Revolutionary War Historical Article
The American Revolution Month-by-Month July 1775
By Compatriot Andrew "Andy" Strough
Editor's Note: This article was reprinted by Permission of the Gold Country Chapter No. 7 of the CSSAR and was slightly edited by the Sons of Liberty Chapter of the CSSAR
Let us regress for a few minutes and fill in some important details that were not included in previous articles.
The loosely assembled troops around Boston, now titled the New England Army, were responsible only to their own state for leadership and supply. Temporary leadership was provided by the acceptance of General Artemas Ward by the onsite Generals as their leader. What was needed was a central authority to direct, lead and supply the needs of what now was an army surrounding Boston.
Congress now found itself in the situation of taking responsibility for the army around Boston, which it did formally on June 14, 1775, creating the Continental Army based on the same principles as the British Army. From this army evolved the present day United States Army and it’s birth date of June 14, 1775.
The creation of an army required a leader directed by and responsible to Congress but not to the individual colonies or states as they now saw themselves. On June 15, 1775, the Congress selected a Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army. The appointment process was stormy at first as each state wanted one of it’s own Generals appointed. Compromising, they chose Colonel George Washington of the Virginia Militia and a member of the Continental Congress, to be the first Commander in Chief of the newly created army.
Now Congress had an army but only on paper. The troops around Boston were enlisted by their home state with their enlistment expiration date usually December 31st.
Washington now had to build an army from scratch but retaining as many as possible from the New England Army. Congress proposed a new end of enlistment date of December 31st, 1776. Neither Congress or London anticipated a long war, therefore the thinking by both sides was for a short war ending no later than December of 1776.
Congress previously had made overtures to Canada to either become the 14th state or a nation divorced from Britain but had never received a reply. Having settled in their mind the problems of a Continental army, Congress turned its attention to eliminating Canada as a British stronghold to the north. One which could be used as a base to launch an attack down the lakes and to the Hudson River Valley dividing the colonies into two separate divisions. To this end, they had in June of 1775 instructed Major General Phillip Schuyler of New York to raise an army and take possession of Canada using the approach from the Hudson River Valley to Montreal. The force was to be raised and placed under the command of Brigadier General Richard Montgomery. Along with this Northern army Washington was to send a force under Colonel Benedict Arnold to proceed across Maine joining Montgomery at Quebec.
Reference: U.S.Army Historical Series-"American Military History, Volume I "
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