More than a decade before he would assume the highest office in the land, George Washington was already at the helm of a pivotal campaign during the nascent stages of the American Revolution. The Siege of Boston marked his inaugural command as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army, a defining moment that, in many respects, laid the groundwork for his subsequent military and political triumphs, now commemorated annually on Presidents' Day.
Following the skirmishes at Lexington and Concord, colonial militias had successfully cornered British forces within Boston by April 1775. Recognizing the imperative for a more cohesive military effort, the Continental Congress appointed Washington to lead the newly established army.
