Forming of the Brigades
The army was in rough shape and was constantly in need of recruitment and reorganization during the early years of the war. Washington had learned from experiences that short term services in the army would not suffice in they were to win. He appealed to Congress to have a longer enlistment period and the need for an organized army. They did not want a another troop shortage similar to the one that occurred during the winter of 1775 so they started in the fall of 1776 to revise the army.
Washington wrote letters to Congress about issues and they came up with a plan to have longer enlistment periods for the troops to train and discipline them into a regular army. This army would be made up of 88 battalions that were to be provided by the states according to their populations. This would enable America to have a full standing army available for the war and would help stop the persistent issues of recruitment and organization. However after the retreat through New Jersey Washington came to realize the strength of the enemy and the need for a few more brigades. He appealed to Congress, who on December 27, granted the army the 110 brigades requested by Washington and they enacted better hierarchy and organization of the expanded army.
Washington wrote letters to Congress about issues and they came up with a plan to have longer enlistment periods for the troops to train and discipline them into a regular army. This army would be made up of 88 battalions that were to be provided by the states according to their populations. This would enable America to have a full standing army available for the war and would help stop the persistent issues of recruitment and organization. However after the retreat through New Jersey Washington came to realize the strength of the enemy and the need for a few more brigades. He appealed to Congress, who on December 27, granted the army the 110 brigades requested by Washington and they enacted better hierarchy and organization of the expanded army.
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The chart shows the original 88 brigades and how they were to be formed by each state but the final 110 would be necessary after Washington saw what the British had while in New Jersey. That 110 would be the final number of brigades to be formed by Congress' orders.
Over the course of 1777 the army continued to shape up and form organized and more experienced units. The addition of field officers to command these permanent brigades became evident as the key addition that year and helped to bolster the army, although success from these changes was not immediately apparent. The army was still losing the majority of battles in 1777 but the numbers and organization were now better, all that was need was proper training and the army would be able to face and defeat the British with an Army of American Regulars and not militia.
Over the course of 1777 the army continued to shape up and form organized and more experienced units. The addition of field officers to command these permanent brigades became evident as the key addition that year and helped to bolster the army, although success from these changes was not immediately apparent. The army was still losing the majority of battles in 1777 but the numbers and organization were now better, all that was need was proper training and the army would be able to face and defeat the British with an Army of American Regulars and not militia.
Light Dragoon Regiment
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Another addition enacted by Congress on Washington's insistence was the light dragoons. Congress approved the addition of 3000 troops to the light dragoons and allowed Washington to organize them as he best saw fit. It was a cavalry based unit comprised of 60 men in a regiment. Continental light dragoon regiment was started to serve mainly reconnaissance missions. It was comparable to the British version of dragoons except it had more specialists on the regimental level to allow greater dispersion on the reconnaissance missions. The chart shows Washington's organization of the regiment that would be approved by Congress on March 14, 1777.
The Development of the Continental Army during the year of 1777 was a key turning point in the Revolutionary War. The increased numbers and organization would be instrumental in establishing a 'regular army' that would be able to fight the British and win. Washington and the Continental Congress helped to make victory no longer a dream but a reality in that year. Although they would still endure hardships that year, especially toward the end of 1777, they were better off than the beginning years of the war. The new changes did not immediately correlate into success; for that they needed now was another crucial turning point in history... the winter at Valley Forge.
*All information comes from Wright Chapter 5 & charts also from Wright Chapter 5 (on 94 & 108)