THE U.S. ARMY

AMERICA’S FIRST NATIONAL INSTITUTION

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. Drawing on both long-standing militia traditions and recently introduced professional standards, it won the new republic’s independence in an arduous eight-year struggle against Great Britain. At times, the Army provided the lone symbol of nationhood around which patriots rallied.

When the American Revolutionary War broke out in 1775, the original 13 colonies did not have a shared army, but instead, a collection of independent colonial militias.

The first battles of that war were fought April 19, 1775, in Middlesex County, Mass., by patriots of the Massachusetts militia. They were the Battles of Lexington and Concord, the first hostilities between the colonies and Great Britain.

Following the Battles of Lexington and Concord, and as British troops moved back across Massachusetts toward Boston, colonial militia from around New England began massing around that city. Within days, thousands of militia members under the leadership of Artemas Ward of Massachusetts had Boston under siege. By May 10, just weeks after hostilities began in Massachusetts, the Second Continental Congress convened in Philadelphia. On the agenda: creating a common army to defend the colonies.

A month later, June 14, the Congress approved the creation of that army, the Continental Army. The new force was made of those militiamen already gathered outside Boston, some 22,000 of them, plus those in New York, about 5,000.

The next day, the 15th, the Congress named Virginian George Washington as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army, and named Ward his second in command the next day.

The Congress also resolved to form a committee “to bring in a draft of rules and regulations for the government of the Army,” and voted $2 million to support the forces around Boston, and those in New York City.

Congress authorized the formation of 10 companies of expert riflemen from Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia, which were directed to march to Boston to support the New England militia. These were the first troops Congress agreed to pay from its own funds, and the units later became the 1st Continental Regiment.

Battles of Lexington and Concord — The Start of the Revolutionary War

Upon learning that this extra-legal government was amassing stores of weapons in Concord, about 20 miles from Boston, Gage sent a military expedition, April 18, 1775, to seize and destroy all the munitions his men could find. This led to an exchange of musketry between local militia and British troops at the village green in Lexington and at the Old North Bridge in Concord, April 19, 1775, signaling the start of the Revolutionary War.

Militia units and other volunteers from Massachusetts and other New England colonies quickly converged on Cambridge. They formed what became known as the New England Army of Observation and put the British forces posted at Boston under siege. For the time being, the rebellion was a regional affair.

JULY 4, 1776

Declaration of Independence

When Congress declared independence, the Continental Army and the militia in the service of Congress became known collectively as the Army of the United States, instead of the Army of the United Colonies.

MARCH 15, 1783

The Newburgh Conspiracy — Affirming Civilian Control of the Army

At the end of the Revolutionary War, many members of the Army, especially the officers, were frustrated with Congress’ inability to meet its financial obligations to the Army. On March 10, an anonymous address circulated the camp at Newburgh, New York. This address, later acknowledged to be written by Gen. Horatio Gates’ aide, called upon officers to plan a course of action to pressure Congress by force, implying a military takeover of the government. A meeting of officers was also anonymously called for the following day.

Determined to prevent a mutiny among his officers, Washington called them to convene an assembly, March 15, to discuss matters and implied that he would not attend. Washington unexpectedly interrupted the meeting and denounced the anonymous address, saying that it had “something so shocking in it that humanity revolts at the idea.” In an eloquent and passionate address, Washington was able to diffuse the situation, appealing to their sense of duty and patriotism and placing their “full confidence in the purity of the intentions of Congress.” Through his words, Washington not only reaffirmed the significance of civilian control of the military, but may have also saved the fate of American independence.