From the start of the American Revolution the Continental army had difficulties fighting the British and staying together due to the problems they faced as an unprofessional army, the experiences they had with the developing government, and the unsupportiveness of many members of the colony. As with any war, the soldiers who fought on any side require food, clothes, and funds to pay for their expenses. During the American Revolution, the Continental army continuously suffered from such shortages. Due to their conflict with the British, the amount of resources that the colonies would normally have were depleted very quickly. These uncertain circumstances led many regulars in the army to protest by either deserting or sending petitions to the continental congress. The many regulars who fled from the increasingly lacking army made planning …show more content…
Several were lower class citizens and free slaves who had either little or absolutely no training when it came to actual fighting. Also, the military did not have adequate time to properly train their troops in wartime tactics. The lack of properly trained troops made conflicts against the British more difficult, as this meant training their troops in battle tactics while on the move constantly. These conditions, brought by an approaching British army, made training an unprofessional army dangerous.
Before the start of the American Revolution in 1775, George Washington and several other members of the Continental congress called for the colonies to revolt against the British to protect their homes. In response, many civilians joined the ranks of the Continental army without knowing the full expense of their duties as militia men. As a result of the army’s less than adequate training and discipline, after the first year, many soldiers who did not wish to remain in the army returned to their respective colony despite George Washington’s plea to