On Recruiting and Maintaining an Army
by George Washington [nb: excerpted from a 24 September 1776
letter written from the Heights of Harlem to the president of the
Continental Congress; although opposed to a professional
standing army, this letter continues a discussion with
John Hancock regarding the suitability of state militias, with
their meager training and inadequate support, to serve as
Minutemen in the Continental Army]
From the hours allotted to Sleep, I will borrow a few Moments to
convey my thoughts on sundry important matters to Congress. I
shall offer them, with that sincerity which ought to characterize
a man of candour; and with the freedom which may be used in
giving useful information, without incurring the imputation of
presumption.
We are now as it were, upon the eve of another dissolution of our
Army; the remembrance of the difficulties which happened upon
that occasion last year, the consequences which might have
followed the change, if proper advantages had been taken by the
Enemy; added to a knowledge of the present temper and Situation
of the Troops, reflect but a very gloomy prospect upon the
appearance of things now, and satisfie me, beyond the possibility
of doubt, that unless some speedy, and effectual measures are
adopted by Congress, our cause will be lost.
It is in vain to expect, that any (or more than a trifling) part
of this Army will again engage in the Service on the
encouragement offered by Congress. When Men find that their
Townsmen and Companions are receiving 20, 30, and more Dollars,
for a few Months Service, (which is truely the case) it cannot be
expected; without using compulsion; and to force them into the
Service would answer no valuable purpose. When Men are irritated,
and the Passions inflamed, they fly hastely and chearfully to
Arms; but after the first emotions are over, to expect, among
such People, as compose the bulk of an Army, that they are
influenced by any other principles than those of Interest, is to
look for what never did, and I fear never will happen; the
Congress will deceive themselves therefore if they expect it.
A Soldier reasoned with upon the goodness of the cause he is
engaged in, and the inestimable rights he is contending for,
hears you with patience, and acknowledges the truth of your
observations, but adds, that it is of no more Importance to him
than others. The Officer makes you the same reply, with this
further remark, that his pay will not support him, and he cannot
ruin himself and Family to serve his Country, when every Member
of the community is equally Interested and benefitted by his
Labours. The few therefore, who act upon Principles of
disinterestedness, are, comparatively speaking, no more than a
drop in the Ocean. It becomes evidently clear then, that as this
Contest is not likely to be the Work of a day; as the War must be
carried on systematically, and to do it, you must have good
Officers, there are, in my Judgment, no other possible means to
obtain them but by establishing your Army upon a permanent
footing; and giving your Officers good pay; this will induce
Gentlemen, and Men of Character to engage; and till the bulk of
your Officers are composed of such persons as are actuated by
Principles of honour, and a spirit of enterprize, you have little
to expect from them. – They ought to have such allowances
as will enable them to live like, and support the Characters of
Gentlemen; and not be driven by a scanty pittance to the low, and
dirty arts which many of them practice, to filch the Public of
more than the difference of pay would amount to upon an ample
allowe. Besides, something is due to the Man who puts his life in
his hands, hazards his health, and forsakes the Sweets of
domestic enjoyments. Why a Captn. in the Continental Service
should receive no more than 51. Curry per day, for performing the
same duties that an officer of the same Rank in the British
Service receives 101. Sterlg. for, I never could conceive;
especially when the latter is provided with every necessary he
requires, upon the best terms, and the former can scarce procure
them, at any Rate. There is nothing that gives a Man consequence,
and renders him fit for Command, like a support that renders him
Independant of every body but the State he Serves.
With respect to the Men, nothing but a good bounty can obtain
them upon a permanent establishment; and for no shorter time than
the continuance of the War, ought they to be engaged; as Facts
incontestibly prove, that the difficulty, and cost of
Inlistments, increase with time. When the Army was first raised
at Cambridge, I am persuaded the Men might have been got without
a bounty for the War: after this, they began to see that the
Contest was not likely to end so speedily as was immagined, and
to feel their consequence, by remarking, that to get the Militia
In, in the course of last year, many Towns were induced to give
them a bounty. Foreseeing the Evils resulting from this, and the
destructive consequences which unavoidably would follow short
Inlistments, I took the Liberty in a long Letter, written by
myself (date not now recollected, as my Letter Book is not here)
to recommend the Inlistments for and during the War; assigning
such Reasons for it, as experience has since convinced me were
well founded. At that time twenty Dollars would, I am persuaded,
have engaged the Men for this term. But it will not do to look
back, and if the present opportunity is slip'd, I am perswaded
that twelve months more will Increase our difficulties fourfold.
I shall therefore take the freedom of giving it as my opinion,
that a good Bounty be immediately offered, aided by the proffer
of at least 100, or 150 Acres of Land and a suit of Cloaths and
Blankt, to each non-Comd. Officer and Soldier; as I have good
authority for saying, that however high the Men's pay may appear,
it is barely sufficient in the present scarcity and dearness of
all kinds of goods, to keep them in Cloaths, much less afford
support to their Families. If this encouragement then is given to
the Men, and such Pay allowed the Officers as will induce
Gentlemen of Character and liberal Sentiments to engage; and
proper care and precaution are used in the nomination (having
more regard to the Characters of Persons, than the Number of Men
they can Inlist) we should in a little time have an Army able to
cope with any that can be opposed to it, as there are excellent
Materials to form one out of: but while the only merit an Officer
possesses is his ability to raise Men; while those Men consider,
and treat him as an equal; and (in the Character of an Officer)
regard him no more than a broomstick, being mixed together as one
common herd; no order, nor no discipline can prevail; nor will
the Officer ever meet with that respect which is essentially
necessary to due subordination.
To place any dependance upon Militia, is, assuredly, resting upon
a broken staff. Men just dragged from the tender Scenes of
domestick life; unaccustomed to the din of Arms; totally
unacquainted with every kind of Military skill, which being
followed by a want of confidence in themselves, when opposed to
Troops regulary train'd, disciplined, and appointed, superior in
knowledge, and superior in Arms, makes them timid, and ready to
fly from their own shadows. Besides, the sudden change in their
manner of living, (particularly in the lodging) brings on
sickness in many; impatience in all, and such an unconquerable
desire of returning to their respective homes that it not only
produces shameful, and scandalous Desertions among themselves,
but infuses the like spirit in others. Again, Men accustomed to
unbounded freedom, and no controul, cannot brook the Restraint
which is indispensably necessary to the good order and Government
of an Army; without which, licentiousness, and every kind of
disorder triumpantly reign. To bring Men to a proper degree of
Subordination, is not the work of a day, a Month or even a year;
and unhappily for us, and the cause we are Engaged in, the little
discipline I have been labouring to establish in the Army under
my immediate Command, is in a manner done away by having such a
mixture of Troops as have been called together within these few
Months.
Relaxed, and unfit, as our Rules and Regulations of War are, for
the Government of an Army, the Militia (those properly so called,
for of these we have two sorts, the Six Months Men and those sent
in as a temporary aid) do not think themselves subject to `em,
and therefore take liberties, which the Soldier is punished for;
this creates jealousy; jealousy begets dissatisfaction, and these
by degrees ripen into Mutiny; keeping the whole Army in a
confused, and disordered State; rendering the time of those who
wish to see regularity and good Order prevail more unhappy than
Words can describe. Besides this, such repeated changes take
place, that all arrangement is set at nought, and the constant
fluctuation of things, deranges every plan, as fast as adopted.
These Sir, Congress may be assured, are but a small part of the
Inconveniences which might be enumerated and attributed to
Militia; but there is one that merits particular attention, and
that is the expence. Certain I am, that it would be cheaper to
keep 50, or 100,000 Men in constant pay than to depend upon half
the number, and supply the other half occasionally by Militia.
The time the latter is in pay before and after they are in Camp,
assembling and Marching; the waste of Ammunition; the consumption
of Stores, which in spite of every Resolution, and requisition of
Congress they must be furnished with, or sent home, added to
other incidental expences consequent upon their coming, and
conduct in Camp, surpasses all Idea, and destroys every kind of
regularity and economy which you could establish among fixed and
Settled Troops; and will, in my opinion prove (if the scheme is
adhered to) the Ruin of our Cause.
The Jealousies of a standing Army, and the Evils to be
apprehended from one, are remote; and in my judgment, situated
and circumstanced as we are, not at all to be dreaded; but the
consequence of wanting one, according to my Ideas, formed from
the present view of things, is certain, and inevitable Ruin; for
if I was called upon to declare upon Oath, whether the Militia
have been most serviceable or hurtful upon the whole; I should
subscribe to the latter. I do not mean by this however to arraign
the Conduct of Congress, in so doing I should equally condemn my
own measures, (if I did not my judgment); but experience, which
is the best criterion to work by, so fully, clearly, and
decisively reprobates the practice of trusting to Militia, that
no Man who regards order, regularity, and economy; or who has any
regard for his own honour, Character, or peace of Mind, will risk
them upon this Issue.
Another matter highly worthy of attention, is, that other Rules
and Regulation's may be adopted for the Government of the Army
than those now in existence, otherwise the Army, but for the
name, might as well be disbanded. For the most attrocious
offences, (one or two Instances only excepted) a Man receives no
more than 39 Lashes; and these perhaps (thro' the collusion of
the Officer who is to see it inflicted), are given in such a
manner as to become rather a matter of sport than punishment; but
when inflicted as they ought, many hardend fellows who have been
the Subjects, have declared that for a bottle of Rum they would
undergo a Second operation; it is evident therefore that this
punishment is inadequate to many Crimes it is assigned to, as a
proof of it, thirty and 40 Soldiers will desert at a time; and of
late, a practice prevails, (as you will see by my Letter of the
22d) of the most alarming nature; and which will, if it cannot be
checked, prove fatal both to the Country and Army; I mean the
infamous practice of Plundering, for under the Idea of Tory
property, or property which may fall into the hands of the Enemy,
no Man is secure in his effects, and scarcely in his Person; for
in order to get at them, we have several Instances of People
being frightened out of their Houses under pretence of those
Houses being ordered to be burnt, and this is done with a view of
siezing the Goods; nay, in order that the villany may be more
effectually concealed, some Houses have actually been burnt to
cover the theft.
I have with some others, used my utmost endeavours to stop this
horrid practice, but under the present lust after plunder, and
want of Laws to punish Offenders, I might almost as well attempt
to remove Mouth Atlas. – I have ordered instant corporal
Punishment upon every Man who passes our Lines, or is seen with
Plunder, that the Offenders might be punished for disobedience of
Orders; and Inclose you the proceedings of a Court Martial held
upon an Officer, who with a Party of Men had robbd a House a
little beyond our Lines of a Number of valuable Goods; among
which (to shew that nothing escapes) were four large Pier looking
Glasses, Women's Cloaths, and other Articles which one would
think, could be of no Earthly use to him. He was met by a Major
of Brigade who ordered him to return the Goods, as taken contrary
to Genl. Orders, which he not only peremptorily refused to do,
but drew up his Party and swore he would defend them at the
hazard of his Life; on which I ordered him to be arrested, and
tryed for Plundering, Disobedience of Orders, and Mutiny
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