There was no U.S. Army on the eve of the American Revolution. Instead, each of the thirteen colonies had its own militia forces. These units had limited military training and were usually only deployed during times of emergency. Against these part-time soldiers, the British could field some of the most experienced soldiers in the world at that point. When Virginian George Washington was appointed commander of the Continental Army by Congress on June 15, 1775, one of his first tasks was to begin to integrate the various colonial militias and volunteers into a cohesive fighting force with common regulations, training, and tactics. To do so, the new general needed to appoint officers to different command and create permanent instructions, or general orders, on how the army would operate.