George Washington and His New American Army

There was a unanimous decision to make Washington the commander-in-chief of the American Army in 1776. Washington initially viewed this as an impossible task, one he was reluctant to take on. However, he knew it was a task that needed to be done. He knew that congress and his colonies were depending on him. As well as accepting the limitations of his inexperienced army, he also did not oversee his own limitations. He accepted and recognized the obstacles against him; no experience as a commander, never led an army in battle or directed a siege, retired from the military for 15 years. He confessed to his wife that he thought he was given a task too big for his capacity. However, he accepted his limitations and made the decision to “exert every power [he] possessed in their service and for the support of the glorious Cause,” (pg 49).

This is one of the ways in which Washington is a respectable and admirable leader. He did not hold himself at a higher regard or act conceited. He knew his limitations and he worked to overcome them and be the leader and commander that his people depended on. He knew when to delegate tasks, listen to other’s opinions and trust others that had more experience than him, like Nathanial Greene and Charles Lee, his second-in-command whom Washington said had the “best military mind of any general,” (pg 52).

The army Washington was commanding was mostly artisans and farmers, some even fisherman and sailors. They had little military experience. Most of Washington’s men were also volunteers, they were not getting paid like some of the soldier in the British army. On one hand, they were there because they truly wanted to be. On the negative side, many left or disappeared for days on end to go home and see their families. They had nothing binding them to the war, no money incentive, and had a hard time accepting orders from a higher ranking. This posed a threat to Washington’s army, one he had to mitigate by inspiring his troops, earning their respect and loyalty, and instilling passion and patriotism. On the other hand, the British soldiers were experienced and wealthy, some earning money for fighting in the war. This made King George III’s task much easier because he had a more “command-able” army (pg 34-37).

However, unlike the British army, Washington’s army was hard-working. They knew how to overcome adversity and deal with harsh environments. They were resourceful, handy with tools and physically strong. They were used to preparing for the worst (pg. 34). They excelled at undergoing brute labor to build trenches for the defense. Their fortifications appeared to be the work of seven years and proved that the American army had true grit. Nothing of the same scale had ever been built by New Englanders before (pg 38).

Washington also had another difficult task that King George III did not face with his army. As the first American army, there were “men of every shape and size and makeup, different colors, different nationalities, different ways of talking, and all degrees of physical condition,” (pg 34). They had boys ages 15 and men as old as 57. Washington had to eliminate regional differences and create an identity within the arm.

Against his own opinions of blacks and New Englanders, Washington chose to accept everyone and treated everyone as equal. He knew they need men, and what made them equal was the cause they all were fighting for. This is another trait that Washington possessed as a leader: his ability to soberly assess a situation and do what was needed for good of his people.

Source:

McCullough, David. 1776. N.p.: Simon & Schuster Paperbacks, 2005. Print.