what kind of people did the continental army consist of?

Answer 1

The continental Amry consisted of Idealist, Nathen Hale, School teacher, Nathanel Grene, a Quacker turned general, Henry Knox book story owner turned artillerist. etc. The wealth and elite who had a major stake in the outcome, Washington, Lee, Jefferson, etc. But mostly the poor, who had nothing to loose and the world to gain.
Washington wrote about these during the winters at Fort Morriston and again at Valley Forge. During the hardship of the winters the army shrank down to the few idealist and the poor who had no where else to go.