# Question regarding Washington's command titles **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 20, 2017, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-regarding-washingtons-command-titles/789429 "2017-06-20T07:18:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![davidmich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e56c9b/32.png) [@davidmich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidmich)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2017, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-regarding-washingtons-command-titles/789429/1 "2017-06-20T07:18:12Z")
Hi I was a little confused between the following titles awarded George Washington during the Revolutionary War. Are there any differences between them. Are they both used interchangeably? I look forward to your feedback 1. General and Commander in Chief of the Army of the United Colonies 2. Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Armies ---
**Author:** ![davidmich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e56c9b/32.png) [@davidmich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidmich)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2017, 9:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-regarding-washingtons-command-titles/789429/2 "2017-06-20T09:12:57Z")
> [@davidmich](#): > > Hi > I was a little confused between the following titles awarded George Washington during the Revolutionary War. Are there any differences between them. Are they both used interchangeably? I look forward to your feedback > > 1. General and Commander in Chief of the Army of the United Colonies > 2. Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Armies > **[Continental Army](https://www.mountvernon.org/library/digitalhistory/digital-encyclopedia/article/continental-army)** > > As Major General and Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army, George Washington won the military struggle for American Independence. Remarkably, however, Washington's army won only three of the nine major battles that he oversaw and was often... "George Washington, Commander in Chief of Ye Armies of Ye United States of America. I guess no. 1 was Washington’s official title. > **[Clarifying Washington’s Rank - Journal of the American Revolution](https://allthingsliberty.com/2013/09/clarifying-washingtons-rank/)** > > Thanks to the numerous promotions of military leadership before, during and even after the Revolutionary War, senior military ranks tend to cause great confusion for historians. Surprisingly, one of the most puzzling American military ranks is that... On June 15, 1775, the Continental Congress appointed Washington to lead the newly established Continental Army, saying: We, reposing special trust and confidence in your patriotism, valor, conduct, and fidelity, do, by these presents, constitute and appoint you to be General and Commander in chief, of the army of the United Colonies, and of all the forces now raised, or to be raised, by them, and of all others who shall voluntarily offer their service, and join the said Army for the Defense of American liberty, and for repelling every hostile invasion thereof.[1] ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2017, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-regarding-washingtons-command-titles/789429/3 "2017-06-20T18:19:47Z")
This previous thread may interest you: [Was Washington a good general? - Factual Questions - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=532183) Washington is still the highest-ranked officer in the U.S. Army, and will always remain so: [General of the Armies - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_of_the_Armies#George_Washington) ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2017, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-regarding-washingtons-command-titles/789429/4 "2017-06-20T19:32:31Z")
And this previous thread, by the same OP - [What was George Washington's original military rank and what were all his subsequent one's? - Factual Questions - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=763545) ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2017, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-regarding-washingtons-command-titles/789429/5 "2017-06-21T01:31:34Z")
> [@davidmich](#): > > [http://www.mountvernon.org/digital-encyclopedia/article/continental-army/](http://www.mountvernon.org/digital-encyclopedia/article/continental-army/) > "George Washington, Commander in Chief of Ye Armies of Ye United States of America. > > I guess no. 1 was Washington’s official title. > > [Clarifying Washington’s Rank - Journal of the American Revolution](https://allthingsliberty.com/2013/09/clarifying-washingtons-rank/) > On June 15, 1775, the Continental Congress appointed Washington to lead the newly established Continental Army, saying: > We, reposing special trust and confidence in your patriotism, valor, conduct, and fidelity, do, by these presents, constitute and appoint you to be General and Commander in chief, of the army of the United Colonies, and of all the forces now raised, or to be raised, by them, and of all others who shall voluntarily offer their service, and join the said Army for the Defense of American liberty, and for repelling every hostile invasion thereof.[1] I wouldn’t assume that the caption on the William Sharp print had, or reflected, any official standing or designation. The use of “ye” for “the” looks deliberately cutesy and archaic, and when Washington was appointed as Commander-in-Chief the name “United States of America” has not been yet been adopted. From the context of your quote, “General and Commander in Chief of the army of the United Colonies” wasn’t a title conferred upon Washington but rather an office to which he was appointed. His title, as holder of that office, was probably just “General”. ---
**Author:** ![davidmich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e56c9b/32.png) [@davidmich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidmich)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2017, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-regarding-washingtons-command-titles/789429/6 "2017-06-21T02:00:52Z")
> [@UDS](#): > > I wouldn’t assume that the caption on the William Sharp print had, or reflected, any official standing or designation. The use of “ye” for “the” looks deliberately cutesy and archaic, and when Washington was appointed as Commander-in-Chief the name “United States of America” has not been yet been adopted. > > From the context of your quote, “General and Commander in Chief of the army of the United Colonies” wasn’t a title conferred upon Washington but rather an office to which he was appointed. His title, as holder of that office, was probably just “General”. Thanks for that distinction UDS. I haven’t seen anything in writing distinguishing " “General and Commander in Chief of the army of the United Colonies” and “Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Armies”. That’s what prompted my question. Your answer makes sense. Thank you all. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2017, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-regarding-washingtons-command-titles/789429/7 "2017-06-21T12:56:41Z")
Washington was often referred to during the Revolution by the honorific “His Excellency” (Joseph Ellis even thus titled his bio of GW), and it remains the President’s style in diplomatic circles.