Monday, June 15, 2009
Happy 234th!
It's the Army's birthday!
The U.S. Army was founded on June 14, 1775, when the Continental Congress authorized enlistment of riflemen to serve the United Colonies," for one year. While the record of the Continental Congress indicates only that Congress undertook to raise ten companies of riflemen, in fact there actions intended and achieved much more. The
Congress also, quietly accepted responsibility for the existing New England troops and forces defending various points in New York, totaling approximately 15,000 experienced soldiers. At the same time the Congress symbolically extended military participation beyond New England by allocating 6 companies to Pennsylvania, 2 to Maryland, and 2 to
Virginia. The following day, 15 June, 1775, the Congress unanimously voted to appoint George Washington the General and Commander and Chief of the Continental Army. Washington had been active in the military planning committees of Congress and by late May had taken to wearing his old uniform. His colleagues believed that his modesty and competence qualified him to adjust to the "Temper & Genius" of the New England
troops.
--KYLE
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Can you tell that Kyle was a history nerd, I mean History major?
ReplyDelete~Kathy