam sets the record straight on what actually inspired the formation of the Continental Army.SUBSCRIBE to get the latest truTV content: http://bit.ly/truTVS. Bombardiers, gunners,
43. The committee
110, 154-59, 178-82, 216-20, 250-54; British
JCC, 4:188, 284; s 4s2; Force, American Archives, 4th ser.,
had ended in failure.
What is the Continental Army? for the Canadian regiment, and instructions to reenlist as many of the
with militiamen called up for limited periods by the New England colonies. the summer of 1776 then added exile to this spiritual hardship for the
Washington takes command of Continental Army in 1775 national force. were necessary to account for a full complement of field officers. General Wooster
ordered additional reinforcements to the north. Called the Army of Observation, a force of New Englanders surrounded Boston and had the British troops who occupied it under siege, but they needed help. with the military leaders and with representatives of the New England governments. history test Flashcards | Quizlet On 11 October 1775 Congress instructed Schuyler to encourage the Canadians
command.48, Schuyler allowed Gates a large measure of autonomy by keeping his own
(Thomas Lynch, Benjamin Harrison, and Benjamin Franklin) came from New
7. Share on social media using hashtag #ArmyBDay and #BeAllYouCanBe and tag @USArmy.
Prior to the American Revolutionary War, the colonies had their own militias composed of citizen-soldiers. Host an in-person or online event with friends, family, your community and colleagues to celebrate the Army's 248th birthday.
JAMES MITCHELL VARNUM (1748 - 89), a close friend of General Greene,
that some incompetent officers also were undermining the quality of his
Force, American Archives, 4th ser.,
The constitutional crisis, in which Americans sought a redress of grievances from the British king and Parliament, had become open hostilities. 44.
Papers.
British "brigade" style, Knox distributed his companies in 1776 to man
Delegates, 2:26-27, 64-65, 79-86, 112-13. all 640 shots counted.
Knox prepared a plan to form a second
The Continental Army was created to coordinate military efforts of the Colonies in their war for independence.
1775-1783 (Chester, cone.
For a general discussion
One had recruited over 90 percent
Ward to Congress, 3 Feb 76, RG 360, National Archives; Elisha Porter, "The
95n. infantry, combining Richard Gridley's regiment from Massachusetts and John
At this point
He formed the regiment at nearby Pointe Olivier and moved it up to Quebec
In addition,
Which statement best describes how the American colonies won the Revolution? discussions with the congressional committee and New England civil leaders
or adjacent colonies to minimize friction. On 31 August the regiment
Two were "flank" companies: the grenadier company, composed of the largest
17-18). men, served as the heavy strike force on the right (honor) flank of the
about 200 officers and over 3,500 enlisted men, most of whom were still
America's Revolutionary War began on 19 April 1775 with exchanges of musketry between British regulars and Massachusetts militiamen at Lexington and Concord. that it recruit in areas outside New England. The differences in British and American regimental organizations reflected
companies of Knox's regiment, Capt. and only 5 were below 60 percent. a New Yorker, had married a woman from Montreal and had settled at Chambly.
New Jersey and Pennsylvania. different course than Congress had planned. to reinforce Boston: one each from Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts. 8. Although Crispus Attucks, a black man, was the first American to die from British fire in the American Revolution at the Boston Massacre, this did not signify a tolerant attitude on the part of all revolutionary leaders.
Continental Army Formed Mystic Stamp Discovery Center
the Wounds and Lives of Officers, and Soldiers, to unskilled Surgeons.
JCC, 3:321-25, 399.
32. 3:60, 71-73, 77-79, 85-86, 88-89.
regiment, and Congress approved it on 24 July.
arrived in mid-May with the 8th (New Hampshire), 15th, 24th, and 25th (all
six by calling on quotas from towns close to Boston.27, Another crisis was the discovery in December that many firearms were
Be sure to tag @USArmy and use #ArmyBDay and #BeAllYouCanBe. As Washington had initially hoped to do, Schuyler wanted to mix
Gage, 31 Aug 75, with enclosure); 206 (Barrington, Circular to Colonels,
[citation needed] After six years of fighting, the British forces were . JCC, 5:811-12; 6:900; 8:589; 19:427-29; Force,
Brig. JCC, 3:359, 399; Fitzpatrick, Writings,
ton, N.Y.: Kennikat Press, 1970), pp. his agents in securing legislation he desired. regiment), and a Pennsylvania company. The committee promised Washington that his Main
of Original Documents (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1954), p.
When the delegates to the Second Continental Congress convened in Philadelphia on 10 May, they soon learned that armed men commanded by Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold had captured the British forts at Ticonderoga and Crown Point on Lake Champlain in New York. On 9 February he summarized his view for Congress: The congressional committee sent to Cambridge in the fall of 1775 to
Massachusetts had particular problems in making the transition. deliberate doctrinal differences. 30. at Boston.
26. JCC, 3:265-67, 270-72; Smith, Letters of
he began a policy of sending personal letters to individual members of
The Continental Army: Definition & Facts | Study.com
Eight noncommissioned officers, 8 bombardiers, 8 gunners, and 32 matrosses
in Europe, the Continental Army reflected Anglo-American experiences in
21. The committee approved their actions,
In the early months of the American Revolution, the first regular U.S. fighting force, the Continental Army, was organized by the Second Continental Congress on .
Congress authorized the second
congressional resolution and had directed Bernard Romans, an engineer,
Ticonderoga area. 526; Burnett, Letters of Congress, 1:486-87; 2:16-17, 29-34; Fitzpatrick,
), Hitchcock's regiments were retained as the 9th and 11th Continental
After receiving
George Washington was appointed the commander-in-chief and he served throughout the war without pay, requesting only that his expenses be paid.
As their fellow citizen soldiers from New Hampshire, Connecticut and Rhode Island responded to the alarm, a state of war existed between the four colonies and the British government.
A comparison of this Continental regiment with its British counterpart
242, 246-51, 264, 325-27, 345-47.
on-the-job training.
It took specific steps to encourage the Canadians
Thomas Church's was disbanded because Greene judged its officers
with tactical considerations. until mid-April.
of ammunition supply, persisted during early 1776, but the crisis passed
Archives, 4th ser., 3:1039-44. changes. Don't forget to let us know who you are and how you support our Army. freedom for Roman Catholics, a major concession for American Protestants. of a single regiment organized as four 8-company (increased in 1779 to
expressed what became the consensus that this scheme was impractical. It deployed its battalion companies
The committee had accepted Schuyler's opinion
Each company had 4 officers
General Orders announced: Rhode Island retained a quota of 1,500 men, organized into two instead
Creating a Continental Army - Library of Congress
Schuyler was even authorized to organize a Continental regiment from Canadians
They were reinforced in the spring by Ebenezer Stevens' and Benjamin Eustis'
Heavy Brigades of Field Brass Artillery," 13 Sep 82). In terms of the division of forces in the north, Gates had the six strongest
Fitzpatrick, Writings, 4:302-3; Force, American
and it approved the recommendations of. JCC, 4:177; 5:471-72, 479, 481, 518-19, 761;
Older than the nation it defends, the U.S. Army has made a difference in the history and founding of America. companies from several regiments were merged, with the field officer assignments
raise the regiments not as short-term militia units but for a full year
and 27th Continental Regiments. Washington was immediately confronted by the lack of discipline and training in his troops, and he devoted the entire war to building a fighting force from inexperienced and generally short-term soldiers.
By March the regiments at Boston had passed through the period of greatest
Join us as we commemorate the legacy that has been built on our storied 248 years of our history, displayed in the dedication, courage and heroism of the American Soldier.
The U.S. Army fought the Indian Wars of the 1790s, the War of 1812 (1812-15), Mexican-American War (1846-1848), American Civil War (1861-65), American Indian Wars (ended 1890), Spanish-American War (1898), World War I (1917-18), World War II (1941-45), Korean War (1950-53) and Vietnam War (1965-71). committees of correspondence. 1999 (Clinton to Germain, 14 May 79);
also raised two new artillery companies in New York City, nominally in
Papers of Alexander Hamilton, ed.
from other colonies.19, Connecticut had sent five regiments to Boston in 1775 and three to Canada.
Militia reinforcements
381-83, 459; Fitzpatrick, Writings, 5:7-11; Sullivan and Flick,
community. The Army Birthday flagship video will be available June 14th on @USArmy social media platforms at 8 a.m. Share it on your social media pages! A far greater source of trouble was that regiments in 1776
Schuyler had begun reorganizing
He rose to the rank of colonel and served in
1467-69. ser., Supplement 4 (1866), pp.
were allowed, but Knox followed a policy of filling those positions in
Schuyler retained the
Its 1,000 rank and file were organized in four battalions,
This included absorbing the forces then besieging Boston and stationed in New York City.
After debate, Congress
New Englanders.
and 2 musicians, plus 8 noncommissioned officers and 76 privates evenly
and to the lessons of the French and Indian War for inspiration. Writings, 5:173-75, 547-51; Sullivan, Letters and Papers, 1:280-82.
of sending men to serve at Lake Champlain. at Quebec.
at the suggestion of Thomas Jefferson, the colonies formed. his officers to find out how many planned to remain in service. and Montgomery, who had been promoted to major general on 9 December, had
Congress approved an even larger garrison of nine regiments (about 6,500
Washington continued to employ it as a special reserve force. Throughout the war, the continental soldiers were poorly armed, poorly clothed, poorly fed, and poorly paid. the old New York Department. Since the colony's quota for 1776 was five regiments, the cadres at Boston
Washington's first concern was the weakness of so many of the Massachusetts
United States Army - Wikipedia 5:362-63, 386-87; Force, American Archives, 4th ser., 4:1216-19;
The chaplains' duties remained the
The chaplains corps was notable for its freedom
Goodwin, ed., "Journal of the congress of the Colony of New Hampshire,"
many others as he might need to complete the conquest of Canada. John Bigelow's company (in Burrall's
51. 165-87.
who received higher pay.21, The Royal Artillery was technically a separate armed service, but Washington
corporals, 9 bombardiers, 18 gunners, 2 drummers, and 73 matrosses. the new unit was patterned after French regiments in Europe during the
in open battle, but it was less of a problem in garrison. committee's basic task, however, was to prepare a report for Congress on
Washington's twenty-six reorganized infantry regiments.33, The two veteran regiments were not formed until 15 April 1776.
British evacuation of the
in December.40, Several Canadians who had been expelled from Quebec by the British also
York.35 Washington received Schuyler's report of the Quebec
the regiment was an administrative unit. Connecticut furnished four regiments, and Massachusetts provided
duties, and 185 were on furlough. Dated 1 November 1775; Return . Who Decline
History Origins The Continental Army was created on 14 June 1775 by the Second Continental Congress [23] as a unified army for the colonies to fight Great Britain, with George Washington appointed as its commander.
Fitzpatrick, 4:345.
Each regiment was to be reduced
17. were a serious problem by summer.
They contained 828 officers, 694 sergeants,
Glover, Peninsular Preparation; pp. it would consist of a chaplain, a surgeon, and a surgeon's mate, with the
640 privates and corporalsthe soldiers who stood in the ranks with musketsor
Reinforcements of continentals were dispatched several times,
A special diplomatic mission to Canadadelegates
His selection was based both on his reputation
Writings, 4:22-23, 45-47, JCC, 3:313-14, 318.
11 and 24 Feb 80, Steuben Papers, New-York Historical Society. of the old.
Papers of the Continental Congress, RG 360, National Archives; Berthold
Since Congress did not
their enlistment terms did not expire until 1 July 1776. of John Lamb's 1775 company voluntarily reenlisted under Lt. Isaiah Wool. corps.
and George, because nearly 2,200 were sick, another 1,000 were on detached
back to its 1775 strength in raw numbers. Smith. to each company: ibid., pp.
69, 95-101, 111-33.
Click the button below to check out the list of Army Birthday events. On 20 January 1776 they secured
Since its official establishment, June 14, 1775 more than a year before the Declaration of Independence the U.S. Army has played a vital role in the growth and development of the American nation. As a result the unit retained its unique four-battalion organization
the French and Indian War. brigades. Continentals, the regiment was given primacy as the 1st Continental Regiment. Among 1,286 combat officers, 641 (78 field grade and
Download free U.S. Army birthday social media products including banners, posters, graphics and videos to share on your social media pages.
New Englanders were selected on 2 November: Robert Treat Paine.
Sullivan, Letters and Papers, 1:169-72, 271-77, General Gates to
and in the fall a special congressional committee held extensive discussions
Gen. John Sullivan reached St. John's
Harold C. Syrett and Jacob E. Cooke
many of the units sent north were badly weakened by attrition and disease.
British Army, which had been heavily influenced by the Seven Years' War
Hancock, 16 and 29 Jul and 6 Aug 76, and Colonel Hartley to Gates, 10 Jul
wish I had never seen this fatal country.
aspects of the report, including the news that Seth Warner's and Timothy
of Thomas Jefferson (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1950- ),
PHILIP VAN CORTLANDT (1749-1803) was the son of New York's deputy
pp. on 8 January and later accepted the Massachusetts unit as well.36, The three New England colonies recruited the regiments, as Washington
From the 31st Day of Dec. 1775.
army. however, limited actual appointments.
1775 when Washington anticipated that Connecticut's regiments might depart. his opponents because so many British officers were absent.9
and 6,262 rank and file, a total roughly equivalent to the number Congress
At the same time, there was a surplus of captains.15, Washington and his generals selected the field officers on 2 November.
Archives; Gates to (probably Congress), October 1778, and Hazen to Gates,
Their pay was used as a special regimental fund for the
(Portrait by Charles
Other topics discussed included pay,
Charles and John Carrollhad conducted extensive discussions with American
in March. 40.
of transatlantic communications made the procurement of replacements particularly
12.
Two of its
to garrison the fortifications in the Hudson Highlands.
The colony's Provincial
88 percent of its total of 728.
Department as well as those in eastern Massachusetts. into retirement in 1763 and had settled in Canada.
however, assumed a new designation to conform with those of the infantry
Margaret M. Cameron
"brigades" with crews for eight to ten guns.22, Knox's companies were smaller than the British ones on a wartime footing,
(6,500 men), supported by the Northern Department's four regiments (2,900
On 6
On 20
conditions than under European.
of major reforms were introduced for 1776.
the British shifted to two ranks to compensate for endemic shortages and
be reorganized from an existing one, it was held together. consequently were in the worst shape. discuss reorganization was instructed to deal with the troops in the Northern
Gates' Orderly Book, New-York Historical Society; Hazen to General Steuben,
Archives, 4th ser., 4:588-89, 852-53, 1131; 5th ser., 1:717, 1390-99;
Explore the section below and learn more about today's U.S. Army. England, but all favored a vigorous military effort.
6th, 7th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 18th, 21st, 23d, 24th, 25th, 26th,
Shortages were concentrated in
nine companies had been sent to Quebec, but attachment of the remaining
Unlike Livingston's
from New York and 3 from Massachusetts, and the other was to have 4 from
Don't forget the cake! ", With words that sound hauntingly familiar two hundred forty-five years later, "The delegates of the United Colonies reposing special trust and confidence in the patriotism, valor, conduct, and fidelity of George Washington, issued its first commission by appointing him General and Commander in chief of the Army of the United Colonies, and of all the forces now raised, or to be raised by them, and of all others who shall voluntarily offer their services, and join the Defense of American liberty, and for repelling every hostile invasion, Detailed account of the Army's founding from Robert Wright's The Continental Army, Army Birthday feature at the Army home page. duty: JCC, 3:309. Washington's personal views.
July Gates created a brigade structure for the units at Ticonderoga. Archives (also printed in Lesser, Sinews, pp. Sullivan's withdrawal. State Germain to Howe, 1 Sep 77): 3181-82 (Sec at War Jenkinson to Clinton,
Use birthday shoutouts or other multimedia that can be downloaded on DVIDS Army Birthday feature page.
defeat on 18 January and immediately convened a Council of War. also had the two regiments raised by New York in the Albany region (Van
effective. of the Canadian populace subsided.
Although he had been allowed
Thus only minor adjustments
Because a more detailed evaluation was required to choose the remaining
2.
were sick at that time, although only 10 percent of these were hospitalized. Both Washington and Schuyler
The riflemen were
action. the lieutenant colonel often served as a brigadier, and he or the major
to his other duties.44, During January Congress also considered the non-Canadian portion of
Reed (replaced later by John Paterson), John Stark, and Arthur St. Clair.49, Congress also formed two new units for the Northern Department from