US War Department Creates the Regular Army: 700 Soldiers
The first standing army the United States ever established — authorized in September 1789 — had a strength of about 840 men. That was it. The whole thing. The founding generation was deeply suspicious of permanent armies; they'd seen what a standing force could do in the hands of a crown. So Congress debated endlessly before agreeing to just a few hundred soldiers, mainly to man frontier forts. George Washington, who'd commanded tens of thousands, now nominally led a force smaller than some modern-day police departments.
September 29, 1789
237 years ago
Key Figures & Places
What Else Happened on September 29
Darío el Grande asciende al trono del Imperio Persa Aqueménida.
Themistocles lured the massive Persian fleet into the narrow straits of Salamis, where the Greeks’ agile triremes systematically dismantled Xerxes’ superior num…
en la isla griega de Salamina se libra la batalla de Salamina.
Pompey paraded captured kings, gold, and a fleet of pirate ships through Rome to mark his third triumph on his forty-fifth birthday. This spectacle cemented his…
Pompey arranged his third Roman triumph to land exactly on his 45th birthday — a scheduling flex that was entirely intentional and entirely him. He paraded the …
sacre du pape Léon Ier.
Talk to History
Have a conversation with historical figures who witnessed this era. Ask questions, explore perspectives, and bring history to life.