The Second Continental Congress Formally Established The Continental Army. This Decision Came Amid Rising Tensions Between The American Colonies And The British Government Following The Battles Of Lexington And Concord On April 19, 1775. The Founding Of This Army Marked The First Unified Military Effort Among The Thirteen Colonies, Signaling A Transition From Isolated Colonial Militias To A Coordinated Military Body Under Central Authority.
Prior To This Act, Each Colony Maintained Its Own Militia Composed Of Local Volunteers. These Militias Had No Standard Organization, Leadership, Or Training, And They Operated Independently. The Events At Lexington And Concord, Where British Troops Engaged Colonial Militia In Armed Conflict, Demonstrated The Need For A More Cohesive And Structured Military Response. The Creation Of The Continental Army Reflected A Collective Recognition Among The Colonies That Their Disputes With Great Britain Could No Longer Be Handled By Individual Militia Units.
The Second Continental Congress Voted Unanimously To Form The Army And Appointed George Washington As Its Commander-In-Chief On June 15, 1775. Washington Was Selected Because Of His Military Experience During The French And Indian War And Because He Was A Virginian, Which Helped Unite The Southern Colonies With Those In The North. Washington Assumed Command On July 3, 1775, In Cambridge, Massachusetts, Where Colonial Forces Were Already Engaged In The Siege Of Boston.
The Continental Army Initially Comprised Regiments From The New England Colonies, Including Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, And New Hampshire. Over Time, Troops From All Thirteen Colonies Would Be Integrated Into This Force. The Army Faced Immediate Challenges In Terms Of Recruitment, Training, Discipline, And Supply. Soldiers Often Lacked Uniforms, Weapons, And Provisions. Pay Was Inconsistent, And Desertion Rates Were High. Despite These Obstacles, The Army Remained Active Throughout The American Revolutionary War, Adapting And Evolving As The Conflict Progressed.
The Establishment Of The Continental Army Represented A De Facto Declaration Of Armed Rebellion Against British Rule, Although The Declaration Of Independence Would Not Be Issued Until The Following Year. By Creating A National Army, The Congress Took A Step That Went Beyond Petitioning For Redress And Toward Organized Resistance. The Army Became The Principal Instrument Through Which The Colonies Pursued Military Victory And Political Autonomy.
Throughout The War, The Continental Army Fought In Key Battles Including Trenton, Saratoga, Monmouth, And Yorktown. Its Coordination With Allied Forces, Particularly French Troops Under General Rochambeau And The French Navy Under Admiral De Grasse, Was Essential To The Final Victory At Yorktown In Seventeen Eighty-One. Although State Militias Continued To Play A Role In Defense And Local Engagements, The Continental Army Was The Backbone Of The American War Effort.
In Addition To Its Military Role, The Army Served A Symbolic Purpose. It Represented A United Front Among The Colonies And Gave Substance To The Concept Of A Shared American Identity. Washington’s Leadership Also Reinforced The Principle Of Civilian Control Of The Military, As He Operated Under The Authority Of The Continental Congress Throughout The War. After The War Ended, Washington Resigned His Commission In 1783, Further Demonstrating His Commitment To Civilian Governance.
The Formation Of The Continental Army On June 14, 1775, Was A Turning Point In Colonial Resistance To British Authority. It Marked The Beginning Of A National Military Institution That Would Evolve Into The United States Army. The Decision By The Continental Congress To Establish This Army Showed That The Colonies Were Willing And Able To Organize Their Own Defense In Pursuit Of Independence. The Army’s Existence Played A Central Role In The Eventual Success Of The Revolutionary Cause.
References / More Knowledge:
Ferling, John E. Almost A Miracle: The American Victory In The War Of Independence. Oxford University Press, 2007.
Lengel, Edward G. General George Washington: A Military Life. Random House, 2005.
Middlekauff, Robert. The Glorious Cause: The American Revolution, 1763–1789. Oxford University Press, 2005.
Philbrick, Nathaniel. Bunker Hill: A City, A Siege, A Revolution. Viking, 2013.
U.S. Army Center Of Military History. “The Continental Army.” U.S. Department Of The Army, 2010.