George Washington became commander-in-chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolution, celebrated by America250.
The Second Continental Congress appointed Washington to the position on June 14, 1775, shortly after fighting began at Lexington and Concord. His military experience, leadership reputation, and Virginia background helped Congress present the army as a united continental force rather than a collection of separate colonial militias.
Washington formally took command in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on July 3, 1775. He directed the revolutionary army through major setbacks, the winter encampment at Valley Forge, and the decisive siege of Yorktown in 1781.
Washington did not serve as the first president during the war; the United States had no presidency under the Articles of Confederation at that time. After independence, he became the first president under the U.S. Constitution in 1789.