ABSTRACT
In 1787 Marietta, Ohio, was founded, the first real village settled in the western lands ceded by Britain at the close of the Revolutionary War. The role played by the United States Army in preparing the West for settlement and government has received much less attention. To appreciate this aspect it is necessary to picture the little army under the command of Josiah Harmar in the period I785–1790. In January, 1784, Harmar was the special envoy sent by Congress to request the presence of New Jersey and Connecticut delegates at the ratification of the definitive peace treaty between Britain and the United States. The building of Fort Harmar was necessary as an aid to the completion of the surveys and to discourage intruders. Harmar and his small force, the first regular troops of the United States, performed substantial services for the nation, aiding settlement and helping to establish the authority of the United States on its western frontier.
