Existing comment:
Continental Forces:
The Continental Congress established a unified colonial military "for the Defense of American Liberty."
Just weeks after the outbreak of fighting at Lexington and Concord, delegates from every colony gathered in Philadelphia. In May, they resolved to unite the troops of the several colonies into a single Continental army under the "pay and service" of the Congress. In June, the Congress unanimously elected George Washington general and commander in chief. They authorized a Continental navy in October and a contingent of marines in November.
Most colonists harbored a deep distrust of a standing army but, ironically, the establishment of such a force proved a necessary step toward creating a nation. |