▁by ▁U . S . ▁President ▁George ▁Washington ▁and ▁Henry ▁Kno x , ▁Secretary ▁of ▁War , ▁would ▁lead ▁to ▁the ▁creation ▁of ▁the ▁Leg ion ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁The ▁command ▁would ▁be ▁based ▁on ▁the ▁ 1 8 th - century ▁military ▁works ▁of ▁Henry ▁Bou quet , ▁a ▁professional ▁Swiss ▁soldier ▁who ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁colon el ▁in ▁the ▁British ▁army , ▁and ▁French ▁Marsh al ▁Maurice ▁de ▁Sax e . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 7 9 2 ▁Anthony ▁Wayne , ▁a ▁ren owned ▁hero ▁of ▁the ▁American ▁Revolution ary ▁War , ▁was ▁encourag ed ▁to ▁leave ▁ret irement ▁and ▁return ▁to ▁active ▁service ▁as ▁Commander - in - Ch ief ▁of ▁the ▁Leg ion ▁with ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁Major ▁General . ▁The ▁Leg ion , ▁which ▁was ▁rec ru ited ▁and ▁raised ▁in ▁Pitts burgh , ▁Pennsylvania , ▁was ▁formed ▁around ▁elements ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁and ▁ 2 nd ▁Reg iments ▁from ▁the ▁dis band ed ▁Cont inental ▁Army . ▁These ▁units ▁then ▁became ▁the ▁First ▁and ▁Second ▁Sub - Leg ions . ▁The ▁Third ▁and ▁Four th ▁Sub - Leg ions ▁were ▁raised ▁from ▁additional ▁rec ruits . ▁From ▁June ▁ 1 7 9 2 ▁to ▁November ▁ 1 7 9 2 , ▁the ▁Leg ion ▁remained ▁cant oned ▁at ▁Fort ▁La F ay ette ▁in ▁Pitts burgh . ▁ ▁Est ab lish ment ▁ ▁By ▁October ▁ 1 7 9 2 , ▁Major ▁General ▁Wayne ▁had ▁been ▁seeking ▁a ▁suitable ▁place ▁to ▁winter ▁and