George Washington rode into Cambridge, Massachusetts on July 3, 1775, and found

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Washington Takes Command: Revolution's Defining Moment

George Washington rode into Cambridge, Massachusetts on July 3, 1775, and found chaos rather than an army. The 16,000 militia surrounding Boston had no unified command structure, no standard equipment, and no military discipline. Many elected their own officers. Some went home when they felt like it. Washington's immediate challenge was converting these independent-minded farmers into soldiers who would follow orders, drill in formation, and stay through winter. He imposed courts-martial for desertion, standardized camp sanitation, and personally inspected defenses. The appointment itself was a political masterstroke by Congress: a Virginian commanding New England troops bound the colonies together under a single military authority for the first time.

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July 3, 1775

251 years ago

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Washington Takes Command: Revolution's Defining Moment

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