Posted 9/12/2008 @ 12:47:33 pm by historyofamericanmilitary.com

Most Americans remember hearing about Paul Revere and his midnight ride, "one if by land, two if by sea" and all that regarding the start of the American Revolution. But what kind of military forces did the 13 colonies have against the mighty British?

In 1775, the American forces were not united into one large army, but rather consisted of militias. Militias are military forces made up of ordinary citizens, ready to fight in the event of an emergency. Just before the start of the war, the Minute Men were formed. These men were from the militias, but were to be armed and ready to fight at all times. The militia men were the ones that fought and almost defeated the British at the battles of Lexington and Concord.

It wasn’t until the Second Continental Congress adopted the Articles of Confederation that a semblance of today’s military was established. The enthusiasm of the militia men waned as the war waged on and on leaving a majority of the fighting to the newly formed Continental Army led by future president George Washington. The Continental Army was different from the militias because the men that served were paid. Initially, enlistments were short, as the Congress feared the establishment of a large permanent army, but the army was never larger than 17,000 men. Short enlistments caused a problem of constant turnover, particularly during the long, cold winter of 1776. Longer enlistments were established.

In short, the British were defeated by a rag tag-group that they never expected to put up much of a fight. Foreign countries, like France and Spain, fighting with the colonists didn’t help the British cause, but in the end the colonists' determination prevailed.

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