How Cochrane built forces ahead of Admiralty paperwork

The Admiralty discovered that Cochrane had raised a colonial marine force several battalions strong and wanted to know how it was paid, armed, and staffed. He had solved an operational manpower problem before London fully understood the organization he had created. The same units and personnel later reappeared when Cochrane fought the United States in the War of 1812. American commanders consequently faced uncertainty about both his manpower and the heavy naval guns he could bring ashore. Local initiative produced useful combat power while creating serious problems of control, legality, and accurate force accounting.