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The Continental Army was formed in 1775 to represent the future United States in the Revolutionary War. It was undersupplied and had a high turnover rate, but used innovative tactics to defeat the British. After the war, the army was disbanded and steps were taken to organize a standing army.
The Continental Army was a military force organized in 1775 to represent what would later become the United States in the Revolutionary War. This force fought against the British and although it was disbanded at the war’s conclusion, it laid the foundation for what eventually became the United States Army.
When the 13 American colonies initially began resisting Britain, they lacked an organized military. Individual states fielded militias and troops, but lacked a unified army. In part, this was the result of wary attitudes among many members of the public, who did not support the idea of an organized military force acting on behalf of all colonies. In May 1775, several leaders urged the formation of the Continental Army, and the Continental Congress set things in motion, appointing George Washington as commander-in-chief.
The Continental Congress required each of the then colonies to send men and to supply and pay those men. Few colonies were able to meet their needs, and the Continental Army was often undersupplied with food, clothing, and other materials. Many soldiers were poorly paid and there was a very high turnover rate. Much to Washington’s frustration, his recommendation of three years of military service was not followed up, and soldiers enlisted for periods of time as short as one summer, making soldier training and coordination difficult.
The Continental Army represented an interesting blend of traditional and established military tactics and innovation. While often fighting the more highly trained and organized British troops in open battle, the Continental forces were unwilling to use guerrilla tactics to attack the British. He subverted traditional ideas of how wars should be fought, relying on terrain knowledge and creativity to fight the British, rather than attempting to overwhelm British forces by conventional means. The inconsistent organization within the British military forces was exploited by the Continental troops.
Washington’s command of the Continental Army was often frustrated by lack of troops and poor organization. The troops lacked even the most rudimentary supplies, such as uniforms, and were laughed at by the British. However, the United States was ultimately successful in its bid for independence. After the Treaty of Paris was signed in 1783 to end the Revolutionary War, the Continental Army was disbanded. The need for a regular military force for the new nation was recognized and steps were taken to organize a standing army.
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