In 1775, the continental army was formed, with George Washington as its Commander in Chief. Before This army, most fighting was done by militias, or small local armies. The continental army was still poorly equipped and poorly trained, but was more organized in their fighting. Another flaw was the short enlistment period, allowing soldiers to serve for a year, then go home. Throughout the war, over 200,000 men enlisted, but only an average of 26,000 were in the army at the same time. A private was paid six dollars a month, but had to buy there own equipment, including guns and uniforms. Most soldiers were poor to begin with, and wanted to start a new life. The conditions during the war were not very good. Diseases were common, and conditions were poor. The British soldiers had much better pay, equipment, and training. The continental army prevailed against the odds, and came out on top of the supposedly superior British.
George Washington
George Washington was one of the greatest generals in American history. Here are some key points That influenced his success.
- Washington had experience- he had fought in the French and Indian War for the British.
- He Motivated his troops through hard times, such as the winter at Valley Forge.
- He was a great thinker, and planed his moves carefully, including the surprise attack at Trenton.
- He was a good speaker, and read speeches to his troops to increase morale.
- He was a great tactician, and he would use previously successful tactics to defeat the enemy.
Click below for a video about George Washington and the continental army.