Boston: Washington Takes Command, July-August 1775

1. General Orders Regarding the Unified Nature of the Continental Army

The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Print Collection, The New York Public Library. “Washington.” New York Public Library Digital Collections.

The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Print Collection, The New York Public Library. “Washington.” New York Public Library Digital Collections.

The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Picture Collection, The New York Public Library. “Washington at Cambridge, taking command of the army” New York Public Library Digital Collections.

The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Picture Collection, The New York Public Library. “Washington at Cambridge, taking command of the army” New York Public Library Digital Collections.

Lionel Pincus and Princess Firyal Map Division, The New York Public Library. “Boston and the adjacent country with the stations of the British & provincial armies” New York Public Library Digital Collections.

Lionel Pincus and Princess Firyal Map Division, The New York Public Library. “Boston and the adjacent country with the stations of the British & provincial armies” New York Public Library Digital Collections.

Washington, George. George Washington Papers, Series 3, Varick Transcripts, -1785, Subseries 3G, General Orders, -1783, Letterbook 1: July 3,- Sept. 30, 1776. July 4, 1775, 1775. Manuscript/Mixed Material. Library of Congress.

Washington, George. George Washington Papers, Series 3, Varick Transcripts, -1785, Subseries 3G, General Orders, -1783, Letterbook 1: July 3,- Sept. 30, 1776. July 4, 1775, 1775. Manuscript/Mixed Material. Library of Congress.

One of General Washington’s first directives to the Contintental Army, issued in a written declaration known as a General Order, was to emphasize its purpose as a new national army shorn of provincial distinctions or merely local loyalties.

"The Continental Congress having now taken all the Troops of the several Colonies, which have been raised, or which may be hereafter raised for the support and defence of the Liberties of America; into their Pay and Service. They are now the Troops of the UNITED PROVINCES of North America; and it is hoped that all Distinctions of Colonies will be laid aside; so that one and the same Spirit may animate the whole, and the only Contest be, who shall render, on this great and trying occasion, the most essential service to the Great and common cause in which we are all engaged."

George Washington, General Orders, 4 July 1775
Sources
  • https://founders.archives.gov/

  • https://history.army.mil/Publications/Publications-Catalog/The-Canadian-Campaign/