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Le Fevre Indian War

Le Fevre Indian War

depicted around the time of the Winnebago War.]]The Winnebago War, also referred as the Le Fèvre Indian War, was an armed conflict that took place in 1827, in the southwest region of the state of Wisconsin, between members of the Native American tribe of the Winnebago, local militias and the U.S. Army. Although losses in terms of lives were minimal, the Winnebago War was an immediate and determinant precedent to the much larger conflict known as the Black Hawk War. A treaty of peace had been signed at Prairie du Chien on August 19, 1825, by the terms of which all the common boundaries between the white settlers, the Winnebago, Potawatomi, Sioux, Sauk, Fox and other tribes, were defined. While the situation remained generally tense but peaceful between settlers who arrived in Wisconsin during the lead boom and the local Native Americans, violence eventually broke out. The different tribes not only commenced a warfare among themselves in regard to their respective territorial limits, but they extended their hostilities to the white settlements as response for the increasing occupation of their lands. On July 24, 1827, a band of Winnebago led by a war chief named Red Bird and a Prophet called White Cloud (Wabokieshiek, who would later have an important role in the events surrounding the Black Hawk War) killed two men by shooting at barge ascending the Mississippi near Prairie du Chien, and a series of attacks and guerrilla actions against the local white population ensued. Red Bird and his followers killed some settlers along the lower Wisconsin River and struck the lead mines near Galena. Several members of other local tribes joined the actions, like the Potawatomi and the Sauk. Governor Ninian Edwards issued an order to Gen. James Harrison's brigade, located on the east side of the Illinois River, to detach one-fourth of the regiments and prepare to meet any attack by the Indians. He also wrote to Col. Thomas M. Neale of the 20th Regiment, located in Sangamon County to recruit 600 volunteers. Groups of militia were organized from the settlers and miners and placed under the command of Gen. Henry Dodge, and formed an auxiliary force to the command of Brig. Gen. Henry Atkinson (another prominent figure of the Black Hawk War), whose forces marched into the Winnebago territory. On September 27, the uprising came to an end before the arrival of the American troops to Indian country when Red Bird, White Cloud and five other leading warriors surrendered in Portage, rather than facing the threat of open warfare with the U. S. military. Red Bird died while in confinement and a few local leaders who had taken part in the actions were executed on December 26. White Cloud and other chiefs and warriors, including Black Hawk, were pardoned by the President and released. Later, in August, 1828, in a treaty signed at Green Bay the Winnebago (along with other tribes) ceded northern Illinois for $540,000. The general sense of unease among the local Native American population was severely increased due to the Winnebago War and the treaty thas was forced upon the tribe afterwards. The hostilities, as well as the surmounting immigration of white settlers that ensued, made the possibilities of reaching a peaceful agreement extremely difficult. The resulting tension inevitably led to another armed conflict, this time with the neighboring Sauk and Fox, and many members of the local tribes who had been involved at the Winnebago War would later take part at the Black Hawk War in 1832.

External Links

- [http://www.dickshovel.com/win.html First Nations Histories: Winnebago] Category:Native American wars Category:Wisconsin history

Wisconsin

:This article is on the U.S. state. For other uses see Wisconsin (disambiguation) Wisconsin is a state in the United States, located in the Midwest. Although the exact etymology of the name is uncertain, "Wisconsin" is thought to be an English version of a French adaptation of an Indian word. The Ojibwe word Miskasinsin, meaning "Red-stone place," was probably the name given to the Wisconsin River, which then was recorded as Ouisconsin by the French, and changed to its current form by the English. Other theories are that the name comes from words meaning "Gathering of the Waters" or "Great Rock." Wisconsin originally was applied to the Wisconsin River, and later to the area as a whole when Wisconsin became a territory. The state's name is abbreviated WI, Wis, or Wisc. USS Wisconsin was named in honor of this state.

History

Main Article: History of Wisconsin In 1634, Frenchman Jean Nicolet became Wisconsin's first European explorer, landing at Red Banks, near modern day Green Bay in search of a passage to the Orient. The French controlled the area until 1763, when it was ceded to the British. After the American Revolutionary War, Wisconsin was a part of the U.S. Northwest Territory. It was then governed as part of Indiana Territory, Illinois Territory, and Michigan Territory. Wisconsin Territory was organized on July 3 1836 and became the 30th state on May 29 1848. Wisconsin's political history encompasses, on the one hand, Fighting Bob La Follette and the Progressive movement; and on the other, Joe McCarthy, the controversial anti-Communist censured by the Senate during the 1950s. The first Socialist mayor of a large city in the United States was Emil Seidel, elected mayor of Milwaukee in 1910; another Socialist, Daniel Hoan, was mayor of Milwaukee from 1916 to 1940. The state mineral is Galena, otherwise known as lead sulfide, which reflects Wisconsin's early mining history. Many town names such as Mineral Point recall a period in the 1820s, 1830s, and 1840s when Wisconsin was an important mining state. When Indian treaties opened up southwest Wisconsin to settlement, thousands of miners—many of them immigrants from Cornwall, England—flocked to southern Wisconsin in what could almost be termed a "lead rush." At one point Wisconsin produced more than half of the nation's lead. During the boom it appeared that southwest Wisconsin might become the population center of the state, and Belmont was briefly the state capital. By the 1840s the easily-accessible deposits were worked out, and experienced miners were drawn out of Wisconsin by the California Gold Rush. This period of mining before and during the early years of statehood directly led to the development of state's nickname, "the Badger State." Many miners and their families lived in the mines in which they worked until adequate above-ground shelters were built and were thus compared to Badgers. See also
- Peshtigo Fire
- Territory of Wisconsin
- Wisconsin Walleye War

Culture

Wisconsin Walleye War Known as "America's Dairyland," Wisconsin is also known for cheese. Citizens of Wisconsin are referred to as Wisconsinites, although a common nickname (sometimes used pejoratively) among non-residents is "Cheeseheads," due to the prevalence and quality of cheesemaking in the state. The state is also known for its alcohol production and consumption, historically home to a large number of breweries and bars per capita. The state is home to the Green Bay Packers, one of the most successful small-market professional sports franchises in the country. Monday Night Football national broadcasts draw strong ratings during Packers games. The Packers' home stadium, Lambeau Field, is considered by many football enthusiasts to be "hallowed ground." The University of Wisconsin Badgers football program enjoys a similar loyalty; both teams are known to sell out their entire schedules far in advance. The Milwaukee Art Museum in Milwaukee is known for its unique architecture. The Milwaukee County Zoological Gardens cover over 200 acres (800,000 m²) of land on the far west side of the city. Madison is home to the Vilas Zoo which is free for all visitors, and the Olbrich Gardens conservatory, as well as the hub of cultural activity at the University of Wisconsin. It is also known for Monona Terrace, a convention center that was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.

Law and government

Frank Lloyd Wright]] The capital is Madison and the largest city is Milwaukee. Beginning with the governorship of Robert M. La Follette, Sr. in the early 1900s and the state Progressive Party establishment soon thereafter, Wisconsin and in particular, Madison, have often been seen as leaders in labor, and social welfare legislation as well as legislation popularly termed "socially progressive." For example, in 1982 sexual orientation was added by the state legislature as a protected category under existing anti-discrimination laws, a step in the context of the 1980s seen as highly innovative. Russ Feingold was the only senator to vote against the Patriot Act, and Tammy Baldwin is the only openly lesbian U.S. Representative. The state has supported Democrats in the last five presidential contests. During both the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections, Wisconsin was considered a "swing" state due to its residents being relatively equally split between voting for the Democratic and Republican candidates. The state just barely (by about 5,700 votes) went for the Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore in 2000, and by 14,000 votes to Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry in 2004, both of whom lost the national election. Republicans are concentrated in the eastern and north-central parts of the state, especially in the suburban counties around Milwaukee.
- Governors of Wisconsin
- Wisconsin State Legislature
- Wisconsin State Senate
- Wisconsin State Assembly
- U.S. Congressional Delegations from Wisconsin
- List of U.S. Senators from Wisconsin

Geography

U.S. Senators from Wisconsin The state is bordered by the Montreal River, Lake Superior and Michigan to the north, by Lake Michigan to the east, by Illinois to the south, and by Iowa and Minnesota to the west. Part of the state's boundaries includes the Mississippi River and St. Croix River in the west, and the Menominee River in the northeast. With its location between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River, Wisconsin is home to a wide variety of geographical features. These features allow the state to be broken into five distinct regions. In the north, the Lake Superior Lowland occupies a belt of land along Lake Superior. Just to the south, the Northern Highland includes the state's highest point, Timms Hill, as well as massive forests and thousands of small glacial lakes. In the middle of the state, the Central Plain possesses some unique sandstone formations like the Dells of the Wisconsin River in addition to rich farmland. The Eastern Ridges and Lowlands region in the southeast is home to many of Wisconsin's largest cities. In the southwest, the Western Upland is a rugged landscape with a mix of forest and farmland. The varied landscape of Wisconsin makes the state a vacation destination popular for outdoor recreation. Winter events include skiing, ice fishing and snowmobile derbies. Wisconsin has many lakes of varied size, in fact Wisconsin contains 11,188 square miles of water, more then all but three other states. The distinctive Door Peninsula, which extends off of the eastern coast of the state, contains one of the state's most beautiful tourist destinations, Door County. The area draws thousands of visitors yearly to its quaint villages, seasonal cherry picking, and ever-popular [http://www.lakemichiganangler.com/recipes/fish/door_county_fish_boil_photos.htm fish boils]. Wisconsin's self-promotion as "America's Dairyland" sometimes leads to a mistaken impression that it is an exclusively rural state. In fact, however, Wisconsin contains cities and towns of all sizes. Milwaukee is a city slightly larger than Boston and part of a largely developed string of cities that stretches down the western edge of Lake Michigan into greater Chicago and also into northwestern Indiana. Milwaukee is also, in addition, the 19th largest city in the country. This string of cities along the western edge of Lake Michigan is generally considered to be an example of a megalopolis. Madison's triple identity as state capital, university town, and working city give it a cultural richness unusual in a city its size. Medium-sized cities dot the state and anchor a network of working farms surrounding them. See also
- List of Wisconsin counties
- List of cities in Wisconsin
- List of villages in Wisconsin
- List of towns in Wisconsin
- List of Wisconsin rivers

Economy

The economy of Wisconsin is driven by agriculture and manufacturing. Although manufacturing accounts for a far greater part of the state's income than farming, Wisconsin is usually recognized primarily as a farm state. Wisconsin produces more dairy products than any other state in the United States except California, and leads the nation in cheese production. Although California has overtaken Wisconsin in the production of milk and butter, Wisconsin still produces more milk per capita than any other state in the Union. In addition to dairying, Wisconsin ranks first in the production of corn for silage, cranberries, ginseng, and snap beans for processing. Wisconsin is also a leading producer of oats, potatoes, carrots, tart cherries, maple syrup, and sweet corn for processing. Given Wisconsin's strong agricultural tradition, it is not suprising that a large part of the state's manufacturing sector deals with food processing. Some well known food brands produced in Wisconsin include Oscar Mayer, Tombstone and Jack's frozen pizza, and Johnsonville Bratwursts. Kraft Foods alone employs over five thousand people in the state. Through Milwaukee, Wisconsin is also a major producer of beer. In addition to food processing, Wisconsin is home to several transportation equipment and machinery manufacturers. Major Wisconsin companies in these categories include the Kohler Company, Rockwell International, Briggs & Stratton, and Harley-Davidson. Wisconsin also ranks first nationwide in the production of paper products; the lower Fox River from Lake Winnebago to the Bay of Green Bay has twenty-four paper mills along it's thirty-nine mile stretch. The largest paper companies with operations in Wisconsin are Kimberly-Clark and Georgia-Pacific, both of which rank among the state's top ten employers. Tourism is also a major industry in Wisconsin. Tourism destinations such as the House on the Rock near Spring Green, Circus World Museum in Baraboo, and the collection of attractions around Wisconsin Dells each draw thousands of visitors every year, and festivals such as Summerfest and the EAA Oshkosh Airshow always attract large crowds.

Demographics

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2004, Wisconsin's population was 5,509,026. There are 229,800 foreign-born residents in the state (4.2% of the state population), and an estimated 41,000 illegal aliens living in the state, accounting for 18% of the foreign-born. Between 1990 and 2004 the state's population grew 617,000, a growth of 12.6%

Race

The racial makeup of the state:
- 87.3% White
- 5.7% Black
- 3.6% Hispanic
- 1.7% Asian
- 1.2% Mixed race
- 0.9% Native American

Ancestry

The five largest ancestry groups in Wisconsin are: German (42.6%), Irish (10.9%), Polish (9.3%), Norwegian (8.5%), English (6.5%) People of German ancestry are the largest ancestry group most of the state, with about half of the state's white population reporting at least partial German ancestry on the Census, and Wisconsin is widely regarded as the most "German-American" state in the Union (although North Dakota, with 43.9% German ancestry, can make this claim). People of Scandinavian descent, especially Norwegians, are heavily concentrated in some western parts of the state. Wisconsin also has the highest percentage of residents of Polish ancestry of any state. Menominee county is the only county in the eastern United States with an American Indian majority. 33% of Wisconsin's Asian population is Hmong, with significant communities in Milwaukee, Wausau, Green Bay, Sheboygan, Appleton, La Crosse, Madison, and Eau Claire. 6.4% of Wisconsin's population were reported as under 5, 25.5% under 18, and 13.1% were 65 or older. Females made up approximately 50.6% of the population.

Religion

The religious affiliations of the people of Wisconsin are shown in the list below:
- Christian – 85%
- Protestant – 55%
- Lutheran – 23%
- Methodist – 7%
- Baptist – 6%
- Presbyterian – 2%
- United Church of Christ – 2%
- Other Protestant or general Protestant – 15%
- Roman Catholic – 29%
- Other Christian – 1%
- Other Religions – 1%
- Non-Religious – 14%

Important cities and villages

Cities and villages are incorporated urban areas in Wisconsin. Towns are unincorporated minor civil divisions of counties. Cities/Metroplitan areas in Wisconsin with population of 50,000 or more as of 2000 include:
- Milwaukee, pop. 596,125 (1,709,926 in metropolitan area), nations 33rd largest television market.
- Madison, pop. 220,332 (588,885 in metropolitan area), nations 85th largest television market, state capital, flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin
- Green Bay, pop. 102,263 (226,778 in metropolitan area), nations 69th largest television market, home of Green Bay Packers football team; other area attractions include the National Railroad Museum and the Neville Public Museum.
- Kenosha, pop. 93,798; considered part of the greater "Chicagoland" area; site of Kenosha Velodrome, opened in 1927, oldest operating velodrome in the U. S.; International HQ of the Barbershop Harmony Society.
- Racine, pop. 81,703, headquarters of S. C. Johnson (Johnson Wax) with Frank Lloyd Wright-designed administration building. Once home of the Racine Belles, an All-American Girls Professional Baseball League team.
- Appleton, pop. 70,293 (372,110 in metropolitan area). Location of Lawrence University and the Harry Houdini Historical Center, controversial for a 2004 exhibit showing the secret of Houdini's famous "Metamorphosis" trick
- Waukesha, pop. 67,258
- Oshkosh, pop. 63,515 (372,110 in metropolitan area). Home of the busiest airport in the world—during the week when the Experimental Aircraft Association, devoted to hobbyist-built aircraft, holds its annual Oshkosh Airshow.
- Eau Claire, pop. 61,702 (148,337 in metropolitan area). Home of National Presto Industries and Menards.
- Janesville, pop. 60,294. Home to a major General Motors assembly plant, 3.5 million square feet (325,000 m²) in size.
- West Allis, pop. 60,254. Home of the Pettit National Ice Center (formerly the West Allis Olympic Ice Rink), training center for the U. S. Olympic speedskating team, and the West Allis Speedskating Club, which as of 2005 has nurtured 17 Olympians and 95 national champions.
- Sheboygan, pop. 56,792.
- La Crosse, pop. 51,907. Wisconsin's main port on the Mississippi River and home of Trane.
- Fond du Lac, pop. 42,203 (57,479 in metropolitan area). Nearly equidistant from Green Bay, Madison, and Milwaukee.
- Wausau, pop. 38,469 (157,969 in metropolitan area). Home to Granite Peak Ski Area; located at crossroads of Interstate 39 and Wisconsin State Highway 29.
- Manitowoc , pop. 34,567 (53,456 in micropolitan area). Among other municipalities are: Manitowoc
- Antigo, pop. 8,560,
- Baraboo, pop. 10,717, home of Circus World Museum
- Beloit, pop. 35,821, home of Beloit College
- De Pere pop. 20,559 home of St. Norbert College. West De Pere is not a separate municipality; but, rather the neighborhoods of De Pere west of the Fox River.
- Portage, pop. 9,728, birthplace of Frederick Jackson Turner, Zona Gale
- Ripon, birthplace of the Republican Party
- Stevens Point, pop. 24,539, home of the [http://www.for-wild.org/wchf/ Wisconsin Conservation Hall of Fame], commemorating Aldo Leopold, John Muir, and others
- Superior, pop. 27,389
- Waterloo, pop. 3,259, home to the headquarters of one of the world's largest bicycle manufacturers, Trek Bicycle Corporation
- Watertown
- Wauwatosa, pop. 47,271, home to one of two level 1 trauma centers in the state
- Wisconsin Dells, pop. 2,418 (approx. 4,000 including Lake Delton), popular resort area, home of Tommy Bartlett's thrill shows and numerous hotels and themeparks.
- Wisconsin Rapids, pop. 18,435

Education

Colleges and universities

Four-year and postgraduate institutions

- Alverno College
- Beloit College
- Cardinal Stritch University
- Carroll College
- Carthage College
- Concordia University Wisconsin
- Edgewood College
- Lakeland College
- Lawrence University
- Maranatha Baptist Bible College
- Marian College of Fond du Lac
- Marquette University
- Medical College of Wisconsin
- Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design
- Milwaukee School of Engineering
- Mount Mary College
- Mount Senario College
- Nashotah House
- Northland College
- Ripon College

- St. Norbert College
- Silver Lake College
- University of Wisconsin System
- UW-Eau Claire
- UW-Green Bay
- UW-La Crosse
- UW-Madison
- UW-Milwaukee
- UW-Oshkosh
- UW-Parkside
- UW-Platteville
- UW-River Falls
- UW-Stevens Point
- UW-Stout
- UW-Superior
- UW-Whitewater
- Viterbo College
- Wisconsin Lutheran College
- Wisconsin School of Professional Psychology

Wisconsin School of Professional Psychology

Two-year institutions

- UW Colleges
- UW-Baraboo/Sauk County
- UW-Barron County
- UW-Fond du Lac
- UW-Fox Valley
- UW-Manitowoc
- UW-Marathon County
- UW-Marinette
- UW-Marshfield/Wood County
- UW-Richland
- UW-Rock County
- UW-Sheboygan
- UW-Washington County
- UW-Waukesha

Professional sports teams

- Milwaukee Brewers, Major League Baseball
- Minor League Baseball Teams
- Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
- Beloit Snappers
- Northwoods League baseball teams
- Eau Claire Express
- La Crosse Loggers
- Madison Mallards
- Wisconsin Woodchucks
- Milwaukee Bucks, National Basketball Association
- Green Bay Packers, National Football League
- Milwaukee Admirals, American Hockey League
- Milwaukee Wave, Major Indoor Soccer League
- Milwaukee Wave United (dormant for 2005), United Soccer Leagues

Miscellaneous information

- List of people from Wisconsin
- List of television stations in Wisconsin
- List of Wisconsin state parks
- Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
- List of Wisconsin railroads

External links

- [http://www.wisconsin.gov/ State of Wisconsin]
- [http://www.wisconsin.gov/state/core/wisconsin_state_symbols.html Wisconsin state symbols]
- [http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/55000.html U.S. Census Bureau]
- [http://www.wicourts.gov/ Wisconsin Court System]
- [http://www.legis.state.wi.us/ Wisconsin State Legislature]
- [http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/ Wisconsin Historical Society]
- [http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WI The State of Wisconsin Collection] from the [http://uwdc.library.wisc.edu/ University of Wisconsin Digital Collections Center]
- [http://strivinglife.net/articles/canwipickpres.shtml Can Wisconsin Pick a Presidential Candidate, or What?] - Article looking at the Presidential voting record of Wisconsin from 1900 to 2004.
- [http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/topics/wisconsin-name/ Wisconsin's Name: Where It Came From and What It Means]
- [http://www.usnewspapers.org/state/wisconsin/ Wisconsin Newspapers]
- [http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WIReader Wisconsin Electronic Reader]. Stories, essays, letters, poems, biographies, journals and tidbits from Wisconsin history. Many first hand accounts - profusely illustrated.
- [http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wipionexp Wisconsin Pioneer Experience]. The Wisconsin Pioneer Experience is a digital collection of diaries, letters, reminiscences, speeches and other writings of people who settled and built Wisconsin during the 19th century.
- [http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/SurveyNotes Wisconsin Public Land Survey Records: Original Field Notes and Plat Maps]. The field notes and plat maps of the public land survey of Wisconsin, conducted between 1832 and 1866 by the federal General Land Office. This work established the township, range and section grid; the pattern upon which land ownership and land use is based.
- [http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WI.WIPublicDocs Public Documents of the State of Wisconsin]. Public Documents of the State of Wisconsin, commonly known as Wisconsin Public Documents (WPD), consists of the annual and biennial reports of all important Wisconsin state agencies from 1852-1914 and is an important collection of documents issued by the state of Wisconsin during this time period. In addition to the annual and biennial reports of various state officers, departments and institutions, WPD is a source for Wisconsin statistical tables, financial charts, vintage photographs, supplementary documents, maps, other graphics and research monographs on specific topics. Virtually all aspects of the social sciences in Wisconsin during the 1852-1914 timeframe are represented in this online collection of 118 volumes.
- [http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WI.USAIN History of Wisconsin Agriculture and Rural Life]. The History of Wisconsin Agriculture and Rural Life collection is based on a bibliography compiled as part of the National Preservation Project for Agricultural Literature. Items in this online collection are primary and secondary materials, published through 1945, that document the history of agriculture and rural life in late 19th and early 20th century Wiscosnin.
- [http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WI.HistAgSchaf A History of Agriculture in Wisconsin], by Schafer, Joseph (1867-1941)
- [http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/EcoNatRes.GeoNatResWI Geology and Natural Resources of Wisconsin]. Geology and Natural Resources of Wisconsin consists of nine foundation volumes that provide detailed documentation of mid- to late-19th century Wisconsin geological and natural history. Contents include government reports and land surveys of Wisconsin and surrounding states, supplemented with numerous maps and illustrations.
- [http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/Antiquities The Antiquities of Wisconsin]. The Antiquities of Wisconsin, Increase A. Lapham's most important published work, includes 92 pages of text, illustrated with 61 wood engravings, and 55 lithographed plates and was the result of his research into the Indian effigy mounds found on Wisconsin's Landscape.
- [http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/whi/ Wisconsin Historical Images]. Online collection of over 15,000 historical photographs related to Wisconsin and North America.
- Category:States of the United States ko:위스콘신 주 ja:ウィスコンシン州 simple:Wisconsin

Native american

Native Americans is a term which has several different common meanings and scope, according to regional use and context. See the below articles, which describe various indigenous peoples in the following contexts:
- Indigenous peoples of the Americas, natives of the entire American supercontinent
- Indigenous peoples in the United States, natives of the United States and its territories
- Native Americans in the United States, natives of the continental United States only; equivalent to American Indians in some contexts.
- Alaska Natives, natives of the state of Alaska, including Eskimo-Aleut peoples (Inuit and Yupik Eskimo peoples, Aleuts), and Athabascan, Eyak, Haida, Tlingit and Tsimshian peoples
- Native Hawaiians, natives of the state of Hawaii
- Pacific Islanders, including peoples in the U.S. Pacific Island dependencies (e.g. Chamorros, Marshallese), but also other Pacific nations.
- Aboriginal peoples in Canada, including First Nations, Métis and Inuit
- First Nations, Canadian natives, sometimes referred to as "Indians" or "North American Indians"
- Indigenous peoples in Brazil, the povos indígenas of Brazil "Native American" can also simply be used to refer to any individual born into an American country. When this sense is meant, it is most often written without an initial capital: "native American." In the history of the United States in the 19th century, Native Americans refers to members of the Native American Party or the associated movement, which has come to be known instead as the Know-Nothing movement.

Militia

A militia is a group of citizens organized to provide paramilitary service. The word can have four slightly different meanings:
- An official reserve army, composed of non-professional soldiers
- The national police forces in Russia, and other CIS countries, and the Soviet Union: Militsiya
- The entire able-bodied population of a state, which can be called to arms against an invading enemy
- A private, non-government force, not necessarily directly supported or sanctioned by the government In any of these cases, a militia is distinct from a national regular army. It can serve to supplement the regular military, or it can oppose it, for example to resist a military coup. In some circumstances, the "enemies" against which a militia is mobilized are domestic political opponents of the government, such as strikers. In many cases the role, or even the existence of a militia, is controversial. For these reasons legal restrictions may be placed on the mobilization or use of militia.

Germany

See Freikorps

Switzerland

One of the most famous and ancient militia are the Swiss militia. It is not widely recognized, but Switzerland maintains, proportionally, the largest military force in the world, with more than twice as many active-duty soldiers per capita as the next-proportionally-largest force, in Israel, having a trained reserve militia of 36% of the total population. However, it should be noted that Switzerland has a long tradition of political and military neutrality.

United Kingdom

For much of the history of England, the military was controlled by Parliament, which had access to the resources to maintain a standing army. At various times, The Crown and Parliament were in strong disagreement, but Parliament's economic ability to use the army was counterbalanced by the Crown's traditional ability to call out the militia. As long as the army's weapons were not radically more powerful than the militia's, this balance of power was effective. The English Bill of Rights (1689) declared, amongst other rights: :"That the raising or keeping a standing army within the kingdom in time of peace, unless it be with consent of Parliament, is against law;" and :"That the subjects which are Protestants may have arms for their defense suitable to their conditions and as allowed by law;" Following the creation of large standing army, the word militia fell into disuse in the UK, though many units retained the distinction of being designated "militia" units as extra battalions of regular regiments and "Irish" militia were heavily relied upon to suppress rebellion in Ireland. The militia was formally disbanded in 1908 with the creation of a reserve force, known as the Territorial Force, later the Territorial Army, and the units of the militia were transferred to the Special Reserve. The Special Reserve were renamed the Militia in 1921, its units being placed in 'suspended animation', and the militia was disbanded in 1953. A number of old Militia units remain in existence, two in the Territorial Army: the Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers -- which was first formed in 1539 -- and the Jersey Field Squadron (The Royal Militia Island of Jersey), 73rd Regiment, Royal Engineers (formerly the Royal Militia of the Island of Jersey and first formed in 1337). Also, the Royal Alderney Militia -- created in the 13th Century and reformed in 1984 -- is part of the Army Cadet Force, thus ensuring the continuation of the name. Additionally, the Atholl Highlanders are a (ceremonial) private army maintained by the Duke of Atholl - they are the only legal private army in the United Kingdom. In modern usage, the term Paramilitary is more widely used of (illegal) private armies such as the UVF, UDA and Provisional IRA in Northern Ireland.

United States

The early Puritan colonists of America considered the militia an important social structure, necessary to defend their colonies from Indian attacks. All able-bodied males were expected to be members of the town militia. During the French and Indian Wars the town militias formed a recruiting pool for the Provincial Forces. The legislature of the colony would authorize a certain force level for the season's campaign, and based on that set recruitment quotas for each town militia. In theory militia members could be drafted by lot if there were not volunteers enough to meet the quota, however this was rarely resorted to as Provincial soldiers were highly paid (more highly paid then their regular British Army counterparts) and rarely engaged in combat. In the American Revolutionary War, colonial militiamen or armed citizens agreed to turn out for service at a minute's notice. The term minutemen is used especially for the men who were enrolled (1774) for such service by the Massachusetts provincial congress. These were also known as the "valiant farmers" who fought against the British at the battles of Lexington and Concord. The delegates of the Constitutional Convention, (the founding fathers/framers of the United States Constitution) under Article 1; section 8, paragraphs 15 and 16 of the federal constitution, granted Congress the power to "provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining (regulating/training) the Militia," as well as, and in distinction to, the power to raise an army and a navy. The Second Amendment to the United States Constitution was intended to formalize this balance between the "well-regulated" militia and organized military forces. The [http://www.palmetto.org/eh-8.htm militia act of 1792] clarified whom the militia consists of; " I. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That each and every free able-bodied white male citizen of the respective States, resident therein, who is or shall be of age of eighteen years, and under the age of forty-five years" In contrast the United States National Guard, created by the Militia Act of 1903, was a federalized portion of the State militias which were converted into regular troops kept in reserve for the United States Army. The [http://www.arng.army.mil/history/Constitution/default.asp?ID=14National Defense Act of 1916] placed all state militia units under the National Guard. This act was later amended in 1933 under the [http://www.arng.army.mil/history/Constitution/default.asp?ID=16 National Guard Mobilization Act], to place all National Guard units under the control of the United States Army effectively ending their status as "militia" under Article 1, section 8, paragraphs 15,16, of the Federal Constitution and the second amendment of the Federal Constitution. The current United States Code, Title 10 (Armed forces), section 311 (Militia: Composition and Classes), paragraph (a) states "The militia of the United States consists of all able-bodied males at least 17 years of age and, except as provided in section 313 of title 32, under 45 years of age who are, or who have made a declaration of intention to become, citizens of the United States and of female citizens of the United States who are members of the National Guard." Section 313 of Title 32 refers to persons with prior military experience who could serve as officers. These persons remain members of the militia until age 65. Paragraph (b) further states, "The classes of the militia are: (1) the organized militia, which consists of the National Guard and the Naval Militia; and (2) the unorganized militia, which consists of the members of the militia who are not members of the National Guard or the Naval Militia."[http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=browse_usc&docid=Cite:+10USC311]. The National Guard is the largest of the organized federal reserve military forces in the United States. The National Guard is classified (under title 10, see above) as the organized federal militia as it is under both federal and state control, and both the President of the United States and state governors can call upon it. Since the 2003 Invasion of Iraq many National Guard units have served overseas (under the [http://www.arng.army.mil/history/Constitution/default.asp?ID=17 Total Force Policy of 1973] which effectively combined the National Guard with the armed forces making them regular troops.) This can lead to problems for states that also face internal emergencies while the Guard is deployed overseas. To address such issues, many of the states, such as New York and Maryland also have organized state "militia" forces or State Guards which are under the control of the governor of a state, however many of these "militia" also act as a reserve for the National Guard and are thus a part of it (varies from state to state depending on individual state statutory laws). New York and Ohio also have active naval militias, and a few other states have on-call or proposed ones. In 1990, the United States Supreme Court ruled in the case of Perpich v. Department of Defense that the Federal government has plenary power over the National Guard, and greatly reduced (to the point of nonexistence) the state government's ability to withhold consent to Federal deployments and training missions of the National Guard.[http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=us&vol=496&invol=334] During some wars, both the suitability and effectiveness of the National Guard have been questioned, because of perceptions that personnel are often hastily, or not fully, trained for the roles they are asked to perform. For many decades, there were persistent allegations of nepotism, favoritism and/or the use of influence in the commissioning and assignment of officers. (See, for example, George W. Bush military service controversy.) Numerous states have their own Guard units separate from the National Guard; some authorized by the states themselves, like the Alabama State Defense Force, others simply are acknowledged by the state as their official State Guard. These units have no affiliation with the National Guard. (For information on organized private citizen militias not authorized by the Federal or state governments, see US private militias, below.)

Canada

In Canada the word militia refers to the part-time army reserve component of the Canadian Armed Forces. Militia troops usually train one night a week and every weekend of the month, except in the summer. Summertime training generally consists of a course and/or a "call out", as well as a longer exercise, usually 8-15 days. A call out can involve any job a soldier might be expected to do: staff member on a course, ceremonial guard duty, etc. In addition, primary reserve members may volunteer for service with the regular force overseas - usually NATO or UN missions. Reserve courses are often shortened versions of the same regular force course, but can use regular force staff members. Most Canadian cities have one or more militia units. Often these 'regiments' perpetuate famous Canadian regiments that are no longer required as part of the regular forces.

Australia

Militia was an alternate name for the Citizens Military Forces (CMF), the reserve units of the Australian Army between 1901 and 1980. After Australian federation, the six former colonial militias were merged to form the CMF. Initially the CMF infantry forces formed the vast bulk of the Australian Army, along with standing artillery and engineer units. The Defense Act of (1903) granted the Australian federal government the powers to conscript men of military age for home defense. However, these powers were unpopular and were used only for short periods at a time. The government was also forbidden by law from deploying the CMF outside Australian territories, or using it in strikes and other industrial disputes. As a result of the ban on foreign service, during World War I and World War II, all-volunteer Australian Imperial Forces were formed for overseas deployment. CMF units were sometimes scorned by AIF soldiers as "chocolate soldiers" or "chockos", because "they would melt under the pressure" of military operations. Nevertheless, some Militia units distinguished themselves in action against the Empire of Japan during the Pacific War, and suffered extremely high casualties. In mid-1942 Militia units fought in two significant battles, both in New Guinea, which was then an Australian territory. The exploits of the young and poorly trained soldiers of the 39th (Militia) Battalion during the rearguard action on the Kokoda Track remain celebrated to this day, as is the contribution of the 7th Militia Brigade at the Battle of Milne Bay. Later in the war, the law was changed to allow the transfer of Militia units to the 2nd AIF, if 65% of the personnel had volunteered for overseas service. Another change allowed Militia units to serve anywhere south of the Equator in South East Asia. Consequently they also saw action against Japanese forces in the Dutch East Indies. After the war, CMF units continued to form the bulk of the peacetime army, although with the creation of standing infantry units — such as the Royal Australian Regiment — from 1947, the regular army grew in importance. By 1980, when the name of the CMF was changed to the Army Reserve, the Regular Army was the more significant force.

U.S. organized private "citizens militias"

There are United States right wing political movements that calls themselves "citizens' militias", which supporters claim are based on the common law concept of an armed citizenry and various paragraphs in the United States Constitution and United States Code. These militias are not formally linked to a state or Federal government paramilitary organization or self defense force. They often speak out against the political actions of the Federal government because of what they consider oppressive policies and unconstitutional laws. The private "citizen militias" drew ideas and recruits from the independent survivalist movement, tax-protestor movement and others in the "Patriot" subculture in the United States. A few small private militia groups developed within the United States during the 1970s and 1980s, but the movement experienced a wave of growth in the 1990s for various reasons including the Gordon Kahl, Ruby Ridge, and Waco incidents and the passage of the Brady law, and 1994 "Assault Weapons Ban" . The private-militias continued to grow for a few years after the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on April 19, 1995. The movement declined after the election of Republican George W. Bush to the Presidency in 2000 and by 2002 had largely vanished. Indeed, in early 2001, prominent Michigan militia leader Norm Olson stated that the militia movement had collapsed due to the departure of the Clintons Administration leaving members no longer scared enough of Washington to participate in their militias. The FBI has published its report on the militia movement and has determined that the movement is not a threat to the national security of the United States. Most private-militias engage in a variety of far-right political conspiracy theory, and claim that the current federal statutory laws, policies, treaties with foreign powers, and many federal agencies, are to varying degrees un-constitutional, and are engaged in unlawful practices. Private-militia activities range from organized lawful protesting of government policies to criminal activities including the illegal modification and manufacture of firearms and explosives. However, the majority of private-militia groups are non-violent and only a small segment of the private-militias actually commit acts of violence to advance their political goals and beliefs. A number of leaders of these groups, such as Lynn Van Huizen of the Michigan Militia Corps-Wolverines, have gone to some effort to actively rid their ranks of radical members who are inclined to carry out acts of violence and/or terrorism. Officials at the FBI Academy classify private "citizen militia" groups within four categories, ranging from moderate groups who do not engage in criminal activity to radical cells which commit violent acts of terrorism. Private "citizen militia" anxiety, paranoia of Globalism, and millenarianism relating to the year 2000 were based mainly on a political ideology, as opposed to religious beliefs. Many private-militia members believed that the year 2000 would lead to political and personal repression enforced by the United Nations and countenanced by a compliant U.S. government. This belief is known as the New World Order (NWO) conspiracy theory. Other issues which have served as motivating factors for the private-militia movement include gun control, the incidents at Ruby Ridge (1992) and Waco (1993), the Montana Freemen standoff (1996) and the restriction of land use by federal agencies, as well as the current Supreme Court decision regarding eminent domain. One can find numerous references in private-militia literature to military bases to be used as concentration camps in the NWO and visiting foreign military personnel conspiring to attack Americans. In response to the attack of September 11, congress passed the Patriot Act, a law that supposedly helps fight terrorism, without debate. The Patriot Act contains federal legislation similar to that which the New world order conspiracy theorists predicted. Many feel this act has eroded many American constitutionally guaranteed freedoms, and may encourage growth in the survivalist and private "citizen militia" subcultures.

Left wing militia

The left wing militias generally consider themselves to be freedom fighters and run the gamut of leftist causes, from the national liberation movements under foreign occupation, to the various terrorist groups such as the Red Brigades, and communist guerillas in Central America. As their funding and armament in the 20th century came almost entirely from the Soviet Union, Maoist China (1949-1976) and other Marxist-Leninist states, many of these organizations declined in their activities during the 1990s, as these governments fell or changed their nature. Within the United States, the Black Panthers and Young Lords claimed an association with such armed 'national liberation' groups. Both groups used guerilla-style uniforms, although they otherwise adopted the culture of a Marxist political party; for example their leaders were the 'Chairman' and 'Minister of Information' rather than using quasi-military titles. The Panthers carried weapons, although both groups' activity was basically political rather than military/terrorist. Contemporary groups such as the Animal Liberation Front and Earth Liberation Front could be argued to be militias, although they do not use the term themselves. An important difference is that they are unarmed and do not kill people as a matter of policy.

Efficacy of militias against modern armies

As noted above, there is much disagreement about the ability of even the best organized militia to resist a modern regular army. However irregular forces do have several points in their favor, including familiarity with local terrain, dedication (assuming one's home is being threatened), entrenchment, and no obligation to fight "by the rules". The famed successes of Boer and American snipers against British volley fire during their respective wars for independence immediately come to mind. In more modern times, during the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising a handful of untrained and poorly armed Polish Jews held off an entire Wehrmacht division for roughly six weeks during the liquidation of that city's Ghetto. Although the uprising was eventually ended by artillery fire, the German Ninth Army was able to accomplish very little throughout most of 1943 as a direct result of this action. Many modern observers have pointed out that the invasion of Poland took only three weeks, and speculate that such resistance early in the war could have stopped the Blitzkrieg in its mechanized tracks. Indeed, the USA is facing a similar situation in Iraq, i.e. a swift victory over conventional military opponent followed by an intractable insurgency. Also, in WWII the French Resistance, armed mainly with captured German weapons and supplied by Allied air drops, were able to cause many disruptions to the Nazis which aided greatly during and after the Allied invasion of 1944. In the United States there were widespread fears of a Japanese invasion of the largely undefended West Coast. Some military experts at the time suggested entrenchment at the Mississippi River in case of such an invasion, on the assumption anything west of that point would be impossible to defend. Such an invasion never materialized, and there are rumors of uncertain authenticity suggesting that the Japanese feared "a rifle behind every blade of grass" -- a reference to the ubiquity of skill-at-arms in the American West at that time, although this theory completely disregards the impossible logistics of such an operation Furthermore, when an Allied invasion of Japan appeared to be imminent later in the war, the Japanese government began arming its populace with bamboo spears. Even to the well-armed and mechanized Allied forces, the prospect of facing such a foe was daunting, and millions of Allied and Japanese casualties were expected. This was a major factor in the decision to use nuclear weapons at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Another case of the effectiveness of irregular forces is that of the anti-government forces in Iraq although the regular forces and Republican Guard were quickly crushed in the open by the invading Coalition, the insurgency is estimated to continue perhaps another 12 years. Switzerland's continued neutrality during World War II is often seen to be due to the well-armed and well-trained citizenry. Even when militarily insignificant, irregular action can be highly effective as a demoralizing factor, as famously seen in Vietnam, Iraq, Somalia, and Algeria.

List of militias

Some famous militia organizations:

External links

- [http://www.fortliberty.org/militia/militia-faq.shtml The Militia FAQ]

References

- Mack Tanner ARMED-CITIZEN SOLUTION TO CRIME IN THE STREETS: So Many Criminals, So Few Bullets. ISBN 0873648064
- Gary Allen, Larry Abraham, Senator John G. Schmitz, 1976 None Dare Call it Conspiracy Concord Press
- John A. Stormer 1968 The Death of a Nation Liberty Bell Press
- John A Stormer 1964 None Dare Call it Treason Liberty Bell Press
- G. Edward Griffith July 1964The Fearful Master: A second look at the United Nations Western Islands Publishing
- Holly Sklar 1980 Trilateralism Boston: South End Press
- David M. Kirkham 1993 The New World Order: In Historical Perspective Wyoming: High Plains Publishing Company
- Jim Keith 1994 Black Helicopters Over America: Strike Force for the New World Order. Illuminet Press
- Leonard C. Lewin 1967 Report From Iron Mountain: On the Possibility and Desirability of Peace Dial Press
- Samuel J. Newland The Pennsylvania militia: Defending the Commonwealth and the nation, 1669-1870 Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Dept. of Military and Veterans Affairs (2002)
- Larry Pratt Safeguarding Liberty: The Constitution and Citizens Militias Legacy Communications (May, 1995)
- Stern, Kenneth S. 1996. A Force Upon the Plain: The American Militia Movement and the Politics of Hate. New York: Simon & Schuster.
- Gibson, James William. 1994. Warrior Dreams: Paramilitary Culture in Post-Viet Nam America. New York: Hill and Wang.
- Gibson, James William. 1997. "Is the Apocalypse Coming? Paramilitary Culture after the Cold War." The Year 2000: Essays on the End, ed. Charles B. Strozier and Michael Flynn. New York: New York University Press.
- Levitas, Daniel. 2002. The Terrorist Next Door: The Militia Movement and the Radical Right. New York: St. Martin's.
- [http://www.usdoj.gov/olc/secondamendment2.htm#2c US Department of Justice Memorandum on the meaning of the 2nd Amendment. August 24th, 2004]
- Militia Act of 1792
- Militia Act of 1903
- National Defense Act of 1916
- National Guard Mobilization Act of 1933
- Total Force Policy of 1973 Category:Types of forces Category:Gun politics ja:ミリシア

U.S. Army

The Army is the branch of the United States armed forces that has primary responsibility for land-based military operations. As of fiscal year 2004 (FY04), it consisted of 485,500 soldiers (including 71,400 women) on active duty and 591,000 in reserve (325,000 in the Army National Guard (ARNG) and 246,000 in the United States Army Reserve (USAR)). The Continental Army was formed on June 14, 1775, before the establishment of the United States, to meet the demands of the American Revolutionary War. Congress created the United States Army on June 3, 1784 after the end of the American Revolutionary War, to replace the disbanded Continental Army.

Components of the U.S. Army

1784 Between 1775 and August 7, 1789, the established Federal Army was the Continental Army. On the latter date, the Continental Army was replaced by the United States Army under the newly-established War Department. The structure of the US Army was constitutionally established as the Regular Army, the units of the State Militias when called to federal service, and units of Volunteers that were established for the duration of the emergency. This remained the normal scheme of things until the Civil War, when the first Conscription took place. The concept of the National Army as a Conscript Army was thus established in all but name, since units were established to accommodate the use of the conscripts in combat. The last time that the Volunteer Units were utilized was the Spanish-American War in 1898. From that time forward, the Regular Army, the State Militias, and the National Army were codified as standard. In 1908, the Organized Reserve Corps was established to provide trained Officers and Enlisted Men for immediate use in time of war. During the First World War, the "National Army" was organized to fight the conflict. It was demobilized at the end of World War I, and was replaced by the Regular Army, the Organized Reserve Corps, and the State Militias. In the 1920s and 1930s, the "career" soldiers were known as the "Regular Army" with the "Enlisted Reserve Corps" and "Officer Reserve Corps" augmented to fill vacancies when needed. In 1941, the "Army of the United States" was founded to fight the Second World War. The Regular Army, Army of the United States, the National Guard, and Officer/Enlisted Reserve Corps (ORC and ERC) existed simultaneously. After World War II, the ORC and ERC were combined into the United States Army Reserve. The Army of the United States was re-established for the Korean War and Vietnam War and was demobilized upon the suspension of the draft. Currently, the Army is divided into the Regular Army, the Army Reserve, and the United States National Guard. Prior to the 21st century, members of the National Guard were considered state Soldiers unless federalized by the Army. Currently, all National Guard members hold dual status: as National Guardsmen under the authority of the State Adjutant General, and as National Guardsmen under the authority of the Army Human Resources Command. Until such time as National Guardsmen retire from National Guard service, they are never considered members of the Army Reserve, but become members of the US Army Retired Reserve upon retirement, and remain in such status until their 60th Birthday, when they become full-fleged Retirees with a status equal to Regular Army Retirees. Various State Defense Forces also exist, sometimes known as State Militias, which are sponsored by individual state governments and serve as an auxiliary to the National Guard. Except in times of extreme national emergency, such as a mainland invasion of the United States, State Militias are operated independently from the U.S. Army and are seen as state government agencies rather than a component of the military. By design, the use of the Army Reserve and National Guard has increased since the Vietnam War. Reserve and Guard units took part in the Gulf War, peacekeeping in Kosovo, and the 2003 invasion of Iraq. With recent manpower shortages in the military, some U.S. citizens have been concerned regarding a reinstitution of the draft (conscription) force. Federal and state lawmakers, however, have asserted that no such action is being planned. Although the present-day Army exists as an all volunteer force, augmented by Reserve and National Guard forces, measures exist for emergency expansion in the event of a catastrophic occurrence, such as a large scale attack against the US or the outbreak of a major global war. The current "call-up" order of the United States Army is as follows: major global war # Regular Army volunteer force # Army Reserve total mobilization # Full scale activation of all National Guard forces # Recall of all retired personnel fit for military duty # Re-establishment of the draft and creation of a conscript force within the Regular Army # Recall of previously discharged officers and enlisted who were separated under honorable conditions # Activation of the State Defense Forces/State Militias # Full scale mobilization of the unorganized U.S. militia The final stage of Army mobilization, known as "activation of the unorganized militia" would effectively place all able bodied males in the service of the U.S. Army. The last time an approximation of this occurred was during the American Civil War when the Confederate States of America activated the "Home Guard" in 1865, drafting all males, regardless of age or health, into the Confederate Army. A similar event, albeit in a foreign country, occurred during World War II when Nazi Germany activated the Volkssturm in April and May of 1945.

Structure of the U.S. Army

Officially, a member of the U.S. Army is called a Soldier (always capitalized). The U.S. Army is divided into the following components, from largest to smallest: Soldier, Smith, Weyland, Nugent;
front row: Simpson, Patton, Spaatz, Eisenhower, Bradley, Hodges, Gerow.]] Gerow :#Field Army Field Army: Usually commanded by a General (GEN; note that abbreviations of military rank within the U.S. Army are given in all capital letters without a period or other punctuation). :#Corps: Consists of two or more divisions and organic support brigades. The commander is most often a Lieutenant General (LTG). :#Division: Usually commanded by a Major General (MG). :#Brigade (or group): Composed of typically three or more battalions, and commanded by a Colonel (COL) or Brigadier General (BG). (See Regiment for combat arms units.) :#Battalion (or squadron): A Battalion usually consists of two to six companies and roughly 300 to 1000 soldiers. Most units are organized into battalions. Cavalry units are formed into squadrons. A battalion-sized unit is commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel (LTC), supported by a Command Sergeant Major/E-9 (CSM). This unit consists of a Battalion Commander (CO, LTC), a Battalion Executive Officer (XO,MAJ), a Command Sergeant Major (CSM) and headquarters, 3-5 Company Commanders (CPT), 3-5 Company Executive Officers (1LT), 3-5 First Sergeants (1SG) and headquarters, 6 or more Platoon Leaders (2LT/1LT), 6 or more Platoon sergeants (SFC),and 12 or more Squad Leaders (any NCO). :#Company (or battery/troop): A company usually consists of three to four platoons and roughly 100 to 130 soldiers. Artillery units are formed into batteries. Cavalry units are formed into troops. A company-sized unit is usually led by a Company Commander usually the rank of Captain/O-3 (CPT) supported by a First Sergeant/E-8 (1SG). This unit consists of a Company Commander (CO, CPT), a Company Executive Officer (XO,1LT), A First Sergeant(1SG) and a headquarters, Two or more Platoon Leaders (2LT/1LT), two or more Platoon Sergeants (SFC), and four or more Squad Leaders (any NCO). :#Platoon: Usually led by a lieutenant supported by a Sergeant First Class/E-7 (SFC). This unit consists of a Platoon Leader (2LT/1LT), a Platoon Sergeant (SFC), and two or more Squad Leaders (any NCO). :#Section (military unit): Usually directed by Staff Sergeants/E-6 (SSG) who supply guidance for junior NCO Squad leaders. Often used in conjunction with platoons at the company level. :#Squad: Squad leaders are often Staff Sergeants/E-6 (SSG), Sergeants/E-5 (SGT), or Corporals/E-4 (CPL). This unit consists of eight to ten Soldiers. :#Fire team: Usually consists of four Soldiers: a fire team leader, a grenadier, and two riflemen. Fire team leaders are often Corporals/E-4 (CPL).

Organization

The Army is organized by function. Combat Arms include Infantry, Armor, Field Artillery, Air Defense Artillery, Combat Engineers, Army Aviation, and Special Forces. Combat Support Arms include Signal Corps, Intelligence Corps, Chemical Corps, and Military Police Corps. Combat Service Support troops include the Judge Advocate General's Corps, Adjutant General's Corps, Finance Corps, Transportation Corps, Quartermaster Corps, Ordnance Corps, Medical Corps, Medical Service Corps, and Nurse Corps.

Named Campaigns

Revolutionary War

Nurse Corps #Lexington, 19 April 1775. Opening hostilities of the Revolutionary War occurred at Lexington, Massachusetts and Concord, Massachusetts on 19 April 1775, when a column of British troops that had moved out of Boston to seize rebel military stores at Concord was assailed by Minute Men and militia. The Massachusetts militia immediately placed the British in Boston under siege. #Ticonderoga, 10 May 1775. At the same time as Lexington, steps were taken to send an expedition against British-held Fort Ticonderoga on Lake Champlain, a strategic post well-supplied with artillery and military stores much needed by the American forces investing Boston. Early on 10 May a New England force of some 80 men led by Cols. Ethan Allen of Vermont and Benedict Arnold of Connecticut surprised the British garrison of about 40 men, which surrendered without a fight. Following this success, Allen seized Crown Point, New York on 12 May and Arnold temporarily occupied St. John, Quebec, a fort across the Canadian border, on 16 May. Subsequently, a large part of the 100 cannon and substantial military stores captured at Ticonderoga were laboriously hauled overland to Boston under the direction of Maj. Gen. Henry Knox, of Washington's artillery, to supply the army besieging the city. #Boston, 17 June 1775 - 17 March 1776. On the night of 16 - 17 June 1775 about 1,200 men of the Colonial force besieging Boston moved on to the Charlestown isthmus overlooking the city and threw up entrenchments on Breed's Hill. The British garrison reacted promptly to this threat. On 17 June 2,200 troops under Maj. Gen. William Howe were ferried across to the isthmus and stormed the American positions on Breed's Hill. In the ensuing battle, incorrectly named after Bunker Hill which stands nearby, the British drove the Colonials from the isthmus after three assaults, but at a cost of about 1,000 in killed and wounded as compared with American losses of approximately 400 killed and wounded. Some 3,030 patriots took part in the fighting at one time or another. This proved to be the only major engagement of the prolonged siege of Boston. Gen. George Washington took formal command of the besieging army on 3 July 1775 and devoted the next several months to building up the American force and trying to solve its severe logistical difficulties. By March 1776 Washington had an army of 14,000 men. On 4 March he moved suddenly to install artillery on Dorchester Heights and, a short time later, on Nook's Hill, positions that dominated Boston from the south. The British commander, Howe, now recognized the serious difficulty of his position. He evacuated the city by 17 March and on 26 March sailed with about 9,000 men for Halifax, Nova Scotia. #Quebec, 28 August 1775 - July 1776. In June 1775 the Continental Congress, influenced by reports that the British commander in Canada was recruiting a force in preparation for an invasion of New York and by hopes that Canada, largely inhabited by French, might become a fourteenth colony in support of the Revolution, authorized seizure of any vital points in Canada needed to guarantee the security of the colonies. Consequently, a two-pronged invasion of Canada was launched in the early fall of 1775. Col. Benedict Arnold, starting from Cambridge, Massachusetts, with about 1,100 men, went by water and land through the Maine wilderness on an epic march up the Kennebec River and down the Chaudiere River, arriving before Quebec on 8 November with only 650 men. There he had to await the arrival of Brig. Gen. Richard Montgomery, who had taken over command of a force of about 2,000 men organized at Fort Ticonderoga by Maj. Gen. Philip Schuyler for an advance up the historic Lake Champlain-St. Lawrence River route. Beginning on 17 September, Montgomery laid siege to the British fort at St. Johns, which fell on 2 November, opening up the way to American occupation of Montreal on 13 November. Finally, Montgomery joined Arnold near Quebec on 3 December, but with only 300 men, the rest of his force staying behind to garrison St. Johns and Montreal, Quebec. With enlistments of most of the volunteer troops expiring at the end of the year' the two commanders decided to undertake a desperate night attack on Quebec on 30-31 December 1775. A composite British garrison repelled the assault, killing or wounding about 100 Americans and taking over 400 prisoners. Montgomery was among those killed. In spite of these severe losses, the Americans continued to besiege the city until the spring of 1776, when the reinforced British garrison drove the Colonials, who had already begun a retreat, back to the head of Lake Champlain. #Charleston, 28-29 June 1776 and 29 March-12 May 1780. The two engagements at Charleston, South Carolina, are reflected on a single streamer. The first campaign blunted the British threat in the southern theater for three years, and the second, while a defeat for the Americans, did not result in a cessation of hostilities in the south. Guerrillas began to harry British posts and lines of communications, and the American grass roots strength began once again to assert itself and to deny the British the fruits of military victory won in the field. #Long Island, 26-29 August 1776. After the British evacuation of Boston, Washington immediately moved his army, less the militia, to New York, in anticipation of a British invasion of that strategically important city. During July and August 1776, General Howe, supported by a British fleet under his brother, Adm. Lord Richard Howe, landed an army of 32,000 British and Hessian regulars unopposed on Staten Island. But by late August Washington had assembled a force of over 20,000 virtually untrained Continentals and militia, and built a system of defenses on and around Manhattan Island. About half of these Colonial troops were disposed in fortifications on Brooklyn Heights and forward positions at the western end of Long Island under command of Maj. Gen. Israel Putnam. From 22 - 25 August General Howe landed about 20,000 men on Long Island and, in the evening of the 26th, directed a wide flanking movement around the American left, commanded by Maj. Gen. John Sullivan. On the morning of the 27th Howe fell upon the rear of Sullivan's forces and, despite a valiant defense by the Continentals on the right under Brig. Gen. William Alexander (Lord Stirling), the whole American front crumpled. Remnants of the forward American forces fled back to entrenchments on Brooklyn Heights and two nights later were evacuated to Manhattan in a skillful withdrawal unobserved by the British. Estimates place American losses at 300-400 killed and wounded and 700-1,200 taken prisoners. General Howe listed his losses as 367. #Trenton, 26 December 1776. The British followed up their success on Long Island with a series of landings on Manhattan Island which compelled Washington to retire northward to avoid entrapment. When Fort Washington and Fort Lee on opposing sides of the Hudson above Manhattan were lost in mid-November 1776, Washington retreated across New Jersey with General Howe in close pursuit, escaping finally over the Delaware into Pennsylvania with about 3,000 men. Howe then went into winter quarters in New York City, leaving garrisons at Newport, R. I., and in several New Jersey towns. In December 1776, Washington determined to make a surprise attack on the British garrison in Trenton, a 1,400-man Hessian force, in the hope that a striking victory would lift the badly flagging American morale. Reinforcements had raised Washington's army to about 7,000 and on Christmas night (25-26 December) he ferried about 2,400 men of this force across the ice-choked Delaware River. At 0800 hours they converged on Trenton, New Jersey in two columns, achieving complete surprise. After only an hour and a half of fighting, the Hessians surrendered. Some 400 of the garrison escaped southward to Bordentown, New Jersey, when two other American columns failed to get across the Delaware in time to intercept them. About 30 were killed and 918 captured. American losses were only 4 dead and a like number wounded. #Princeton, 3 January 1777. After the successful coup at Trenton, Washington recrossed the Delaware into Pennsylvania with his Hessian prisoners. But he reoccupied Trenton on 30 - 31 December 1776, and collected there a force of 5,200 men, about half militia. Meanwhile, Maj. Gen. Charles Cornwallis, British commander in New Jersey, who was in New York at the time of the attack on Trenton, returned gathering troops as he came. He entered Trenton with some 6,000 British regulars on 2 January and faced Washington's forces, which had withdrawn southward behind Assunpink Creek. The Americans were in a most precarious position with their backs to the Delaware. Fortunately, Cornwallis delayed his attack until the following morning. This gave Washington's men an opportunity to steal off quietly by a side road during the night of 2 - 3 January, leaving their campfires burning brightly. They slipped southward and eastward undetected around the enemy's flank and by morning of the 3rd had arrived at Princeton, where they encountered a column of British regulars led by Col. Charles Mawhood just leaving the town to join Cornwallis. Mahwood's force consisted of only single battalion of aroung 400 men. But despite being heavily outnumbered, Mahwood routed two American brigades in succession, and was only driven from the field when Washington arrived to rally the panicking Americans bringing up a fresh brigade, and giving the Americans, with 4,600 men, an 11 to 1 numerical advantage. Mawhood's force retired in good order toward Trenton and New Brunswick, having lost some 86 men in the unequal fight, while Washington moved on north, having taken 40-50 casualties, to Morristown, New Jersey, where thickly wooded hills provided protection against a British attack. Here he established his winter headquarters on the flank of the British line of communications, compelling General Howe to withdraw his forces in New Jersey back to New Brunswick, New Jersey and points eastward. Some 323 other British troops surrendered to Washington's force in and around Princton without a fight. #Saratoga, 30 July - 17 October 1777. British over-all strategy in 1777 had two major objectives: (1) to split New England from the rest of the American states by a drive from Canada down the Hudson to Albany that would link up with another British force advancing north from New York City; and (2) to seize Philadelphia, seat of the Revolutionary government. The campaign in upper New York began in June 1777 with a two-pronged British drive from Canada. Maj. Gen. John Burgoyne's force of about 7,500, accompanied by some 400 Indians, pushed down Lake Champlain and compelled 2,500 Continentals and militia under Maj. Gen. Arthur St. Clair to evacuate Ticonderoga on 27 June. Other American forces in the area under the over-all command of General Schuyler retired southward, but were able to slow the progress of the heavily laden British in the rugged terrain. The other prong of the British invading force consisted of some 700 regulars and Tories, and a band of 1,000 Indians, under command of Col. Barry St. Leger. This force moved east from Fort Oswego on Lake Ontario into the Mohawk Valley with the objective of joining with Burgoyne at Albany. Leger laid siege to Fort Stanwix guarding the head of the Mohawk Valley on 2 August, but had to give up his campaign in mid-August when a relief force of 950 Continentals under Arnold scattered his Indian allies by means of a clever ruse. Meanwhile, Burgoyne continued his advance toward Albany, although his force was further weakened by the near annihilation on 17 August of a foraging detachment dispatched to capture stores at Bennington, Vt., protected by 2,600 militia under Brig. Gen. John Stark. On 13 - 14 September Burgoyne crossed the Hudson at Saratoga (now Schuylerville, N.Y.) and faced an American force of about 7,000 under Maj. Gen. Horatio Gates, who on 19 August had replaced General Schuyler as over-all commander of the northern army. On 19 September, Burgoyne, determined to reach Albany by winter, moved to attack Bemis Heights, where Gates' force barred the route southward in strongly entrenched positions. A major engagement occurred at Freeman's Farm, just forward of the main positions. The Americans yielded the field but inflicted twice as many casualties (600) as they suffered and held on to the Heights. For more than two weeks Burgoyne remained inactive while Maj. Gen. Sir Henry Clinton, now commanding troops in New York City, made an ineffectual effort to send relief forces up the Hudson. Finally, on 7 October, Burgoyne ventured out of his lines toward the American left with 1,650 troops and was repulsed in a sharp fight known as the Battle of Bemis Heights. On 9 October he retired to a position near Saratoga, where he was soon virtually surrounded by an American force now grown to nearly 15,000 men. Here on 17 October Burgoyne surrendered his entire army of about 5,000 men and large military stores. #Brandywine, 11 September 1777. The campaign to seize Philadelphia, the second mayor phase of British strategy in 1777, began in late July. Some 15,000 troops under Howe's command sailed from New York on 23 July and landed at Head of Elk (now Elkton), Maryland, a month later (25 August). Washington, with about 11,000 men, took up a defensive position blocking the way to Philadelphia at Chad's Ford on the eastern side of Brandywine Creek in Pennsylvania. Howe attacked on 11 September, sending Cornwallis across the creek in a wide-sweeping flanking movement around the American right, while his Hessian troops demonstrated opposite Chad's Ford. Maj. Gen. Nathanael Greene's troops staved off Cornwallis' threatened envelopment of Washington's whole force, and the Americans fell back to Chester in a hard-pressed but orderly retreat. Patriot losses in this engagement totaled about 1,200 killed, wounded, and prisoners. British casualties were 576. #Germantown, 4 October 1777. After their victory at Brandywine the British forces under Howe maneuvered in the vicinity of Philadelphia for two weeks, virtually annihilating a rear guard force under Brig. Gen. Anthony Wayne at Paoli on 21 September 1777, before moving unopposed into the city on 26 September. Howe established his main encampment in nearby Germantown, stationing some 9,000 men there. Washington promptly attempted a coordinated attack against this garrison on the night of 3 - 4 October. Columns were to move into Germantown from four different directions and begin the assault at dawn Two of the columns, both made up of militia, never appeared to take part in the attack, but in the early phases of the fighting the columns under Greene and Divan achieved considerable success. However, a dense early morning fog which resulted in some American troops firing on each other while it permitted the better disciplined British to re-form for a counterattack and a shortage of, ammunition contributed to the still not fully explained retreat of the Americans, beginning about 0900. Howe pursued the Colonials a few miles as they fell back in disorder, but he did not exploit his victory. American losses were 673 killed and wounded and about 400 taken prisoner. British losses were approximately 521 killed and wounded. #Monmouth, 28 June 1778. After conclusion of the Franco-American Alliance (6 February 1778) British forces in America had to give consideration to the new threat created by the powerful French fleet. General Clinton, who relieved Howe as British commander in America on 8 May 1778, decided to shift the main body of his troops from Philadelphia to a point nearer the coast where it would be easier to maintain close communications with the British Fleet. Consequently, he ordered evacuation of the 10,000-man garrison in Philadelphia on 18 June. As these troops set out through New Jersey toward New York, Washington broke camp at his winter headquarters in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, and began pursuit of Clinton with an army of about 13,500 men. Advance elements under Mad. Gen. Charles Lee launched the initial attack on the British column as it marched out of Monmouth Courthouse (now Freehold, New Jersey, on 28 June, an extremely hot day. For reasons not entirely clear Lee did not follow up early advantages gained, and when British reinforcements arrived on the scene he ordered a retreat. This encouraged Clinton to attack with his main force. Washington relieved Lee and assumed personal direction of the battle, which continued until dark without either side retiring from the field. But, during the night, the British slipped away to Sandy Hook, New Jersey, from where their fleet took them to New York City. The British reported losses of 65 killed, 155 wounded, and 64 missing; the Americans listed 69 killed, 161 wounded, and 130 missing. General Lee was subsequently court-martialed and suspended from service for disobedience and misbehavior. Washington's army moved northward, crossed the Hudson, and occupied positions at White Plains, New York #Savannah, 29 December 1778 and 16 September-10 October 1779. The fighting at Savannah, Georgia, on these two occasions is represented by a single streamer. In the first battle, a British expeditionary force that had landed on the Savannah River below the town overwhelmed and outmaneuvered the American defending force under General Robert Howe, and Savannah was captured. The following year D'Estaing's French fleet returned from the West Indies to the southern coast and began to debark troops at Beaulieu, Georgia, 14 miles south of Savannah, with the intention of attacking the British at Savannah. A combined force of 1,500 Americans under General Lincoln and more than 5,000 Frenchmen from D'Estaing's fleet laid siege to Savannah, which was defended by about 3,200 British regulars. D'Estaing's fears for the safety of the French fleet led to an early Franco-American attack on the entrenched British, which was repulsed with 828 casualties. British losses were 103. #Camden, 16 August 1780.

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