When the delegates to the Second Continental Congress met together on Wednesday, the 14th of June, 1775 the events that would play themselves out on the Charlestown Peninsula were not yet commenced. But the delegates to that second Congress were thinking about the state of affairs at Boston. The Journal of the Continental Congress noted that:

"The Congreƒs met and agreeable to the order of the day, reƒolved itƒelf into a committee of the whole, to take into conƒideration &c. After ƒome time ƒpent thereon, the preƒident reƒumed the chair, and Mr (Samuel) Ward reported, that not having yet come to a concluƒion they deƒired him to move for leave to ƒit again. At the ƒame time they deƒired him to report ƒome reƒolutions which they had come into.
 
The reƒolutions being read, were adopted as follows:
 
 
Reƒolved, That ƒix companies of expert rifflemen, be immediately raiƒed in Penƒylvania, two in Maryland, and two in Virginia; that each company conƒiƒt of a captain, three lieutenants, four ƒerjeants, four corporals, a drummer or trumpeter, and ƒixtyeight privates.
 
That each company, as ƒoon as compleated, ƒhall march and join the army near Boƒton, to be there employed as light infantry, under the command of the chief Officer in that army.
 
That the pay of the Officers and privates be as follows, viz. a captain @ 20 dollars per month; a lieutenant @ 13-1/3 dollars; a ƒerjeant @ 8 dollars; a corporal @ 7-1/3 dollars; drummer or (trumpeter) @ 71 doll.; privates @ 6-2/3 dollars; to find their own arms and cloaths.
 
That the form of the enliƒtment be in the following words:
 
I ___________ have, this day, voluntarily enliƒted myƒelf, as a ƒoldier, in the American continental army, for one year, unleƒs ƒooner diƒcharged: And I do bind myƒelf to conform, in all inƒtances, to ƒuch rules and regulations, as are, or ƒhall be, eƒtabliƒhed for the government of the ƒad Army.
 
Upon motion, Reƒolved, That Mr. (George) Waƒhington, Mr. (Philip) Schuyler, Mr. (Silas) Deane, Mr. (Thomas) Cuƒhing, and Mr. (Joƒeph) Hewes be a committee to bring in a dra't of Rules and regulations for the government of the army.
 
A letter from the convention of New York, dated 10 June, 1775, reƒpecting a veƒsel which is ƒtopt there, on ƒuƒpicion of having proviƒions on board for the army and navy at Boƒton, was read and referred to the delegates of Maƒsachuƒetts bay, Connecticut, and New York.
 
Reƒolved, That the Congreƒs will, to Morrow, reƒolve itƒelf into a committee of the whole, to take into conƒideration the ways and means of raiƒing money and the ƒtate of America. This to be a ƒtanding order, until the buƒineƒs is compleated.
 
Adjourned till to Morrow at 9 o'Clock."

   The Congress was again assembled on the 15th of June, 1775. One item of that day's business was a report which was read, debated and resulted in the following Resolution:

"Reƒolved, That a General be appointed to command all the continental forces, raiƒed, or to be raiƒed, for the defence of American liberty. That five hundred dollars, per month, be allowed for his pay and expences."

   Although George Washington was surprised when his name was voiced in nomination for the position (he left the room in embarrassment), he accepted the commission put to him. John Hancock, the president of the Congress, formally announced the appointment of Mr. Washington, by a unanimous vote,

"to be general and com(mander) in chief to take the ƒupreme command of the forces raiƒed and to be raiƒed, in defence of American Liberty..."

   Edmund Pendleton, a delegate from Virginia, wrote down Colonel Washington's reply:

"MR. PRESIDENT, Tho' I am truly ƒenƒible of the high Honour done me, in this Appointment, yet I feel great diƒtreƒs, from a conƒciouƒneƒs that my abilities and military experience may not be equal to the extenƒive and important Truƒt: However, as the Congreƒs deƒire it, I will enter upon the momentous duty, and exert every power I poƒseƒs in their ƒervice, and for ƒupport of the glorious cauƒe. I beg they will accept my moƒt cordial thanks for this diƒtinguiƒhed teƒtimony of their approbation.
 
"But, leƒt ƒome unlucky event ƒhould happen, unfavourable to my reputation, I beg it may be remembered, by every Gentleman in the room, that I, this day, declare with the utmoƒt ƒincerity, I do not think myƒelf equal to the Command I am honored with.
 
"As to pay, Sir, I beg leave to aƒsure the Congreƒs, that, as no pecuniary conƒideration could have tempted me to have accepted this arduous employment, at the expence of my domeƒtic eaƒe and happineƒs, I do not wiƒh to make any profit from it. I will keep an exact Account of my expences. Those, I doubt not, they will diƒcharge, and that is all I deƒire."

   A committee was appointed to draft a commission for the position of commander in chief. That committee reported back to the Congress on Saturday, 17 June, 1775 with the following report:

"IN CONGRESS The delegates of the United Colonies of New Hampƒhire, Maƒsachuƒetts bay, Rhode Iƒland, Connecticut, New York, New Jerƒey, Penƒylvania, the Counties of New Caƒtle, Kent, and Suƒsex, on Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina: To George Waƒhington, Eƒq. WE, repoƒing ƒpecial truƒt and confidence in your patriotiƒm, valor, conduct, and fidelity, do, by theƒe preƒents, conƒtitute and appoint you to be General and Commander in chief, of the army of the United Colonies, and of all the forces now raiƒed, or to be raiƒed, by them, and of all others who ƒhall voluntarily offer their ƒervice, and join the ƒaid Army for the Defence of American liberty, and for repelling every hoƒtile invaƒion thereof: And you are hereby veƒted with full power and authority to act as you ƒhall think for the good and welfare of the ƒervice.
 
And we do hereby ƒtrictly charge and require all Officers and Soldiers, under your command, to be obedient to your orders, and diligent in the exerciƒe of their ƒeveral duties.
 
And we do alƒo enjoin and require you, to be careful in executing the great truƒt repoƒed in you, by cauƒing ƒtrict diƒcipline and order to be obƒerved in the army, and that the ƒoldiers be duly exerciƒed, and provided with all convenient neceƒsaries.
 
And you are to regulate your conduct in every reƒpect by the rules and diƒcipline of war, (as herewith given you,) and punctually to obƒerve and follow ƒuch orders and directions, from time to time, as you ƒhall receive from this, or a future Congreƒs of theƒe United Colonies, or committee of Congreƒs.
 
This commiƒsion to continue in force, until revoked by this, or a future Congress. By order of the Congress. Dated, Philada June 17, 1775."

   Mr. (now General) Washington did not waste any time in preparing to head for Boston. The Congress had also issued commissions for subordinate positions on the 22nd of June. By the 23rd, Washington and his staff were ready and started their journey northward. They had not gotten more than twenty miles from Philadelphia before they were met by a courier bearing the news of the Battle of Bunker/Breeds Hill. On Monday morning, 03 July, 1775, General Artemus Ward handed over his command to the new commander-in-chief.

   It should be noted that, in view of the fact that the position of commander-in-chief was a newly created one, one which had no prior equivalent, the powers vested in it were somewhat ambiguous at first. General Washington understood the delicate situation in which he had been placed. He could easily abuse the authority of the position for personal gain, or he could respect the trust and faith of the citizens that the position was devised by the Congress to represent. Fortunately for the Patriot cause, and for the nation which developed out of that cause, he chose the latter course. At the very beginning, General Washington established the principle that the Congress must be the ultimate, and therefore absolute, master. The Commander-In-Chief was simply the army's executive - the executor of the Congress' decisions. And if the decisions made by Congress were the will of the people, then the Commander-In-Chief could be seen to be the supreme public servant.

   Upon his arrival at the camp at Cambridge, General Washington was greeted by members of the Massachusetts Bay Provincial Council. The Commander-In-Chief's response is given below.

"Gentlemen, -Your kind congratulations on my appointment and arrival, demand my warmeƒt acknowledgements, and will be ever retained in grateful remembrance. In exchanging the enjoyments of domeƒtic life for the duties of my preƒent honourable but arduous ƒituation, I only emulate the virtue and public ƒpirit of the whole Province of Maƒsachuƒetts, which, with a firmneƒs and patriotiƒm without example, has ƒacrificed all the comforts of ƒocial and political life, in ƒupport of the rights of mankind, and the welfare of our common country. My higheƒt ambition is to be the happy inƒtrument of vindicating theƒe rights, and to ƒee this devoted Province again reƒtored to peace, liberty, and ƒafety."