The Continental Soldier (American Revolution)

 

The average age of the Continental soldier was 22, although soldiers varied in age from 15 to 70.

Continental soldiers came from many different backgrounds and included African Americans and Native Americans.  By 1780 persons of color made up as much as fifteen percent of the Continental Army.  Some estimate range as high as twenty five percent.

To fill the ranks, Congress assigned yearly quotas to each state, which offered recruiting inducements such as bounties and land grants.  States that were unable to fill positions with volunteers resorted to sending members of the state militia, originally only mustered to serve within the boundaries of the state, to serve with the Continental Army.

In 1779, the Continental Congress established the blue uniform coat as the color for the Army, but shortages of dye meant that many regiments wore brown or green coats until the end of the war.

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