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Colonel Washington Elected Commander-in-Chief

From Diary of the American Revolution, Vol I. Compiled by Frank Moore and published in 1859.

June 15. — The Continental Congress elected Colonel George Washington, a delegate from Virginia, general and commander-in-chief of all the American forces.–It was last year reported that Sir Jeffery Amherst had said, that with five thousand English regulars he would engage to march from one end to the other of the continent of North America. This being spoken of publicly in a coffee-house in North America, Colonel Washington, who was present, declared, that with one thousand Virginians he would engage to stop Sir Jeffery Amherst’s march. It is the fashion at St. James’ to despise the Americans, to call them cowards, poltroons, &c., and the resolution seems to be taken to put their courage to the proof. The very able, spirited, and prudent conduct of this gallant officer when he covered and preserved the remains of the English army after one of their defeats in the last war in North America,2 has endeared him to every brave man, and stamped him with the name of being a most noble officer.3

 

1 Journals of Congress. –The following is the staff appointed by the Continental Congress: –George Washington, Esq., of Virginia, General and Commander-in-chief of all the American forces; Artemas Ward, Esq., of Massachusetts Bay, Charles Lee, Esq., Philip Schuyler, Esq., of Albany, in New York Province, Israel Putnam, Esq., to be Major-Generals; and Horatio Gates, Esq., Adjutant-General.
General Washington has appointed Thomas Mifflin, Esq., of Philadelphia, to be his aide-de-camp; and Major-General Lee has appointed Samuel Griffin, Esq., of Virginia, to be his aide-de-camp. *
2 Braddock’s Expedition.
3 Extract from a London paper of April 15, 1775, republished in the Pennsylvania Packet, June 12.
* Rivington’s Gazetteer, June 29.