Claim: George Washington was a general.

The Continental Army was formed by the Second Continental Congress after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America . Established by a resolution of the Congress on June 14 , 1775 , it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in their revolt against the rule of Great Britain . The Continental Army was supplemented by local militias and troops that remained under control of the individual states or were otherwise independent . General George Washington was the commander-in-chief of the army throughout the war .   Most of the Continental Army was disbanded in 1783 after the Treaty of Paris ended the war . The 1st and 2nd Regiments went on to form the nucleus of the Legion of the United States in 1792 under General Anthony Wayne . This became the foundation of the United States Army in 1796 .