<Tr> <Th> General and commander - in - chief </Th> <Th> Major general </Th> <Th> Brigadier general </Th> <Th> Aide - de-camp </Th> <Th> Colonel, Lieutenant colonel, Major </Th> <Th> Captain </Th> <Th> Lieutenant, Ensign </Th> <Th> Sergeant </Th> <Th> Corporal </Th> </Tr> <P> Later on in the war, the Continental Army established its own uniform with a black and white cockade among all ranks . Infantry officers had silver and other branches gold insignia: </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th_colspan="15"> Ranks and insignia of the Continental Army 1780 </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> General and Commander - in - Chief </Th> <Th> Major general </Th> <Th> Brigadier general </Th> <Th> Colonel </Th> <Th> Lieutenant colonel </Th> <Th> Aide - de-camp </Th> <Th> Major </Th> <Th> Captain </Th> <Th> Lieutenant, Cornet, Ensign </Th> <Th> Sergeant major </Th> <Th> Sergeant </Th> <Th> Corporal </Th> <Th> Private </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> </Th> <Th> </Th> <Th> </Th> <Th> Two epaulets Jacket with silver or gold trim </Th> <Th> Two epaulets </Th> <Th> Gold epaulets Hat with green cockade </Th> <Th> Two epaulets </Th> <Th> One epaulet (Right shoulder) </Th> <Th> One epaulet (Left shoulder) </Th> <Th> Two epaulets </Th> <Th> One red epaulet (Right shoulder) </Th> <Th> One green epaulet (Right shoulder) </Th> <Th> No epaulets </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> </Th> <Th> </Th> <Th> </Th> <Th> </Th> <Th> </Th> <Th> </Th> <Th> </Th> <Th> </Th> <Th> <P> </P> </Th> <Th> </Th> <Th> </Th> <Th> </Th> <Th> </Th> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Th_colspan="15"> Ranks and insignia of the Continental Army 1780 </Th> </Tr>

What encouraged the formation of the continental congress