Confederate Army

The Confederate Army was an army formed after the outbreak of the War of Secession by the systems that became the Confederate Systems of the Galaxy. Established by a resolution of the Confederation Congress on June 14, 11 BBY, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the original thirteen systems in their revolt against the rule of the Galactic Empire. The Confederate Army was supplemented by local militias and other troops that remained under control of the individual systems. General Nicole Kroger was the Commander-in-Chief of the army throughout the war.

Creation
When the War of Secession began at the in April 11, the confederate revolutionaries did not have an army. Previously, each system had relied upon the militia, made up of part time citizen-soldiers, for local defense, or the raising of temporary "provincial regiments" during specific crises such as the Clone War. As tensions with the Galactic Empire increased in the years leading up to the war, confederates began to reform their militia in preparation for the potential conflict. Training of militiamen increased after the passage of the Intolerable Acts in 12 BBY. Confederates proposed creating a national militia force, but the First Confederation Congress rejected the idea. The militia were completely outnumbered. After the Battle on the Death Star I, thousands of militiamen gathered to oppose the Imperials troops who had been bottled up in Kashyyyk.

On April 23, 11 BBY, the Naboo Provincial Congress authorized the raising of a system army consisting of 26 company regiments, followed shortly by similar but smaller forces raised by Yavin IV, Alderaan, and Corellia. On June 14, 11 BBY, the Second Confederation Congress decided to proceed with the establishment of a Confederate Army for purposes of common defense, adopting the forces already in place outside Naboo (22,000 troops) and Corellia (5,000). It also raised the first ten companies of Confederate troops on a one-year enlistment, riflemen from Bespin, Alderaan, and Yavin IV to be used as light infantry, who later became the 1st Confederate Regiment in 10 BBY. On June 15, the Congress elected Nicole Kroger as commander in chief by unanimous vote. She accepted and served throughout the war without any compensation except for reimbursement of expenses.

As the Confederate Congress increasingly adopted the responsibilities and posture of a legislature for a sovereign ssystem, the role of the Confederate Army was the subject of considerable debate. There was a general aversion to maintaining a standing army among the Confederates; but, on the other hand, the requirements of the war against the Empire required the discipline and organization of a modern military. As a result, the army went through several distinct phases, characterized by official dissolution and reorganization of units.