43 Establishment of the American Army
May 1778
Laura Lyons McLemore
Background
Following Lexington and Concord, the Second Continental Congress established the Continental Army by resolution on June 14, 1775. In early May of 1778, the treaty of alliance between the United States and France was signed. George Washington announced news of the signing to his troops at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, on May 5, but worried that his troops might become complacent as a result. Washington had submitted a plan for partial overhaul of army structure and administration in late January 1778. On May 27 it passed this resolution creating a new general military establishment.
IN CONGRESS, 27 May, 1778
ESTABLISHEMENT OF THE AMERICAN ARMY
I. Infantry.
RESOLVED, That each batallion of infantry shall consist of nine companies, one of which shall be of light infantry; the light infantry to be kept compleat by drafts from the batallion, and organized during the campaign into corps of light infantry:
That the batallion of infantry consist of
| Commissioned. | Pay per month | |
| 1 Colonel and Captain, | – | 75 dollars. |
| 1 Lieutenant Colonel and Captain, | 60 | |
| 1 Major and Captain, | – | 50 |
| 6 Captains, | each | 40 |
| 1 Captain Lieutenant, | – | 26 2-3ds. |
| 8 Lieutenants, | each | 26 2-3ds. |
| 9 Ensighns, | each | 20 |
| to be taken from the line. | In addition to their pay as officers in the line. |
| Paymaster, | 20 doll. |
| Adjutant, | 13 |
| Quart. master, | 13 |
| 1 Surgeon, | – | 60 dollars |
| 1 Surgeeon’s Mate, | – | 40 |
| 1 Serjeant Major | – | 10 |
| 1 Quartermaster Serjeant, | – | 10 |
| 27 Serjeants, | each, | 10 |
| 1 Drum Major, | – – | 9 |
| 1 Fife Major, | – – | 9 |
| 18 Drums and Fifes, | each, | 7 1-3d. |
| 27 Corporals, | each, | 7 1-3d. |
| 477 Privates, | each, | 6 2-3ds. |
Each of the field officers to command a company.
The Lieutenant of the Colonel’s company to have the rank of Captain Lieutenan.
II. Artillery.
That a batallion of artillery consist of
| Comissioned. | Pay per month. | |
| 1 Colonel, | – – | 100 dollars. |
| 1 Lieutenant Colonel, | – | 75 |
| 1 Major | – – | 62 1-half |
| 12 Captains, | each | 50 |
| 12 Captain Lieutenants, | each | 33 1-3d. |
| 12 First Lieutenants, | each | 33 1-3d. |
| 36 Second Lientenants, | each | 33 1-3d. |
| to be taken from the line. | In addition to their pay as officers in the line. |
| Paymaster, | 25 doll. |
| Adjutant, | 16 |
| Quart. master, | 16 |
| 1 Surgeon, | – – | 75 dollars. |
| 1 Surgeon’s Mate | – | 50 |
| 1 Serjeant Major, | – – | 11 23-90ths. |
| Quartermaster Serjeant, | – | 11 23-90ths. |
| 1 Fife Major, | – – | 10 38-90ths. |
| 1 Drum Major, | – – | 10 38-90ths |
| 72 Serjeants, | each | 10 |
| 72 Bombardiers, | each | 9 |
| 72 Corporals, | each | 9 |
| 72 Gunners, | each | 8 2-3ds. |
| 24 Drums and Fifes, | each | 8 2-3ds. |
| 336 Matrosses, | each | 8 1-3d. |
III. Cavalry
That a battalion of cavalry consist of
| Commissioned | Pay per month. Dollars. | |
| 1 Colonel | – – | 93 3-4ths. |
| 1 Lieutenant Colonel, | – | 75 |
| 1 Major, | – – | 60 |
| 6 Captains, | each | 50 |
| 12 Lieutenants, | each | 33 1-3rd. |
| 6 Cornets, | each | 263 3rds. |
1 Riding Master, – – 33 1-3d.
| to be taken from the line. | In addition to their pay as officers in the line. | |
| Paymaster, | 25 doll. | |
| Adjutant, | 15 | |
| Quart. master, | 15 |
| 1 Surgeon, | – – | 60 dollars. |
| 1 Surgeon’s Mate, | – – | 40 |
| 1 Sadler, | – – | 10 |
| 1 Trumpet Major, | – – | 11 |
| 6 Farriers, | each | 10 |
| 6 Quarter Master Serjeants, | each | 15 |
| 6 Trumpeters, | each | 10 |
| 12 Serjeants. | each | 15 |
| 30 Corporals, | each | 10 |
| 324 Dragoons, | each | 8 1-3rd. |
IV. Provost
Resolved, That a Provost be established, to consist of
| Pay per month. | ||
| 1 Captain of Provosts, | – | 50 dollars. |
| 4 Lieutenants, | each | 33 1-3rd. |
| 1 Clerk, | – – | 33 1-3rd. |
| 1 Quartermaster Serjeant, | – | 15 |
| 2 Trumpeters, | each | 10 |
| 2 Serjeants, | each | 15 |
| 5 Corporals, | each | 10 |
| 43 Provosts or Privates, | each | 8 1-3d. |
| 4 Executioners, | each | 10 |
This corps to be mounted on horse-back, and armed and accountred as light dragoons.
Resolved, That in the Engineering department three companies be established, each to consist of
| Pay per month. | ||
| 1 Captain, | 50 dollars. | |
| 3 Lieutenants, | each | 33 1-3d. |
| 4 Serjeants, | each | 10 |
| 4 Coroprals, | each | 9 |
| 60 Privates, | each | 8 1-3d. |
These companies to be instructed in the fabrication of field works, as far as relates to the manual and mechanical part. Their bu-siness shall be to instruct the fatigue parties to do their duty with celerity and exactness : to repair injuries done to the works by the enemy’s fire, and to prosecute works in the face of it. The com-missioned officers to be skilled in the necessary branches of the mathematics : the non-commissioned officers to write a good hand.
Resolved, That the adjutant and quartermaster of a regiment be nominated by the field officers out of the subalterns, and pre-sented to the commander in chief or the commander in a separate department for approbation ; and that being approved of, they shall receive from him a warrant agreeable to such nomination.
That the Paymaster of a refiment be chosen by the officers of the regiment out of the Captains or Subalters, and appointed by warrant as above : the officers are to risque their pay in his hands : the Paymasters to have the charge of the cloathing, and to distribute the same.
Resolved, That the brigade major be appointed as heretofore by the commander in chief, or commander in a seperate department, out of the captains in the brigade to which he shall be appointed.
That the brigade quartermaster be appointed as heretofore by the commander in chief, or commander in a separate department, out of the captains or subalterns in the brigade to which he shall be appointed.
Resolved, That two aids-de-camp be allowed to each major general, who shall for the future appoint them out of the captains or subalterns.
Resolved, That in addition to their pay as officers in the line there be allowed to
| An Aid-de-Camp, | 24 dollars per month. |
| Brigade Major, | 24 |
| Brigade Quartermaster, | 15 |
Resolved, That when any of the staff officers appointed from the line are promoted above the ranks in the line out of which they are respectively appointable, their staff appointments shall thereupon be vacated.
The present aids-de-camp and brigade majors to receive their present pay and rations.
Resolved, That the aids-de-camp, brigade majors, and brigade quartermasters, heretofore appointed from the line, shall hold their present ranks and be admissible into the line again in the same rank they held when taken from the line ; provided that no aid, brigade major, or quartermaster, shall have the command of any officers who commanded him while in the line.
Resolved, That whenever the adjutant general shall be ap-pointed from the line, he may continue to hold his rank and com-mission in the line.
Resolved, That when supernumerary lieutenants are continued under this arrangement of the battalions, who are to do the duty of ensighns, they shall be intitled to hold their rank and to receive the pay such rank intitled them to receive.
Resolved, That no more colonels be appointed in the infantry : but where any such commission is or shall become vacant, the batal-lion shall be commanded by a lieutenant colonel, who shall be al-lowed the same pay as is now granted to a colonel of infantry, and shall rise in promotion from that to the rank of brigadier : and such batallion shall have only two field officers, viz. a lieutenant colonel and major, but it shall have an additional captain.
MAY 29, 1778.
Resolved, That no persons hereafter appointed upon the civil staff of the army shall hold or be intitled to any rank in the army by virtue of such staff appointment.[1]
