The Continental soldier
The American Colonies entered the Revolutionary War without an army or a navy. Their fighting forces consisted of militia units in the various colonies. The colonies could call up militiamen for periods of service ranging from a few days to a few months. George Washington and other patriot leaders doubted that part-time militias could defeat the British in a long war. Washington worked to build an army made up of disciplined soldiers who had enlisted for several years. However, recruitment for the Continental Army remained a constant problem. Most citizens preferred to serve in local militias and support the Continental Army when a major battle threatened nearby.
Soldiers often went without pay, food, and proper clothing, because the Continental Congress was so poor and transportation in the colonies was so bad. Yet, many poor soldiers stayed in the army because they had been promised free land after the war. They fought as much for economic gain as for political liberty.
Many soldiers in the Continental Army came out of the war penniless. Soldiers who had enlisted for the entire war received certificates for Western land. But many veterans had to sell the certificates because they needed money before Western lands became available. In 1818, Congress agreed to pay pensions to needy veterans.
Excerpt adapted from the "Revolutionary War in America" article, The World Book Encyclopedia © 1999