An American Profession of Arms

by William B. Skelton

1992

Following the formation of a regular army in 1784, a popular distruct of military power and the generally unsettled nature of national administration kept the army in a continual state of fluctuation, both in terms of organisation and size. Few officers were making a long-term commitment to military service. But by 1860, a professional army career was becoming a way of life. In that year, 41.5 percent of officers had served 30 years, compared to only 2.6 percent in 1797.