From Militia and Minute Men to Continentals

From the beginning of European colonization, communities along the Atlantic seaboard required able-bodied men to participate in militia units to protect against Native American tribes on the frontier and foreign foes like the French. Most militias would muster and train in town and county centers, usually on court days. These gatherings often had a festival air, with the entire community coming to watch. 

As the situation in Boston became more tense, many communities in Massachusetts created more elite companies of “minutemen,” units with more regular training (sometimes weekly) that carried the expectation of response to danger at a “minute’s notice.” In October 1774, the Massachusetts Provincial Congress adopted this organizational structure overall, and other New England colonies began to do the same. However, contrary to popular thought, most units in action at Lexington and Concord were not minutemen companies, but instead regular militias. 

After Lexington and Concord, thousands of militias from around New England and some Mid-Atlantic states converged on Boston, and many in the Continental Congress, such as John Adams, called for the “nationalization” of the growing force. After some debate, on June 14, 1775, the 22,000 troops gathered around Boston (plus a smaller force outside New York) were voted to become the Continental Army; the following day, George Washington was named its commander. But the Patriot troops who fought the Battle of Bunker Hill on June 17 were not yet aware of their change in status — Washington had not even set out from Philadelphia yet. It was not until July 3 that he took command of his new army. 

Congress expected states to furnish “levies” to maintain the Continental ranks, but many had difficulty filling their quotas, and militia units also remained active across the colonies. In New Jersey and South Carolina, these militias served as strike units against British supply lines and loyalist units, an ongoing campaign to disrupt British logistics. They provided the Continental armies in the field with much-needed manpower, albeit on a temporary and temperamental basis. At the Battle of Bunker Hill, militia dealt a deadly blow to the British and, later in the war, units made decisive contributions at Bennington, King’s Mountain, Cowpens and Guilford Courthouse. 

For all the benefits of a militia force, George Washington knew that for the United States to gain its independence and to create a true nation-state, a nationalized, professionally trained, standing army was needed. The transformation into a national force did not happen overnight. Initially, congressional leaders believed a force of approximately 20,000 men in 26 battalions would be sufficient. Military and political leaders quickly realized, however, they would need more and authorized further units, including cavalry and artillery. 

The process was also fraught with political squabbles: Soldiers tended to want officers from their colony of origin, but Washington’s long-range goal was to create an American army, not one based on former colony identities. He believed the only way to beat a well-trained European army was to create a professional American army in the European fashion. To achieve this, he relied on former British officers such as Charles Lee and Horatio Gates to assist him in organizing the army and training the soldiers. Efforts were hindered by short-term enlistments and lack of support from Congress, including delayed pay and lack of supplies. Ultimately, German-born Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben set up a standard training program during the winter of 1778 at Valley Forge, which instilled true discipline. 

From then on, effective Continental soldiers stood up to the British Army and proved their mettle in battle throughout the war. Today, the United States Army remains one of the nation’s most stalwart and universal institutions. It fulfilled Washington’s vision as a means to mold a new nation, and was a catalyst to remove sectional differences as its veterans formed a nucleus of the new united republic.