Reading David McCullough's 1776, he offhandedly mentions that George Washington never asked the Continental Congress to supply cavalry. Do we have any other primary sources for this?
I'm simply curious.
David McCullough would seem to be wildly off-base on this count. In 1776-1777, the Continental Army raised no less than four regiments of light dragoons, numbered, naturally enough, 1st through 4th. The 1st & 3rd Light Dragoons in particular distinguished themselves in the southern theater, fighting under Henry "Light Horse Harry" Lee and William Washington.
Can you provide a link to the words used by McCullough? I find the premise itself highly suspect as Washington did establish of Corp of Continental Light Dragoons and Congress itself did establish efforts to train cavalry - most notably through the hiring of Casimir Pulaski