Though the French and Indian War (The Seven Years War) of 1754-1763, the American colonists became skilled at defending themselves and in some case being part of a military force. Colonal officers, such as George Washington gained experience leading men in battle.
In 1769, the French sent Baron de Kalb to America to report on the preparedness of the colonists' for open warfare. He noted that they had facilities for creating a large merchant marine force. They did not have arsenals nor magazines, yet merchants carried stocks of gunpowder to the Indians. They were well supplied with cannon and with firearms. He estimated that there were 200,000 young men enrolled in the Militia.
New threats led the British to pass the Militia Law of 1775 which provided for the enrollment of all free males between the ages of sixteen and fifty. They were formed into Companies and Regiments with officers appointed by the Royal Governor.
They were required to supply themselves with arms, packs, blankets, and canteen. They were engaged to serve, without pay, for short periods within the borders of their own Colony. Colonies, such as Connecticut had 26,000 militiamen in 1774. By 1775, New Jersy had twenty-six Regiments of infantry and eleven of calvary and Pennsylvania had fifty-three battalions of infantry. By the time the Revolution started in 1776, most of the Colonies had a nucleus of a defense force.
At the time of the Revolution, a Company had about 50 men. A Regiment had 500 men. A Battalion consisted of four to six Companies but could contain about 1000 men.
prepared by Jim Penny