The word to fill in the blank: MILITIAS
George Washington's letter was addressed to John Hancock, who was then the President of the Second Continental Congress. (Yes, the John Hancock who is famous for the size of his signature on the Declaration of Independence.) Washington's letter advocated the importance of a regular army of trained troops, rather than dependence on militias of men called out of their regular, daily life into short-term military service.
In the letter, dated September <u>25</u>, 1776, Washington wrote (with spellings as he used): "To place any dependance upon Militia, is, assuredly, resting upon a broken staff. Men just dragged from the tender Scenes of domestick life—unaccustomed to the din of Arms—totally unacquainted with every kind of Military skill, which being followed by a want of Confidence in themselves when opposed to Troops regularly traind—disciplined, and appointed—superior in knowledge, & superior in Arms, makes them timid, and ready to fly from their own Shadows."
Washington also added: " To bring men to a proper degree of Subordination is not the work of a day—a Month— or even a year—and unhappily for us, and the cause we are Ingaged in, the little discipline I have been labouring to establish in the Army under my immediate Command, is in a manner done away by having such a mixture of Troops as have been called together within these few Months."
