generals of the continental army

But his most important service was not on the battlefield, but in his efforts to bring French support to the United States. Discover the Home of George and Martha Washington. His work at training and instilling discipline, as well as leadership on the field and on the staff, all contributed significantly to ultimate victory. Major and minor mutinies56 in alldiminished the reliability of two of the main units late in the war. As a result, the army went through several distinct phases, characterized by official dissolution and reorganization of units. This has been a great topic and have enjoyed everyones opinion. In 1780, the British held 90% of the South, and with a ragtag force of around 1500 ill-supplied continentals and a few thousand quasi-reliable militia, Greene turned that statistic around by 1782 and forced Cornwallis to the coast to resupply on an indefensible peninsula called Yorktown. I cant see how you could put generals like Mercer and Montgomery even though I respect what they did on list of the to ten generals when they didnt fight but a year or so in the American Revolution. Arnold spent the day imploring Gates to release more men to him so Arnold could lead an assault on Burgoynes camp. He retired a Colonel . My ancestor was William Turner from Scituate, Mass. just look what he did in Camden. Continental Army - Wikipedia A detachment of those men from West Point reoccupied New York without incident on November 25. Louis Duportail was chief engineer of the Continental Army and a totally unknown and overlooked figure. Valley Forge in Pennsylvania was the encampment of General George Wayne and Greene were two of the very few that showed any tactical ingenuity on the battlefield. Continental Army Much like Burgoyne would encounter, the pace of the campaign and receding Native ally support were much more the factors that could be viewed as reasons for the Mohawk Valley to claim success in 77. Good point, Ed. Gates was only in charge because of politics, not battle field merit. He was wounded in the leg early in the battle, propped up against a tree stump, and directed a victory against the British and Indians. Similarly, Schuylers a great administrator but a lousy field officer who ticked off New Englanders. Gates was a fine general whose reputation among the New England men caused a large turn-out of militia and made victory at first Freemans Farm a reality. Required fields are marked *. The Continental Army of 17831784 was succeeded by the United States Army, which persists to this day. That kind of man makes me proud to be American. Washington believed that the blending of persons from every colony into "one patriotic band of Brothers" had been a major accomplishment, and he urged the veterans to continue this devotion in civilian life. Gen. John Burgoyne: and the expedition pf Lieut. He was also the one left holding the bag after Roche de Fermoy made a run for it right before the Battle of Assunpink Creek. Despite attempts to broaden the recruiting base beyond New England, the 1776 army remained skewed toward the Northeast both in terms of its composition and of its geographical focus. [citation needed]. It was formed into four sub-legions. By 17801781, threats of mutiny and actual mutinies were becoming serious. The lineage of the First American Regiment is carried on by the 3rd United States Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard). Although he died 10 days after the battle from complications from having the leg amputated, he showed the stuff a leader is made of. My list is 1) N. Greene, 2) D. Morgan, 3) G. Washington, 4) B. Arnold, 5) M. Lafayette, 6) Baron Von Steuben, 7) H. Knox, 8) A. Wayne, 9) P. Schuyler, 10) J. Sullivan The thing is that there are two major components to judging a General at that timeadministration and being a battle field general. As Commander in Chief, Washington relied on a number of officers to help him win the war. But this makes me wonderhow did you arrive at the figure of 77? Mad Anthony Wayne is a favorite of mine. [16], Keeping the continentals clothed was a difficult task and to do this Washington appointed James Mease, a merchant from Philadelphia. The Continental Army consisted of soldiers from all 13 colonies and, after 1776, from all 13 states. Then he helped her down and offered her a frugal meal but one given with the best of intentions. And its only CONTINENTAL generlas. Significantly, there was a broad consensus on the basic framework among the officers. If anyone compares Arnolds accomplishments to Gates accomplishments at this point, its like comparing the Harlem Globetrotters to the Washington Generals. Maj. Gen. Cary "Joe" Cowan, Jr. (right), commanding general of 200th Marions hit-and-run tactics earned him the nickname, Swamp Fox, because of his ability to disappear into swamp country in order to evade British capture. Washington was selected over other candidates such as John Hancock based on his previous military experience and the hope that a leader from Virginia could help unite the colonies. As an aside, he asked permission to hang three spies about one month before his own treason. In the message he thanked the officers and men for their assistance and reminded them that "the singular interpositions of Providence in our feeble condition were such, as could scarcely escape the attention of the most unobserving; while the unparalleled perseverance of the Armies of the United States, through almost every possible suffering and discouragement for the space of eight long years, was little short of a standing Miracle."[21]. On November 2, Washington, then at Rockingham near Rocky Hill, New Jersey, released his Farewell Orders issued to the Armies of the United States of America to the Philadelphia newspapers for nationwide distribution to the furloughed men. More people seem to remember Middlebrook and not Pluckemin. Id replace Gates with Schuyler, Stark, Wayne, Poor, Montgomery, Glover, and maybe even Putnam! ", Marc G. DeSantis, "Behind the Lines: Train Man: When the Continental Army captured a huge cache of British artillery at Fort Ticonderoga, George Washington turned to Henry Knox to get them to Boston,", Stephen C. Danckert, "Baron von Steuben and the Training of Armies. As a filed commander, Gates was just not aggressive when he needed to be. He was another former officer in the British Army. His defeat at Camden, South Carolina was a milestone in the southern campaign. Knowing the strength and intellect of the British counterparts would put into perspective the abilities (tactical and strategic) of the Continental officers by seeing who faced who in battles and theaters. In the spirit of American republicanism, if George Washington separated the soldiers from the officers they had chosen they did not believe they should have to serve. History of The Provost Marshal General of the Army I believe that Knox ranks after Washington and Greene as the most important general of the revolution. Monmouth, Greenspring alone would earn him a top ten.. Wayne was the first one that popped into my head when I saw the title of this post, though others were certainly more important. In the eight years since I wrote my comment on Fermoythat the torching of his house allowed the Brits to see the Americans abandoning Mt. There are also many competent and important others, not mentioned. Sometimes the militia units operated independently of the Continental Army, but often local militias were called out to support and augment the Continental Army regulars during campaigns. WebTen Facts: The Continental Army An illustration of four Continental soldiers, depicting Open 365 days a year, Mount Vernon is located just 15 miles south of Washington DC. The victory led to the 2nd victory and surrender of Burgoyne which many believe to be the ultimate turning point of the revolution. A very interesting discussion. I also hope that it will be topic for discussion, as Im confident that you wont agree with all my selections. He couldnt take the necessary steps to ensure that Ticonderoga/Mount Independence could be held against Burgoynes invasion (which he anticipated), but it was not his faulthe was furloughed by Congress for several months at the worst possible moment and defensive preparations stalled as a result. The Third and Fourth Sub-Legions were raised from further recruits. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. This category has the following 2 subcategories, out of 2 total. Went into Kentucky with an obscure guy named Boone, fought at Point Pleasant in Lord Dunmores War (the capture and ritual torturing of his son and Boones started it), was captured at Charleston, and his second wife was Patrick Henrys sister. I was always very fond of Richard Montgomery, he almost assuredly would have been here (on the list) had he not been killed so early on in the war. As the new country (not yet fully independent) had no money, the government agreed to give grants to the soldiers which they could exchange for money. They came from the working class or minority groups (English, Ulster Protestant, African American). I think he was much better than Sumter. These were created from elements of the 1st and 2nd Regiments from the Continental Army. 2) Without John Glover, Washington never would have made it out of Long Island, and Glover later fought a brilliant stalling fight to allow Washington to escape Manhattan. The guy was an incredible leader, almost a one-man army! WebThe Provost Marshal General of the Army Revolutionary War Congress approved On June 2 Congress ordered the discharge of all remaining men except twenty-five caretakers at Fort Pitt and fifty-five at West Point. Im sure that Gates breathing down his neck was yet another distraction that Washington didnt need. George Washington suffered just as catastrophic defeats as Gates did at Camden, in fact there is a long list of badly handled Washington battles; Long Island, Fort Washington, Brandywine, to name a few. The delegates told Washington to use men enlisted for fixed terms as temporary garrisons. Colonists such as Richard Henry Lee proposed forming a national militia force, but the First Continental Congress rejected the idea.[2]. Regarding Washington, apart from his merits as a military leader, the more research I do, the more I am impressed by his talents as a politician; he was masterful at it, and somehow managed the trick without looking like a politician, which is a rare talent indeed. During the summer of 1781, the coffee houses of Europe were a-buzz with any snippet of news of this breathtaking military stratagem, (not to mention providing several verses to the great ballad of Yankee Doodle. His brilliant tactical coup at the critical battle of the Cowpens alone earns him a spot on my list. Eye-witness accounts do indeed have Gates in the rear at his headquarters while the battle raged. Significantly, for history, his troops included free African-Americans, helping to persuade Washington not to drum them out of the army. While his treason had little actual impact on the wars outcome, it did have a psychological effect. The plot was foiled, and Arnold barely escaped with his life. [8][9] Upwards of a fourth of Washington's army were of Scots-Irish (English and Scottish descent) Ulster origin, many being recent arrivals and in need of work. The plans, which were supported by U.S. President George Washington and Henry Knox, Secretary of War, led to the disbandment of the Continental Army and the creation of the Legion of the United States. Our Digital Encyclopedia has all of the answers students and teachers need. Although not a Major General, General Francis Marion kept the American Revolution alive by disrupting the British in South Carolina. He deserves praise for the victory at Saratoga where he was, after all, in command. He played important roles at Quebec and Saratoga and after Monmouth. The Continental Army was created to coordinate military efforts of the colonies in the war against the British, who sought to maintain control over the American colonies. We don't accept government funding and rely upon private contributions to help preserve George Washington's home and legacy. Horrigan assumes command of USAG Italy | Stars and Stripes I like this list the best, though I am merely an informed amateur, not a true historian in any sense. As much as I love Wayne (I work at Stony Point!) Civil War Generals: A List of the Wars Military Leaders - HistoryNet WebGeorge Washington - Washington was the overall leader and Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army. 1775 George Washington assigned to lead the Continental Army On Gates refused and the battle was won using Gates plan led on the field by Morgan and the other subordinate commanders. Even if there were no sources on who initiated offensive action with Morgans riflemen and then Dearborns light infantry, based on both mens battle field experience and makeup, (Up to that point) its hard to imagine that Arnold was not the decision maker and aggressor in that situation. The U.S. Congress, however, refused to authorize a rank higher than major general until 1798. No doubt that Oriskany was an important action and those under Herkimer were able to add to the depletion of St. Legers forces, however as far as Generalship goes, he had neither the far reaching ability nor influence that those mentioned in this article would have welded. He led two battles against the Americans before leaving the country. Tallmadge created a system in which numbers were substituted for common words, names, and places to encode messages, and provided a key to Washington, Woodhull, and Robert Townsend, another member of the Culper spy ring.
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