George Washington Takes Command: July 3, 1775 — The Founding of the Continental Army

On July 3, 1775, George Washington mounted his horse and rode into Cambridge, Massachusetts, to take command of the Continental Army. It was a modest beginning for a military effort that would last eight years and reshape the world. Washington’s assumption of command marked a crucial step in turning scattered colonial resistance into a united struggle for American independence. The moment was not only a military necessity—it was a symbolic act that helped transform rebellion into revolution.

The Context: War Before a Nation

By the time Washington arrived in Cambridge, the American colonies had already been at war with Great Britain for over two months. The first shots were fired on April 19, 1775, at Lexington and Concord, where Massachusetts militiamen confronted British regulars marching to seize weapons stockpiles. The fighting quickly spread. Militia units from across New England poured into the Boston area to lay siege to British forces trapped in the city.

The Second Continental Congress convened in Philadelphia in May 1775 to manage the crisis. Though independence had not yet been declared, Congress took steps that hinted at nationhood: it authorized a Continental Army, began issuing paper currency, and appointed military officers. A central question was who would lead this new army.

John Adams proposed George Washington as commander-in-chief. Adams believed a Virginian should lead the effort to unite northern and southern colonies. Washington’s military experience during the French and Indian War, combined with his personal reputation for integrity, made him a strong candidate. On June 15, 1775, Congress unanimously approved his appointment. Washington accepted without pay, pledging to serve out of a sense of duty.

The State of the Army

When Washington arrived in Cambridge, he found what he later called “an undisciplined and inexperienced crowd.” The Continental Army was little more than a loose confederation of militia units from different colonies, each with its own leadership, standards, and loyalties. Officers were often elected by their men. Enlistment terms were short—many soldiers were set to leave by the end of the year. There was no real command structure, no proper barracks, and no centralized supply system.

The encampments around Boston stretched from Roxbury to Cambridge, forming a rough semicircle around the British-held city. Morale was mixed. The soldiers were motivated but poorly trained. Sanitation was inadequate, disease spread quickly, and food was often in short supply. There were not enough tents, uniforms, or shoes. The army also faced a severe shortage of gunpowder—a crisis so serious that Washington feared any engagement could collapse the siege effort.

Washington realized that before he could fight the British, he had to build an army. He issued daily general orders to establish discipline, military decorum, and order. He pushed for hygiene standards in the camps, banned gambling and drunkenness, and began standardizing training.

Building a National Army

Washington’s leadership style was methodical and pragmatic. From the beginning, he treated the army as a national institution. He demanded that troops identify themselves not just by colony, but as part of a united force. He replaced incompetent or politically appointed officers and insisted on merit, discipline, and respect for the chain of command.

He pushed the Continental Congress to extend enlistment terms and create a reliable pay system. He struggled constantly with supply shortages. In the absence of a formal quartermaster corps, he had to rely on local militias, state governments, and private contractors for food, clothing, and weapons. He wrote dozens of letters a week—some of them desperate—urging Congress and state leaders to support the army with men, money, and materials.

Washington also faced the challenge of integrating different military cultures. New England militias resisted centralized control. Officers from different colonies sometimes refused to serve under one another. Washington had to blend these competing loyalties into a functioning fighting force.

He also began organizing specialized units, including engineers, artillerymen, and sappers. He relied heavily on Henry Knox, a Boston bookseller-turned-artillery expert, and Nathanael Greene, a self-taught Rhode Island general who would become one of the most capable commanders of the war.

Strategy at Boston

Washington’s immediate task was to hold the siege line around Boston. The British, under General Thomas Gage, had about 6,000 troops trapped in the city. After the Battle of Bunker Hill on June 17, 1775, the Americans controlled the high ground but lacked the firepower to drive the British out of it.

Washington’s strategy was to build fortifications, strengthen the American lines, and wait for an opportunity to emerge. He also kept a close eye on morale and discipline. In August, he issued strict rules to prevent looting, avoid civilian conflict, and enforce military law.

Perhaps his greatest challenge was managing the army’s gunpowder crisis. Washington discovered in late July that his forces had only enough powder for nine rounds per man. He kept this secret from the troops and even his officers, fearing a breakdown of order. He petitioned Congress and state governors and authorized secret shipments from the Caribbean.

The turning point came in early 1776, when Henry Knox arrived with 60 tons of artillery transported over 300 miles from Fort Ticonderoga during winter. With those cannons, Washington ordered the fortification of Dorchester Heights, a position that overlooked both the city and the harbor.

On the night of March 4, 1776, American troops quietly took their positions. When the British awoke the next morning to find guns aimed down on them, General William Howe, who had replaced Gage, realized the city was no longer defensible. On March 17, the British evacuated Boston, bringing the siege to a close without a major battle.

Why It Matters

Washington’s assumption of command on July 3, 1775, was a foundational moment in American history. He brought structure, purpose, and legitimacy to what had been a patchwork of local militias. His leadership helped transform an armed rebellion into a national military effort.

Though the Declaration of Independence would not be signed until the following year, Washington’s actions showed that the colonies were already beginning to think of themselves as one people. His presence gave the cause credibility, especially to skeptical southern colonies. His willingness to serve without pay symbolized civic virtue at a time of political upheaval.

More than anything, Washington’s early command showed his long view. He was not looking for quick glory. He knew the war would be hard, and that the army had to be built from the ground up. That patience and discipline would become his greatest strengths over the course of the Revolution.

The quiet ceremony on July 3, 1775, in Cambridge was not the start of the war, but it was the start of the revolution as a national movement. Washington’s leadership, forged in that moment, would carry the colonies through defeats, retreats, and hardships until final victory at Yorktown in 1781.