June 14
Continental Congress Creates Continental Army
The Second Continental Congress took a decisive step toward colonial unity by authorizing a national military force drawn from multiple colonies to confront British authority.
Summary
As tensions escalated after Lexington and Concord, the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia addressed the need for a unified colonial defense force. On June 14, 1775, Congress authorized the enlistment of ten companies of expert riflemen to serve the United Colonies for one year. This action formally established the Continental Army under George Washington’s later command. The move transformed scattered colonial militias into a coordinated national military effort during the Revolutionary War.
Context
Following the outbreak of fighting at Lexington and Concord in April 1775, colonial leaders faced the challenge of transforming localized resistance into a sustained effort. The First Continental Congress of 1774 had coordinated protests against British policies, but the Second Congress, which convened in Philadelphia on May 10, 1775, now confronted active warfare. New England militias had already formed a siege around British-occupied Boston, yet the other colonies lacked any formal mechanism to contribute troops or resources on a coordinated basis.
What Happened
On June 14, 1775, meeting in the Pennsylvania State House, the delegates passed a resolution directing the immediate raising of ten companies of expert riflemen: six from Pennsylvania, two from Maryland, and two from Virginia. Each company was specified with officers, sergeants, corporals, drummers, and sixty-eight privates who would serve for one year, furnish their own arms and clothing, and operate as light infantry attached to the forces already gathered near Boston. The same resolutions formally adopted the existing New England troops and other colonial units as the Continental Army under unified congressional authority.
Aftermath
The next day Congress unanimously elected George Washington of Virginia as commander in chief. Washington accepted the commission, departed Philadelphia, and assumed command of the army outside Boston on July 3, 1775. The one-year enlistment terms and the need to integrate riflemen from the middle colonies with New England forces immediately tested the new army’s organizational capacity during the ongoing siege.
Legacy
The June 14 resolutions established the institutional foundation for what became the United States Army and demonstrated the colonies’ willingness to create national institutions even before declaring independence. Historians view the action as a pivotal moment in forging a shared American identity, shifting the conflict from a regional New England revolt to a continental struggle that ultimately secured independence.
Why It Matters
The army's creation provided the organizational backbone for American independence and laid the foundation for the permanent United States Army.
Related Questions
Why is June 14 celebrated as the birthday of the U.S. Army?
On that date in 1775 the Continental Congress passed the resolutions that created the Continental Army and authorized its first national units.
How many rifle companies did Congress initially authorize?
Ten companies: six from Pennsylvania, two from Maryland, and two from Virginia.
Who nominated George Washington as commander-in-chief?
John Adams of Massachusetts put forward Washington’s name on June 15, 1775, leading to his unanimous election.
What was the enlistment term for the first Continental soldiers?
One year, unless sooner discharged, with soldiers required to supply their own arms and clothing.
Where did the newly formed army first see action under continental authority?
The forces already besieging Boston, which Washington joined in July 1775 and which later forced the British evacuation in March 1776.
Related Portfolio Site
US Military Atlas: Founding of the Continental Army, a key U.S. military milestone
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Sources
- U.S. Army Founded, A&E Television Networks. Accessed 2026-07-12.