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99-493: Knox was commissioned by Continental Army commander George Washington in 1775 to transport 59 cannons from captured forts on Lake Champlain, 30 from Fort Ticonderoga and 29 from Crown Point , to the army camp outside Boston to aid the war effort there against British forces. They included forty-three heavy brass and iron cannons , six cohorns , eight mortars , and two howitzers . Knox, using sledges pulled by teams of oxen to haul these cannons, many weighing over

198-457: A ton , crossed an icy Lake George in mid-winter. He proceeded to travel through rural New York and the snow-covered Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts , finally arriving to the aid of the beleaguered Continental Army in January 1776. In 1926, the 150th anniversary of Knox's march, the states of New York and Massachusetts both began installing commemorative plaques at 56 locations in

297-687: A "healthy sound negro" as a reward. The officers of both the Continental Army and the state militias were typically yeoman farmers with a sense of honor and status and an ideological commitment to oppose the policies of the British Crown . The enlisted men were very different. They came from the working class or minority groups (English, Ulster Protestant, Black or of African descent). They were motivated to volunteer by specific contracts that promised bounty money; regular pay at good wages; food, clothing, and medical care; companionship; and

396-686: A Commissary General of Purchases, with four deputies, and a Commissary General of Issues, with three deputies. William Buchanan was head of the Purchase Department (1777–1778), Jeremiah Wadsworth (1778–1779), and Ephraim Blaine (1779–1781). In 1780, the department became subordinated to the Superintendent of Finance , although Blaine retained his position. Charles Stewart served as Commissary General of Issues (1777–1782). The responsibility for procuring arms and ammunition at first rested with various committees of Congress. In 1775,

495-435: A black cocked hat with white plume. These are the colors of the 1st Sub-Legion. An example of a similar hat can be seen in the uniforms of the 3d Infantry Regiment's fife and drum corps . The 2nd Sub-Legion is found today in the 1st Infantry Regiment . The 2nd Sub-Legion became the 2nd Regiment U.S. Army, from which today's 1st Infantry Regiment is descended. The coat of arms for the 1st U.S. Infantry Regiment shows part of

594-453: A captain. Field officers usually included a colonel, a lieutenant colonel, and a major. A regimental staff was made up of an adjutant , quartermaster , surgeon, surgeon's mate , paymaster , and chaplain . Infantry regiments were often called simply regiments or battalions. The regiment's fighting strength consisted of a single battalion of 728 officers and enlisted men at full strength. Cavalry and artillery regiments were organized in

693-479: A distinctive cap. The 1st sub-legion wore a cap of black hair with white binding and plumes, the 2nd wore a cap of white hair with red binding and plumes, the 3rd wore a cap of black hair with yellow binding and plumes, and the 4th wore a cap of white hair with green binding and plumes. Each sub-legion also carried a regimental standard with their unit colors: Previous battles had shown that Native Americans would target officers, so Wayne ordered his officers to wear

792-546: A fact that General Daniel Morgan integrated into his strategy at the Battle of Cowpens and used to fool the British in 1781. The financial responsibility for providing pay, food, shelter, clothing, arms, and other equipment to specific units was assigned to states as part of the establishment of these units. States differed in how well they lived up to these obligations. There were constant funding issues and morale problems as

891-589: A field organization, usually known as the Military Branch of the Commissariat of Military Stores, was made responsible for distribution and care of ordnance in the field. In 1777, Congress established a Commissary General of Military Stores. Known as the Civil Branch, this organization was responsible for handling arsenals , laboratories , and some procurement under the general supervision of

990-490: A follow-up expedition led by territorial governor, General Arthur St. Clair . His initial force was roughly the same size as Harmar's, so Congress authorized a second infantry regiment of 2,000 soldiers, but only for six months. St. Clair's total force was only 2,400, and he could not overcome logistics problems, but with the six-month levies expiring, he set out in September 1791. This newly recruited and inexperienced force

1089-925: A fortification on the site of Fort Massac . This was to prevent any action against Spain by the French Revolutionary Legion , a force under George Rogers Clark that was recruiting at the same time. Wayne sent an infantry company under Thomas Doyle and four artillery pieces to Fort Massac in May after receiving word that Spain had sent five gunboats up the Mississippi River as far as the Ohio River. General Wayne extended his deliberate line of forts northward and garrisoned each with freshly trained legionaries to protect his soldiers and supply line. This chain of frontier forts eventually reached far north towards Lake Erie and closely resembles

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1188-667: A military battle with the United States, the fort commander refused to open the gates, forcing the Native American forces to withdraw from the area. Although the battle lasted little more than an hour, Fallen Timbers was the culmination of an arduous campaign and owed its success to the intense training and discipline of the Legion of the United States. The Legion encamped near Fort Miami for three days, but without their heavy artillery, they finally withdrew. Wayne waited in

1287-498: A result, the army went through several distinct phases, characterized by official dissolution and reorganization of units. The Continental Army's forces included several successive armies or establishments: Military affairs were at first managed by the Continental Congress in plenary session , although specific matters were prepared by a number of ad hoc committees . In June 1776 a five-member standing committee ,

1386-715: A rifle company. They were armed with varieties of the long rifle , and dismounted officers were issued light muskets. To mitigate the lack of bayonets on rifles, they were also issued bayonet-tipped sticks, which could be unfolded and locked to form spears. The artillery consisted of 120 soldiers and 16 guns. Since their artillery slowed St. Clair's campaign, Wayne insisted that heavy canons be left at Fort Washington. Instead, he ordered 2.75 and 2.85 caliber howitzers that could be carried on horseback with special saddles. These guns could fire an iron ball, an explosive shell, or grapeshot against infantry at short range. Gun crews were trained to fire every 15 seconds. In addition,

1485-644: A shift in thinking. Congress recognized that it needed a more significant, professional army, and authorized a federal force strength of 5,190. President George Washington drafted a list of sixteen general officers from the American Revolutionary War to lead an expanded Army in the Northwest, including Benjamin Lincoln , Daniel Morgan , and Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben . After consulting with his cabinet, he picked Anthony Wayne to lead

1584-409: A similar manner. A company of cavalry was frequently called a troop. An artillery company contained specialized soldiers, such as bombardiers , gunners , and matrosses . A continental cavalry regiment had a nominal strength of 280 officers and men, but the actual strength was usually less than 150 men and even fewer horses. Artificers were civilian or military mechanics and artisans employed by

1683-608: A spy for the Spanish government), became the Senior Officer of the Army . The 1st Sub-Legion is found today in the 3rd United States Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) . The distinctive unit insignia worn on the epaulette of the 3rd Infantry Regiment is a gold-colored metal device that shows "an Infantry officer's cocked hat of 1784 with plume." This alludes to the crest of the 3rd Infantry Regiment's coat of arms, which shows

1782-627: A transfer of frontier forts with Major General Frederick Haldimand collapsed, however, the British maintained control over them, as they would into the 1790s. That failure and the realization that most of the remaining infantrymen's enlistments were due to expire by June 1784 led Washington to order Knox, his choice as the commander of the peacetime army, to discharge all but 500 infantry and 100 artillerymen before winter set in. The former regrouped as 1st American Regiment , under Colonel Henry Jackson of Massachusetts. The single artillery company, New Yorkers under Major John Doughty , came from remnants of

1881-731: Is best known for its victory at the Battle of Fallen Timbers in August 1794. Following the 1795 Treaty of Greenville with the Western Confederacy of Native American nations and the Jay Treaty with Great Britain , the Legion was reduced in size and rechristened the Army of the United States in 1796. The modern 1st , 3rd , and 4th United States Infantry Regiments of the United States Army trace their lineage to

1980-521: The 2nd Continental Artillery Regiment . Congress issued a proclamation on October 18, 1783, which approved Washington's reductions. On November 2, Washington, then at Rockingham near Rocky Hill, New Jersey , released his Farewell Orders issued to the Armies of the United States of America to the Philadelphia newspapers for nationwide distribution to the furloughed men. In the message, he thanked

2079-510: The Battles of Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775, at a time when the colonial revolutionaries had no standing army. Previously, each colony had relied upon the militia (which was made up of part-time citizen-soldiers) for local defense; or the raising of temporary provincial troops during such crises as the French and Indian War of 1754–1763. As tensions with Great Britain increased in

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2178-670: The Board of War and Ordnance , was established in order to replace the ad hoc committees. The five members who formed the Board fully participated in the plenary activities of Congress as well as in other committees and were unable to fully engage in the administrative leadership of the Continental Army. A new Board of War was therefore formed in October 1777, of three commissioners not member of Congress. Two more commissioners, not members of Congress, were shortly thereafter added, but in October 1778,

2277-618: The Brigade Combat Teams of the modern United States Army. Major General Wayne commanded the entire legion, with Brigadier General Wilkinson acting as a second-in-command. Under Wayne's command was the 1st sub-legion commanded by Jean François Hamtramck , the 2nd sub-legion commanded by David Strong and the 3rd sub-legion commanded by Henry Gaither, and the 4th sub-legion, which was first commanded by Jonathan Clark , and then by Thomas Butler from 1 July 1794 to 1 November 1796. General Wayne insisted that each sub-legion have

2376-409: The Continental Congress feared the possibility of the Continental Army evolving into a permanent army. The army never numbered more than 48,000 men overall and 13,000 troops in one area. The turnover proved a constant problem, particularly in the winter of 1776–1777, and longer enlistments were approved. As the new country (not yet fully independent) had no money, the government agreed to give grants to

2475-496: The Maumee Rapids . For three years, starting on 25 June 1792, Fort Jefferson , along with the Legion ammunition supply trains en route to the fort, were under constant siege by native forces. Major General Anthony Wayne deployed up to 500 soldiers to guard each supply convoy, with wide area security patrols and guards on the front, rear, and flanks. Anticipating war, the British constructed Fort Miami south of Lake Erie in

2574-554: The United States Army by their resolution of June 3, 1784. Although Congress declined on May 12 to make a decision on the peace establishment, it did address the need for some troops to remain on duty until the British evacuated New York City and several frontier posts. The delegates told Washington to use men enlisted for fixed terms as temporary garrisons. A detachment of those men from West Point reoccupied New York without incident on November 25. When Steuben's effort in July to negotiate

2673-510: The 1783 Treaty of Paris . The Department of War accounted for approximately 40% of the United States budget, so early in 1796, with less threat of conflict with Native Americans or the British, Congress reduced the Legion to just 3,359 and reverted to calling it the United States Army . The 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Sub-Legions became the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Regiments of the Army. After Wayne's death at Fort Presque Isle on 15 December 1796, his second-in-command, Wilkinson (later found to be

2772-453: The 1st American Regiment. Rudolph resigned in July 1792; he was replaced by Major William Winston. They were armed with pistols and sabres, as well as Charleville carbines , although supplies could be scarce. When the squadron was ordered north to Fort Greenville, some troopers did not have boots, having had to relinquish them to infantry soldiers who had previously departed. They had to guard their horses carefully, which were prized in

2871-581: The Board of War. Later in the war, a Surveyor of Ordnance was made responsible for inspecting foundries , magazines , ordnance shops, and field ordnance. In July 1777, the Board of War was authorized to purchase artillery. Congress created a hospital department in July 1775 as a part of the Continental Army's administrative structure. It came under the Director General of the Hospital Department , chosen by Congress but serving under

2970-807: The Cambridge Commons, Cambridge, MA Continental Army The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies representing the Thirteen Colonies and later the United States during the American Revolutionary War . It was formed on June 14, 1775, by a resolution passed by the Second Continental Congress , meeting in Philadelphia after the war's outbreak. The Continental Army

3069-513: The Commander-in-Chief through periodically inspecting and reporting on the condition of troops. The first incumbent was Thomas Conway (1777–1778), followed by Baron von Steuben 1778–1784, under whom the position became that of a de facto chief of staff. The Judge Advocate General assisted the commander-in-chief with the administration of military justice , but he did not, as his modern counterpart, give legal advise. William Tudor

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3168-490: The Commander-in-Chief, and was staffed by four surgeons , an apothecary , twenty surgeon's mates , a nurse for every ten patients, a matron to supervise the nurses, a clerk, and two storekeepers. The department was reorganized in 1777; deputy director generals were added to the administrative structure; commissaries of hospitals were established to provide food and forage; and apothecary generals were established to procure and distribute medicines. The first director general

3267-475: The Continental Army has unfortunately no uniforms in 1775, and consequently many inconveniences must arise from not being able to distinguish the commissioned officers from the privates, it is desired that some badge of distinction be immediately provided; for instance that the field officers may have red or pink colored cockades in their hats, the captains yellow or buff, and the subalterns green." In 1776, captains were to have buff or white cockades. Later on in

3366-564: The Continental Army was disbanded in 1783 after the Treaty of Paris formally ended the war. The Continental Army's 1st and 2nd Regiments went on to form what was to become the Legion of the United States in 1792, which ultimately served as the foundation for the creation of the United States Army . The Continental Army consisted of soldiers from all the Thirteen Colonies and, after 1776, from all 13 states. The American Revolutionary War began at

3465-473: The Continental Congress increasingly adopted the responsibilities and posture of a legislature for a sovereign state, the role of the Continental Army became the subject of considerable debate. Some Americans had a general aversion to maintaining a standing army; but on the other hand, the requirements of the war against the British required the discipline and organization of a modern military. As

3564-645: The Indiana Territory and the state of Indiana. Following British withdrawal from the Northwest Territory, the Legion also occupied Fort Lernoult (Detroit). It constructed three supply/relay forts to secure the Great Miami to Maumee portage: Forts Loramie, Piqua, and St. Mary's. The Legion of the United States was engaged in several attacks on their convoys as the expedition pushed further into Native American strongholds, chiefly towards

3663-464: The Kentucky auxiliaries. The Legion conducted a movement to contact and found an established ambush in a field of trees that had blown over in a storm (the "fallen timbers"). The Legion's front withdrew when attacked, but the troops closed quickly and pressed with the bayonet. The Native forces could not rally an attack and withdrew to the nearby British-controlled Fort Miami . Unwilling to initiate

3762-510: The Legion moved northward past the western outposts Fort Hamilton, Fort St. Clair , and Fort Jefferson into Native American territory and established Fort Greene Ville , where they were joined by units of the Kentucky Militia under Virginia Brigadier General Charles Scott . The Legion also occupied Fort Knox in the far western town of Vincennes . As Wayne prepared to advance in 1794, Knox ordered him on 31 March to build and man

3861-551: The Legion of the United States. After the American Revolutionary War in 1783, Congress decided to disband the Continental Army . By 1784, all Continental Army regiments had been disbanded, and the new United States Army consisted of two detachments to guard military supplies. By 1785, however, a cash-strapped Congress authorized 700 recruits to form the First American Regiment , which served in

3960-464: The Legion recovered artillery lost at St. Clair's defeat and used these guns at Fort Recovery . A squadron of light dragoons, consisting of about 200 soldiers organized into four troops , was authorized for the Legion. The four troops were labelled Bey Troop, Black Troop, Grey Troop, and Sorrell Troop, each with four squads of 15 horses and soldiers. The squadron was originally under the supervision of Major Michael Rudolph , an infantry officer from

4059-549: The Legion reinforced the line of defensive forts with Fort St. Marys , Fort Loramie , and Fort Piqua . On 3 August 1795, as a result of the Army's victory at Fallen Timbers and the Jay Treaty , leaders of the Native American confederacy signed the Treaty of Greenville , ending the Northwest Indian War . In 1796, Wayne accepted the handover of all the British forts, including Fort Niagara and Fort Lernoult , that were located within U.S. territory in violation of

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4158-545: The Legion was taught to move quickly on the enemy so they could not reload, then attack with bayonets. The infantry were armed with smoothbore muskets from the Revolutionary War, mostly 1763 or 1777 models of the Charleville musket . They were trained to fire a paper cartridge consisting of "one ball and three heavy buckshot ," and to aim at the waistband to maximize lethality . Wayne even experimented with

4257-529: The Northern Continental Army. In addition to the Continental Army regulars, state militia units were assigned for short-term service and fought in campaigns throughout the war. Sometimes the militia units operated independently of the Continental Army, but often local militias were called out to support and augment the Continental Army regulars during campaigns. The militia troops developed a reputation for being prone to premature retreats,

4356-651: The Order and Discipline of the Troops of the United States , which was out of print; he complained that officers from the Revolution were "rather rusty." The Legion's 360 riflemen were organized into six companies; two companies were placed at the front and rear of the Legion, and two companies each were assigned to the 3rd and 4th sub-legions to guard the Legion's left and right. Wayne required soldiers to be able to hit targets at 200 yards before they could be assigned to

4455-487: The Quartermaster General. Thomas Mifflin served as Quartermaster General (1775–1776 and 1776–1778), Stephen Moylan (1776), Nathanael Green (1778–1780), and Timothy Pickering (from 1780). Congress also created the position of Commissary General of Stores and Provisions directly responsible to Congress, with Joseph Trumbull as the first incumbent. In 1777, Congress divided the department into two,

4554-636: The Western territories, both to expel illegal settlers and to protect those who had purchased their lands from the United States. Many in the nascent United States still feared a standing army at this time, so the U.S. relied primarily on volunteer state militias. A new government under the United States Constitution created the Department of War in 1789 and named Henry Knox as the first secretary. While Knox worked to organize

4653-550: The area for a renewed attack which never came, but his supply trains were subject to continuous harassment and attacks. That September, he led the Legion from Fort Defiance and marched unopposed for two days to the Kekionga , the Native American city where Harmar had been defeated four years earlier. Here, the Legion constructed Fort Wayne . Wayne appointed Hamtramck as commandant of Fort Wayne and departed in late October, arriving at Fort Greenville on 2 November 1794. That winter,

4752-429: The army to provide services. They included blacksmiths , coopers , carpenters , harnessmakers , and wheelwrights . In June 1775, Congress created the position of Quartermaster General , after the British example. He was charged with opening and maintaining the lines of advance and retreat, laying out camps and assigning quarters. His responsibilities included furnishing the army with materiel and supplies, although

4851-546: The blending of persons from every colony into "one patriotic band of Brothers" had been a major accomplishment, and he urged the veterans to continue this devotion in civilian life. Washington said farewell to his remaining officers on December 4 at Fraunces Tavern in New York City. On December 23 he appeared in Congress, then sitting at Annapolis, and returned his commission as commander-in-chief : "Having now finished

4950-410: The center and reserve, comprising 900 soldiers, including the dragoons and artillery. The left wing was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Jean François Hamtramck and was formed from 450 soldiers of the 1st and 2nd sub-legions. The right wing was commanded by Brigadier General James Wilkinson and was formed from 450 soldiers of the 3rd and 4th sub-legions. Major General Charles Scott retained command of

5049-409: The climactic Battle of Fallen Timbers . The most notable engagement in which the Legion participated was the Battle of Fallen Timbers , southwest of present-day Toledo, Ohio , on 20 August 1794. By the time the Legion reached this area, it had less than half its authorized numbers, with many soldiers defending the supply trains and forts. Wayne reorganized the Legion into three wings. Wayne commanded

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5148-642: The combined forces south to Virginia without the British commanders in New York realizing it. This resulted in the capture of the main British invasion force in the south at the Siege of Yorktown , which resulted in the American and their allied victory in the land war in North America and assured independence. A small residual force remained at West Point and some frontier outposts until Congress created

5247-511: The command of Artemas Ward . The British force in Boston was increasing by fresh arrivals. It numbered then about 10,000 men. The British controlled Boston and defended it with their fleet, but they were outnumbered and did not attempt to challenge the American control of New England. Washington selected young Henry Knox , a self-educated strategist, to take charge of the artillery from an abandoned British fort in upstate New York, and dragged across

5346-441: The count of how many soldiers George Washington had was delayed a little over a week. Instead of obeying their commanders and officers without question, each unit was a community that had democratically chosen its leaders. The regiments, coming from different states, were uneven in numbers. Logically, they should be evened, which would mean moving soldiers around. In the spirit of American republicanism , if George Washington separated

5445-673: The department, as well as state troops and militia – if released by the governor of the state. All troops under the department commander were designated as an army ; hence troops in the Northern Department were called the Northern Army , in the Southern Department the Southern Army , etc. The department commander could be field commander or he could appoint another officer to command the troops in

5544-411: The field. Depending on the size of the army, it could be divided into wings or divisions (of typically three brigades ) that were temporary organizations, and brigades (of two to five regiments ) that in effect were permanent organizations and the basic tactical unit of the Continental Army. An infantry regiment in the Continental Army typically consisted of 8 to 10 companies, each commanded by

5643-440: The first ten companies of Continental troops on a one-year enlistment, riflemen from Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia to be used as light infantry . The Pennsylvania riflemen became the 1st Continental Regiment in January 1776. On June 15, 1775, Congress elected by unanimous vote George Washington as Commander-in-Chief, who accepted and served throughout the war without any compensation except for reimbursement of expenses. As

5742-547: The first training camp used by the United States Military , at Legionville in western Pennsylvania , on the banks of the Ohio River . This was created, in part, to escape the negative effect that Pittsburgh had on discipline. In autumn 1793, the Legion decamped by barge and advanced to the western Ohio frontier down the Ohio River to a camp near Fort Washington dubbed "Hobson's Choice." A month later,

5841-459: The frontier wilderness. Nearly 1,500 mounted Kentucky militia augmented the Legion's campaign into Ohio territory. Although organized into formal militias, Wayne preferred to use them as auxiliaries to the dragoons. The militias were not issued uniforms and performed more as mounted infantry than dragoons or cavalry. They were armed with rifles and carried only knives or tomahawks for close combat. However, many of them had previous experience in

5940-519: The help of France and for the remainder of the war, clothing was coming from over-sea procurement. The disbursing of money to pay soldiers and suppliers were the function of the Paymaster-General . James Warren was the first incumbent of this office. His successor was William Palfrey in 1776, who was followed by John Pierce Jr. in 1781. The Continental Army lacked the discipline typically expected of an army. When they first assembled,

6039-453: The infantry), and a troop of Light Dragoons . The Army had previously raised four companies of artillery under battalion commander Major Henry Burbeck; each company was attached to one sub-legion. Each sub-legion was also authorized to have their own medical personnel. In that the sub-legions were composed of different unit types, some have compared them to modern combined arms organisation, thereby viewing them as remote forerunners to

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6138-494: The legion. From June 1792 to November 1792, the Legion remained in cantonment at Fort LaFayette in Pittsburgh . It was composed of four sub-legions; each was originally authorized a brigadier general , but was commanded by a lieutenant colonel . These sub-legions were self-contained units with two battalions of infantry , a rifle battalion ( light infantry skirmishers armed with Pennsylvania long rifles to screen

6237-721: The membership was set to three commissioners not members of Congress and two commissioners members of Congress. In early 1780, the Quartermaster General , the Commissary General of Purchase, and the Commissary General of Issue were put under the direction of the Board. The Office of the Secretary at War was created in February 1781, although the Office did not start its work until Benjamin Lincoln assumed

6336-432: The military , as did the Continental Congress , though there were minor disagreements about how this was to be carried out. Throughout its existence, the Army was troubled by poor logistics, inadequate training, short-term enlistments, interstate rivalries, and Congress's inability to compel the states to provide food, money, or supplies. In the beginning, soldiers enlisted for a year, largely motivated by patriotism; but as

6435-416: The modern border of Ohio and Indiana . It included more permanent garrisons such as Fort Recovery , which was built on the site of St. Clair's defeat, and Fort Defiance . It also included more temporary camps such as Fort Adams and Fort Deposit. Finally, Wayne had the Legion construct Fort Wayne to assert U.S. sovereignty over the large Native American city at Kekionga to the west in what would become

6534-590: The new United States, which had recently adopted the United States Constitution . The new Congressional and Executive branches authorized a standing army composed of professional soldiers rather than relying on state militias. The Legion was primarily formed in reaction to multiple defeats in the Ohio country in 1790 and 1791 and to assert U.S. sovereignty over U.S. borders in the western territories and Great Lakes regions. The Legion comprised four sub-legions, each with infantry, cavalry, riflemen, and artillery. The Legion

6633-629: The new department, he ordered the First American Regiment commander, Lieutenant Colonel Josiah Harmar , to lead an offensive against "banditti" Native Americans in the Northwest Territory . Harmar's force consisted of about 300 federal regulars and 1,000 militia, and suffered from a lack of equipment and provisions. The Harmar Campaign departed Fort Washington in September 1790 and marched to Kekionga , where they were defeated with heavy losses. Washington ordered

6732-558: The new professional army, although Washington initially considered him too vain. Influenced by treatises from both Henry Bouquet and General Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben , and at the recommendation of Secretary of War Henry Knox and General von Steuben , it was decided to recruit and train a "Legion", a force that would combine all land combat arms of the day (cavalry, heavy and light infantry, artillery) into one efficient brigade -sized force divisible into stand-alone combined arms teams. Congress agreed with this proposal to augment

6831-417: The notable battles of Trenton , Princeton , Brandywine , Germantown , and Morristown, among many others. The army increased its effectiveness and success rate through a series of trials and errors, often at a great human cost. General Washington and other distinguished officers were instrumental leaders in preserving unity, learning and adapting, and ensuring discipline throughout the eight years of war. In

6930-677: The office in October 1781. On June 15, 1775, Congress elected by unanimous vote George Washington as Commander-in-Chief, who accepted and served throughout the war without any compensation except for reimbursement of expenses. Washington, as commander-in-chief, was supported by a chief administrative officer, the Adjutant General . Horatio Gates held the position (1775–1776), Joseph Reed (1776–1777), George Weedon and Isaac Budd Dunn (1777), Morgan Connor 1777, Timothy Pickering (1777–1778), Alexander Scammell (1778–1781), and Edward Hand (1781–1783). An Inspector General assisted

7029-441: The officers and men for their assistance and reminded them that "the singular interpositions of Providence in our feeble condition were such, as could scarcely escape the attention of the most unobserving; while the unparalleled perseverance of the Armies of the United States, through almost every possible suffering and discouragement for the space of eight long years, was little short of a standing Miracle." Washington believed that

7128-584: The officers and soldiers of the continental line as established by the resolutions of Congress, fixing the arrangement of the Continental Army May 27, 1778, which rate of pay continued to the end of the war. During the American Revolutionary War, the Continental Army initially wore ribbons , cockades , and epaulettes of various colors as an ad hoc form of rank insignia, as General George Washington wrote in 1775: "As

7227-524: The organization of the Clothing Department. After this, on many accounts, the soldiers of the Continental Army were often poorly clothed, had few blankets, and often did not even have shoes. The problems with clothing and shoes for soldiers were often not the result of not having enough but of organization and lack of transportation. To reorganize the Board of War was appointed to sort out the clothing supply chain. During this time they sought out

7326-513: The promise of land ownership after the war.By 1780, more than 30,000 men served in the Continental army, but the lack of resources and proper training resulted in the deaths of over 13,000 soldiers. By 1781–1782, threats of mutiny and actual mutinies were becoming serious. Up to a fourth of Washington's army were of Scots-Irish (English and Scottish descent) Ulster origin , many being recent arrivals and in need of work. The Continental Army

7425-406: The raising of a colonial army consisting of 26 company regiments. New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Connecticut soon raised similar but smaller forces. On June 14, 1775, the Second Continental Congress decided to proceed with the establishment of a Continental Army for purposes of common defense, adopting the forces already in place outside Boston (22,000 troops) and New York (5,000). It also raised

7524-466: The same uniforms as enlisted soldiers. Appearance was emphasized. Soldiers could receive 20 lashes for a dirty uniform, and soldiers on guard duty had to be clean-shaven with powdered hair. Commissioned officers, non-commissioned officers, and enlisted personnel were trained to fight in separate small units. General Wayne's tactics were to fire and move quickly with the light infantry as his front-line forces supported by heavy infantry. Additionally,

7623-634: The small standing army until "the United States shall be at peace with the Indian tribes." Congress also passed the Militia Acts of 1792 , giving President Washington authority over state militias in a national emergency. The Legion was formed from the remnants of the First and Second Regiments and filled with recruits. Recruiting was difficult following the military disasters of 1790 and 1791; though over 4,000 troops were to be enlisted, only 2,631 served in

7722-541: The snow to and placed them in the hills surrounding Boston in March 1776. The British situation was untenable. They negotiated an uneventful abandonment of the city and relocated their forces to Halifax in Canada. Washington relocated his army to New York. For the next five years, the main bodies of the Continental and British armies campaigned against one another in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. These campaigns included

7821-406: The soldiers from the officers they had chosen they did not believe they should have to serve. George Washington had to give in to the soldiers and negotiate with them. He needed them to have an army. Soldiers in the Continental Army were volunteers; they agreed to serve in the army and standard enlistment periods lasted from one to three years. Early in the war, the enlistment periods were short, as

7920-566: The soldiers which they could exchange for money. In 1781 and 1782, Patriot officials and officers in the Southern Colonies repeatedly implemented policies that offered slaves as rewards for recruiters who managed to enlist a certain number of volunteers in the Continental Army; in January 1781, Virginia's General Assembly passed a measure which announced that voluntary enlistees in the Virginia Line 's regiments would be given

8019-399: The spring of 1794 and garrisoned it with 120 infantrymen and a detachment of 8 cannon. Angered by this decision, Wayne reluctantly agreed to augment the Legion with Kentucky militia. On 30 June 1794, just outside the gates of Fort Recovery , built on St. Clair's battlefield, a pack-horse convoy led by Major William Friend McMahon was attacked by 2,000 Native Americans. After Major McMahon

8118-406: The supply of arms, clothing, and provisions fell under other departments. The transportation of all supplies, even those provided by other departments, came under his ambit. The Quartermaster General served with the main army under General Washington, but was directly responsible to Congress. Deputy quartermasters were appointed by Congress to serve with separate armies, and functioned independently of

8217-916: The territory. The Legion had a detachment of rangers under Captain George Shrim. This was an elite force primarily used for intelligence gathering. They were superseded by a new detachment of 90 scouts and spies organized into three companies under the command of Captain William Wells , a son-in-law of Miami war chief Little Turtle who unexpectedly joined the Legion. Wells reported directly to General Wayne. Additional scouting capabilities were added in May 1794 when Captain James Underwood arrived with 60 Chickasaw allies. James Robertson also arrived with 45 Choctaw warriors. Junior officers and non-commissioned officers were issued espontoons and light muskets. The Legion created

8316-517: The touchholes of the muskets to allow fine powder to fall from the breech and fill the pan, allowing his soldiers to reload faster. These were issued to the 200 soldiers of the light infantry, which Wayne called "improved infantry," who were taught to take careful aim at individual targets. By contrast, regular infantry were trained to form in open order and merely point their weapons towards their enemies to maneuver and fire more quickly. Wayne requested copies of General von Steuben's Regulations for

8415-669: The two states that trace the route the expedition passed through. The exact nature of the collaboration between the two states is unclear, however the work was completed in 1927. The New York markers' bronze reliefs were designed by Henry James Albright , and the Massachusetts reliefs by Henry L. Norton . In 1975, the marker locations between Kinderhook, New York , and Alford, Massachusetts , were updated after new research, confirming theories originally advanced by North Egremont, Massachusetts , postmaster Joseph Elliott, found Knox did not pass through Claverack, New York . A new marker

8514-544: The war continued. This led to the army offering low pay, often rotten food, hard work, cold, heat, poor clothing and shelter, harsh discipline, and a high chance of becoming a casualty. At the time of the siege of Boston , the Continental Army at Cambridge, Massachusetts , in June 1775, is estimated to have numbered from 14,000 to 16,000 men from New England (though the actual number may have been as low as 11,000 because of desertions). Until Washington's arrival, it remained under

8613-543: The war dragged on, bounties and other incentives became more commonplace. Major and minor mutinies—56 in all—diminished the reliability of two of the main units late in the war. The French played a decisive role in 1781 as Washington's Army was augmented by a French expeditionary force under Lieutenant General Rochambeau and a squadron of the French navy under the Comte de Barras . By disguising his movements, Washington moved

8712-490: The war, the Continental Army established its own uniform with a black and white cockade among all ranks. Infantry officers had silver and other branches gold insignia: Legion of the United States The Legion of the United States was a reorganization and extension of the United States Army from 1792 to 1796 under the command of Major General Anthony Wayne . It represented a political shift in

8811-473: The war. The Department of New York (later the Northern Department) was created when Congress made Philip Schuyler its commander on June 15, 1775. The Southern and Middle Departments were added in February 1776. Several others were added the same year. A major general appointed by Congress commanded each department. Under his command came all Continental Army units within the territorial limits of

8910-500: The winter of 1777–1778, with the addition of Baron von Steuben , a Prussian expert, the training and discipline of the Continental Army was dramatically upgraded to modern European standards through the Regulations for the Order and Discipline of the Troops of the United States . This was during the infamous winter at Valley Forge . Washington always viewed the Army as a temporary measure and strove to maintain civilian control of

9009-522: The work assigned me, I retire from the great theatre of Action; and bidding an Affectionate farewell to this August body under whose orders I have so long acted, I here offer my Commission, and take my leave of all the employments of public life." Congress ended the War of American Independence on January 14, 1784, by ratifying the definitive peace treaty that had been signed in Paris on September 3. Monthly pay of

9108-652: The years leading to the war, colonists began to reform their militias in preparation for the perceived potential conflict. Training of militiamen increased after the passage of the Intolerable Acts in 1774. Colonists such as Richard Henry Lee proposed forming a national militia force, but the First Continental Congress rejected the idea. On April 23, 1775, the Massachusetts Provincial Congress authorized

9207-547: Was Benjamin Church (1775), he was followed by John Morgan (1775–1777), William Shippen (1777–1781), and John Cochran (1781). Keeping the continentals clothed was a difficult task and to do this Washington appointed James Mease , a merchant from Philadelphia, as Clothier General. Mease worked closely with state-appointed agents to purchase clothing and things such as cow hides to make clothing and shoes for soldiers. Mease eventually resigned in 1777 and had compromised much of

9306-401: Was added to the trail at Roxbury Heritage State Park in Boston in 2009, adjacent to a house owned by General John Thomas , who guided the weapons received from Knox to their final placement on Dorchester Heights overlooking Boston. [REDACTED] 179 Green River Valley Rd. [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] Corner of Garden St and Mason St in

9405-440: Was attacked in camp on the morning of 4 November 1791 by forces of the Western Confederacy led by Little Turtle and Blue Jacket . St. Clair's defeat remains one of the worst in U.S. Army history, with over half of St. Clair's combined force killed or wounded. Three-quarters of the new Second Infantry Regiment, including their commander Richard Butler , were lost, as was all artillery. The defeat of Harmar and St. Clair caused

9504-498: Was created to coordinate military efforts of the colonies in the war against the British , who sought to maintain control over the American colonies. General George Washington was appointed commander-in-chief of the Continental Army and maintained this position throughout the war. The Continental Army was supplemented by local militias and volunteer troops that were either loyal to individual states or otherwise independent. Most of

9603-431: Was killed and the rest of the survivors fled to the protection within the fort, a full-scale attack was made on the fortification. Many of the approximately 125 soldiers defending the fort were expert riflemen , and Fort Recovery also had artillery . The battle lasted two days, but the Legion maintained control of the fort. Some scholars believe there were more native warriors involved in the attack of Fort Recovery than at

9702-412: Was racially integrated, a condition the United States Army would not see again until the late 1940s . During the Revolution, African American slaves were promised freedom in exchange for military service by both the Continental and British armies. Approximately 6,600 people of color (including African American, indigenous, and multiracial men) served with the colonial forces, and made up one-fifth of

9801-586: Was the first appointee. He was followed by John Laurance in 1777 and Thomas Edwards in 1781 The Mustermaster General kept track by name of every officer and man serving in the army. The first mustermaster was Stephen Moylan . He was followed by Gunning Bedford Jr. 1776–1777 and Joseph Ward. Units of the Continental Army were assigned to any one of the territorial departments to decentralize command and administration. In general there were seven territorial departments, although their boundaries were subject to change and they were not all in existence throughout

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