George Washington commanded the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.
The Second Continental Congress appointed Washington commander-in-chief in June 1775, shortly after fighting began. His Virginia background and earlier military experience helped make him an acceptable choice for an army made up of soldiers from different colonies.
Washington faced severe shortages of money, weapons, clothing, food, and trained troops. He also had to work with Congress, state governments, foreign allies, and competing military leaders. His army suffered major defeats, but survived long enough to keep the revolutionary cause alive.
Washington’s most celebrated wartime success came at Yorktown in 1781, where American and French forces forced the British army under Charles Cornwallis to surrender. The war formally ended later through the Treaty of Paris. Washington resigned his commission in 1783, reinforcing the tradition that military power would remain subordinate to civilian government. He later became the first president under the U.S. Constitution.