in creating a Continental Army from troops loyal to individual states, George Washington personally broke up at least one brawl
(as displayed at Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia)
in creating a Continental Army from troops loyal to individual states, George Washington personally broke up at least one brawl
(as displayed at Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia)
The Revolutionary War may have been another one of those "rich man's war, poor man's fight" - but many Virginians did fight. They were recruited to serve initially in the First Virginia Regiment. Additional regiments were raised, and then many were transferred to the emerging "national" Continental army - where they served outside of the new state, in the northern colonies and then in South Carolina.
George Washington was given command of the first army composed of troops from multiple colonies rebelling against British control. At the Continental Congress, he had not-so-subtly dressed in his old French and Indian War uniform while members debated who was trustworthy enough to lead the military forces, but not likely to become a dictator in the process.
Washington was elected unanimously by the Continental Congress, but he acknowledged that there was a political motive in his selection as well as recognition of his personal capabilities. In August, 1774, prior to the start of the First Continental Congress, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania delegates agreed to let the Virginia delegates take the lead in decisions leading to independence. The Virginians were recognized as less willing to break free from British rule, so their support would have greater influence with other colonies. In addition, the Virginia delegates were seen as so proud of their heritage that having other colonies take the leadership role in advocating for independence would make the Virginians even more reluctant.
As a result, John Adams declined to support the desire of fellow Massachusetts residents John Hancock and Artemas Ward to be appointed Commander in Chief. Adams recognized appointing Washington would help unite southern and northern colonies in a common cause. In addition to selecting George Washington as the Commander in Chief, the other delegates granted Virginia delegates an excessive number of key roles in the Continental Congress. Peyton Randolph was elected as president of the First Continental Congress, Richard Henry Lee made the motion to declare independence, and Thomas Jefferson was chosen to draft the Declaration of Independence.1
a Virginian was selected to command the Continental Army in an effort to unite the colonies
Source: Library of Congress, Continental Congress to George Washington, June 19, 1775, Commission as Commander in Chief
George Washington left Philadelphia where the Continental Congress was meeting for Boston. He did not get back to Virginia for six years. He stopped at Mount Vernon on the march to Yorktown in September, 1781. His wife Martha managed to join him for winter camps, providing some moral support to the troops as well as to her husband.
the Continental Army was created in the Revolutionary War when the county-based militia were not sufficient
Source: National Park Service, Guilford Courthouse National Military Park, Virginia Militia in the Second Line
The path to independence may have started with colonial dissatisfaction with British policies after the French and Indian war, but the shooting war started on April 19, 1775. Militia at Lexington and Concord either opened or returned fire on the King's soldiers. At the end of the day, 273 British and 95 Americans were dead. Americans then entrenched on Breed's Hill outside Boston, and threatened to install artillery that would force British troops to abandon the city. The Battle of Bunker Hill on June 17, 1775 made clear that the British would need to send a large number of additional troops to North America in order to win a military victory.
The British had anticipated that it could suppress the rebellious colonists in Massachusetts without stimulating the other 12 colonies to join in a united effort. However, the 13 colonies that chose to rebel (about half of all British colonies at the time) managed to work together. They had been operating as rivals since each colony was established, competing with each other for trade, influence with Native American tribes, and control of western lands. The colonies failed to coordinate militarily with each other during the French and Indian War in 1754-1763.
On the political front, elected delegates at the Continental Congress managed to organize an army, select generals, borrow/print money to finance a war, and ultimately adopt Articles of Confederation that created a new national government.
The colonies already had policies and procedures for raising militia companies. Establishing a Continental Army required being innovative. Generals were chosen only after politicking among the separate interest groups within the Continental Congress. At times, Horatio Gates and others thought they should be appointed to replace George Washington.
On the national scale:2
After the Massachusetts militia fought with British regulars on April 19, 1775 at Lexington and Concord, on June 15 1775 the Continental Congress authorized recruiting men to form 10 rifle companies. Six companies were to be formed in Pennsylvania, two in Maryland, and two in Virginia. Assembling a military force from other colonies to support Massachusetts started the formation of a Continental Army under the control of a new national government.
The two companies raised in Virginia came from the Shenandoah Valley. Captain Hugh Stephenson organized one company at Morgan Spring in Berkeley County (near Mecklenburg, now called Shepherdstown, in West Virginia). Captain Daniel Morgan (not related to the family for whom Morgan Spring was named) recruited the second company at Winchester in Frederick County.
Morgan's company started marching north on July 15; Stephenson's company left two days later on July 17. Captain Daniel Morgan reportedly ignored an agreement with Captain Hugh Stephenson to march together to Boston. Morgan left early and the two raced to become the first to arrive.
Both units made a "beeline march" on the 600 miles to Boston, walking up to 36 miles a day while carrying guns, lead bullets, powder, bedrolls, and other supplies. The two companies obtained food and shelter from local residents in almost half the colonies before reaching Boston on August 11.
Morgan's company reached the New England forces besieging Boston five days before Stephenson's company. George Washington was there to greet them as commander of the American forces. Morgan Spring (which is different from Morgan Grove Park in Shepherdstown) is now cited as the birthplace of the US Army.3
The Continental Army was organized by state; the Virginia troops were in the Virginia Line. Almost all Virginians serving in the Continental Army in 1780 were captured in the disastrous surrender by General Benjamin Lincoln of over 5,000 men in the Continental Army and militia at Charles Town (later Charleston), South Carolina.
Two major units on Virginians in the Continental Army had not reached Charles Town in time to join in the defense, and ultimately the surrender. Colonel Abraham Buford commanded the Third Virginia Detachment, and Lt. Col. Charles Porterfield commanded the State Detachment.
Though they were not with General Benjamin Lincoln's army at Charles Town, few of those Virginians managed to return to Virginia in 1780. Both units were destroyed in other American defeats soon after Charles Town. One commentator has noted:4
Colonel Abraham Buford led the Third Virginia Detachment, with two companies of the 2nd Virginia Regiment and 40 Virginia Light Dragoons. Those 380 Virginians were coming as reinforcements, but began to return to Virginia after learning of the surrender. They marched north too slowly.
Mounted infantry ("dragoons") in Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton's British Legion dragoons caught up with the Virginians at Waxhaws, near the border of North Carolina and South Carolina. Col. Buford had a week's head start, but Tarleton was more aggressive.
Buford rejected Tarleton's demand to surrender without fighting. The Americans fired one volley and then tried to surrender, but Tarleton rejected the request. The British dragoons, using sabers and bayonets, won an overwhelming victory, killing/wounding 300 Americans at the cost of just 20 British killed/wounded.
Buford immediately claimed in his official report that many of his men who had surrendered were killed without mercy. His account is suspect, however, because Buford fled from Waxhaws after Tarleton refused his surrender request and the American forces were being slaughtered.
Tarleton reported after the battle that his horse was shot and he was pinned on the ground, and at that time some of his troops acted with "vindictive asperity." Tarleton sought medical care for all the wounded after the battle at Waxhaws, suggesting that Tarleton never issued orders to kill those who had surrendered. It is possible that some British soldiers had killed a few prisoners, when they thought their Lieutenant Colonel had been attacked after the Americans had surrendered.5
Whatever the facts, American propaganda about a Waxhaws Massacre succeeded in rousing volunteers. The Overmountain Men crossed the Blue Ridge to defeat loyalists fighting under Major Patrick Ferguson at the Battle of Kings Mountain in October, 1780.
Overmountain Men in Virginia gathered at Abingdon, now a starting point on the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail (red line is Appalachian Trail)
Source: National Park Service, National Scenic and National Historic Trail Webmap
Other volunteers joined General Nathaniel Greene. His army blocked Lord Cornwallis's advance at Guilford Courthouse on March 15, 1781. Cornwallis then withdrew to Wilmington, before marching to Petersburg and ultimately Yorktown.
As anticipated by the First Continental Congress delegates, George Washington did not use his military success as a platform to become a dictator. He returned to private life at Mount Vernon after leading the Continental Army from 1775-1783 during the American Revolution. He declined all opportunities to become leader of the new nation until called out of retirement in 1788 to become the first President.
Daniel Morgan (in white uniform near front of cannon) led Virginia riflemen that targeted British officers successfully and led to the surrender of British General John Burgoyne's army at Saratoga, New York on October 17, 1777
Source: Architect of the Capitol, Surrender of General Burgoyne (painted by John Trumbull)
George Washington returned to private life at Mount Vernon after leading the Continental Army from 1775-1783 during the American Revolution
Source: Architect of the Capitol, General George Washington Resigning His Commission