founded. Even with the army under his control, he was unable to engineer improvements due to ongoing fears of a standing army and a formidable central government and budget concerns. His dream of establishing a military academy at West Point met with opposition because of costs and objections that such a school would foster a military class that would dominate society.
Knox realized that in order to fulfill his obligation to manage the nation's defenses, he needed to change minds concerning men in uniform. As he saw it, the problem with traditional military arrangements had arisen because armies had been controlled by kings and nobles for their personal welfare, not the general welfare. The relationship between the military and civilian authorities in most countries had not been planned but had evolved uneasily through wars and political turmoil. He believed, however, that America's army could be planned in the tranquility of peace, using wisdom, experience, and reason.
He thought that if America represented an experiment in republican government, then a blueprint for an army could be designed in the same innovative spirit. If armies had traditionally threatened liberty, then a new kind of army could be created that actually supported democratic ideals.
Throughout the early months of 1786, Henry worked to flesh out his vision for a workable, democratically driven American army. Recognizing that many political leaders would never consent to a formidable national army, he set down a plan designed to make use of the state militias. He estimated that by raising militias in each state and rotating three years of service, the nation could have an impressive fighting force of 325,000 men.
It was an ambitious plan. After reading a preliminary version, South Carolina congressman David Ramsay conceded its usefulness but wrote to Knox on Sunday, March 12, that he was expecting too much from his countrymen: "I think it is excellent in theory but I fear the supineness of our citizens would make its execution impracticable.“ 13
Knox, undeterred, officially unveiled his "Plan for the General Arrangement of the Militia," which filled thirty-four folio pages, on Saturday, March 18, 1786. He opened his proposal with an attempt to change people's perceptions about the military, arguing that soldiers did not have to necessarily represent a distinct class from the rest of the populace; instead, a citizen army could be raised that reflected society's values and could even instill in recruits America's most cherished values. "It is the intention of the present attempt to suggest the most efficient system of defense which may be compatible with the interests of a free people," he wrote.
At the time that Knox was writing, America had not yet established state-run school systems or federal educational programs. There was no cohesive system to foster a national identity or inculcate the principles that the patriots had fought for during the Revolution. He believed that the militias could play a vital role in promoting civic education through military training. "Youth willimbibe a love of their country—reverence and obedience to its laws—courage and elevation of mind—openness and liberality of character—accompanied by a just spirit of honor. In addition to which their bodies will acquire a robustness—greatly conducive to their personal happiness as well as the defense of their country."
Although his plan was well ahead of its time, it became the basis for training programs for decades to come and was included in National Selective Service manuals well into the twentieth century. It even served as the basis in 1920 for the formation of the Citizens Military Training Camps, which ran from 1921 to 1940.
Knox's plan also provided something of an index of his mind. He did not view himself exclusively as a military leader but as builder of the republic, willing to play the role of architect in creating institutional pillars of American
Knox realized that in order to fulfill his obligation to manage the nation's defenses, he needed to change minds concerning men in uniform. As he saw it, the problem with traditional military arrangements had arisen because armies had been controlled by kings and nobles for their personal welfare, not the general welfare. The relationship between the military and civilian authorities in most countries had not been planned but had evolved uneasily through wars and political turmoil. He believed, however, that America's army could be planned in the tranquility of peace, using wisdom, experience, and reason.
He thought that if America represented an experiment in republican government, then a blueprint for an army could be designed in the same innovative spirit. If armies had traditionally threatened liberty, then a new kind of army could be created that actually supported democratic ideals.
Throughout the early months of 1786, Henry worked to flesh out his vision for a workable, democratically driven American army. Recognizing that many political leaders would never consent to a formidable national army, he set down a plan designed to make use of the state militias. He estimated that by raising militias in each state and rotating three years of service, the nation could have an impressive fighting force of 325,000 men.
It was an ambitious plan. After reading a preliminary version, South Carolina congressman David Ramsay conceded its usefulness but wrote to Knox on Sunday, March 12, that he was expecting too much from his countrymen: "I think it is excellent in theory but I fear the supineness of our citizens would make its execution impracticable.“ 13
Knox, undeterred, officially unveiled his "Plan for the General Arrangement of the Militia," which filled thirty-four folio pages, on Saturday, March 18, 1786. He opened his proposal with an attempt to change people's perceptions about the military, arguing that soldiers did not have to necessarily represent a distinct class from the rest of the populace; instead, a citizen army could be raised that reflected society's values and could even instill in recruits America's most cherished values. "It is the intention of the present attempt to suggest the most efficient system of defense which may be compatible with the interests of a free people," he wrote.
At the time that Knox was writing, America had not yet established state-run school systems or federal educational programs. There was no cohesive system to foster a national identity or inculcate the principles that the patriots had fought for during the Revolution. He believed that the militias could play a vital role in promoting civic education through military training. "Youth willimbibe a love of their country—reverence and obedience to its laws—courage and elevation of mind—openness and liberality of character—accompanied by a just spirit of honor. In addition to which their bodies will acquire a robustness—greatly conducive to their personal happiness as well as the defense of their country."
Although his plan was well ahead of its time, it became the basis for training programs for decades to come and was included in National Selective Service manuals well into the twentieth century. It even served as the basis in 1920 for the formation of the Citizens Military Training Camps, which ran from 1921 to 1940.
Knox's plan also provided something of an index of his mind. He did not view himself exclusively as a military leader but as builder of the republic, willing to play the role of architect in creating institutional pillars of American
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