The concept of the military dates thousands of years back when the society expected men to serve in the soldiery. Nations need to guard themselves and their land against possible invasion, which has always been the function of the military. The U.S. is one of the nations with robust military might that began as a simple voluntary militia three centuries ago and has since transformed into a well-established and organized armed forces around the world. This essay seeks to discuss the different types of armed forces in the US prior to 1877 and their role as a team with the ultimate goal of guarding the United States territory.
Branches of the US Military Created Prior to 1877
Before 1877, the US military was purely land-based to fight invasions and to guard borders and rivers. The first American unit referred to as “His Majesty’s first independent Company of American Rangers” was established in 1747. The company served the king of England but was comprised of American soldiers ( Jennings, 2016). In April 1775 the war of independence began and June the same year, Congress established the Continental Army that comprised of 10 companies who enlisted in the Maryland and Virginia until the end of the Revolutionary War. George Washington was appointed to lead the army in the same year. During the same year, the Corps of Engineers was also established to control rivers inside the country ( Longmore, 1999).
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In 1802, Congress established the formed the first United States Military academy in West Point, New York. From 1812 to 1860 before the start of the Civil War, the US experienced numerous wars such the War of 1812 (sealed American Independence and prevented the British from taking over Baltimore and New Orleans), Indian Wars (1817-1863), Seminole Wars (1817-1818 and 1842-1858), Black Hawk War in 1832, and the Mexican War (1846-1848), the Navajo Conflicts (1846-1863). The Civil War (1861-1865) saw the rise of some of the greatest generals such as Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee. Black soldiers would be incorporated later. The former was named the first general in March 1864 ( Longmore, 1999).
How the Army was created
As aforementioned, the Army was the first to be established in 1775 by the Congress referred to as the “Continental Army.” It encompassed approximately 22,000 militia troops who surrounded Boston and other 5000 in New York ( Jennings, 2016). The US Army was placed under the control of the civilian and has remained that way to date. In 1776, George Washington, the first Commander in Chief of the continental army realized that the militia used to go back home after wars. Therefore, he advocated for a single, highly trained, long-term standing army separate from the militias that he would rely on during the dark hours of the war. Its establishment marked the beginning of the first regular army (Karsten, 1986).
After being inaugurated as the US president, George, working with the Secretary of State Henry Knox, began expanding the army. The Mexican-American war was instrumental in enhancing the size of the Army. Congress kept increasing and reducing the army for years until the Army Reorganization Act of 1866 was enacted putting the minimum number of authorized men to 25,000 ( Arnold, 2010). Since then, the Army has remained to be the largest in the US military.
When and how was the Marine Corps created
The continental marine corps dates back to November 10, 1775. They had the skills to fight on both the land and the sea and for this reason, acted as landing forces unlike the navy, which operated solely in the sea. The Marine Corps’ first operation in the hostile Bahamas was successful. Under Captain Samuel Nicholas, the troops were able to get ammunition that could help them in the coming revolutionary war. The marine corps was abolished towards the end of the revolutionary war in line with the Treaty of Paris in 1783. However, Congress ordered its reestablishment on July 11, 1798 (Karsten, 1986).
When and how was the Navy created
On 12 th June 1775, the Rhode Island General Assembly created the first navy for the Rhode Island. A first continental navy was created in August 1775 by the Congress under the Naval Act of 1794. President Washington’s objective was to guard American merchant ships against the Muslim pirates in North Africa ( Arnold, 2010). The Navy itself recognizes 13 th October as the actual date that it was inaugurated and that was the day Congress authorized the purchase of two ships in preparation for the British war ( Jennings, 2016). It has since remained one of the entities in the US army.
When and how was the Coast Guard Created
In 1790, the US coast guard was formed when President George signed the Tariff Act whose purpose was to enforce the government tariffs and trade laws, to curb smuggling, combat piracy, transporting government officials, rescuing sailors in distress, and transporting letters ( Jennings, 2016).
Conclusion
America had been in war for several years both domestic and international, and the fragmented militia was unreliable. The study established that the first US president George Washington was instrumental in creating a formal army to defend the nation during the dark hours. Three of the armies were established in 1775 and the last one in 1790. Although the US has created other forces, such as the air force, the four armies were instrumental in shaping the American peace and economy.
References
Arnold, S. (2010). History of the state of Rhode Island . Place of publication not identified: Applewood Books, US.
Jennings, N. (2016). Riding for the Lone Star: frontier cavalry and the Texas way of war, 1822-1865 . Denton, Texas: University of North Texas Press.
Karsten, P. (1986). The Military in America: From the Colonial era to the Present; New York; Free Press
Longmore, P. (1999). The invention of George Washington . Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia.
