Photo By Brooke Nevins | Title Page, General Order, George Washington, July 4, 1775... read more read more
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On July 3, 1775, Gen. George Washington officially assumed command of the Continental Army when he joined the united militia forces in Cambridge, near Boston. In the weeks following his appointment by the Continental Congress in early June 1775, the delegates issued guidance on how to build and maintain the new army’s structure, leadership, provisions and regulations, thus laying the foundations for today’s United States Army.
Congress required a report evaluating the strengths of the Army – its personnel, stores and provisions – and advised against disbanding any unit. Washington ordered each commander to report the number of men in their regiments, noting the number of those sick, wounded or absent on furlough, the quantity of ammunition on hand, and inventory of provisions like working tools, tents, kettles and blankets. Washington also announced the appointments of his major generals, and that the congress had taken “all the troops of the several colonies…into their pay and service.”
Washington declared that “they are now Troops of the United Provinces of North America," and expressed hope "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."
The congress’ Rules and Regulations of War included 69 total points outlining the actions and behavior expected of military personnel, as well as all those serving with the army in the field who were not enlisted Soldiers, and relevant punishments for infractions. Officers would ensure that order was maintained within their units and reparations made to injured parties. Written permission was required for absences over a mile from camp. Everyone was to retire to their quarters at the beating of retreat. Other points addressed the wasting of provisions, the sharing of watch words and aiding the adversary, the treatment of prisoners and the injured, maintaining accurate records, and the composition and rulings of a court martial.
In his July 4, 1775 General Orders, Washington wrote, “it is required and expected that exact discipline be observed, and due Subordination prevail thro’ the whole Army, as a Failure in these most essential points must necessarily produce extreme Hazard, Disorder and Confusion; and end in shameful disappointment and disgrace.”
A full account of the Rules & Regulations can be found in the Journal of the Second Continental Congress in the Library of Congress at https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/ll/llscd/lljc002/lljc002.pdf.
The full text and transcript of this four-page general order can be found in General Washington’s papers online at the Library of Congress at https://www.loc.gov/resource/mgw3g.001/?sp=3&st=image.
| Date Taken: | 07.03.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 07.03.2025 15:40 |
| Story ID: | 512247 |
| Location: | COLORADO, US |
| Web Views: | 8 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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