In contrast to their enemy, the American forces in Canada changed composition, personnel, and organization frequently. The expiry of enlistments led to the consolidation of the remaining men into ad hoc "regiments" (often no bigger than companies), and unit numbers and titles were recycled.
On 14 June 1775, Congress adopted an "American continental army" of 10,000 (later 22,000) men at Boston, and 5,000 more at New York City. The latter came mainly from New York and Connecticut. In theory, all of the units in Canada were adopted by Congress, and so qualify as "Continentals" - the equivalent of British Regulars. However, even as late as 1776, a standing army was still anathema to many politicians and units were considered to be on loan to Congress. Thus, political control remained with "the people" through the colonial legislatures. The force that entered Canada was known as the "Separate Army" until the end of 1775, and thereafter as the "Northern Army". Commanded by Schuyler, it had its own quartermaster general, paymaster general, military secretary, engineers (three), and hospital services, the last run by Schuyler's personal
physician, Dr Samuel Stringer.
Initially, each colony had its own regimental structure, usually based on the ten-company British battalion (but without flank companies). However, on the reorganization of the Continental Army in early 1776, ten colonies adopted a common battalion structure, often called the "November" model. This had a colonel, lieutenant colonel, and major, plus ten regimental staff, with just eight companies, each of four officers, four sergeants, four corporals, two musicians, and 76 privates. The other three colonies - New Jersey, Delaware, and Pennsylvania - adopted the "October" model, which had the same regimental headquarters, but only three officers (captain, lieutenant, and ensign), four sergeants, and 68 privates per company.
At the same time, the rifle unit raised by Congress in June 1775 and all the New England infantry were amalgamated into a single "Continental Line" of 26 consecutively numbered regiments. An artillery regiment was also formed, under Henry Knox, with 12 companies, each comprising a captain, a captain-lieutenant, a first lieutenant, two second lieutenants, four sergeants, four corporals, eight bombardiers, eight gunners, 32 matrosses (privates), and a drummer and fifer. Two companies (under Ebenezer Stevens and Benjamin Eustis) went to Canada in early 1776.
