British reaction to Washington being named commander-in-chief...

Item # 687211

October 18, 1775

THE CONNECTICUT JOURNAL, New Haven, Oct. 18, 1775

* General George Washington
* Named Commander-in-Chief
* Continental Army - British reaction

The front page begins with a nice item from London concerning George Washington: "General Washington, who was lately appointed Generalissimo over the Provincials, has refused any salary, and is to attend to the hazardous and arduous duty allotted him from principle only. A most noble example & worthy of imitation in Great Britain, particularly at this time for it there were a few disinterested patriots like Washington, the supplies of the mother country would soon lessen the national debt...".
Also on the front page: "...that an officer of the Cerberus is suspended for telling truly the circumstances of the battle of the 17th of June on Boston's neck...", being the Battle of Bunker Hill.
Another bit notes: "...letter from Boston says, 'No words can describe the dreadful scene of misery of that unhappy town. The shrieks of the women, the cries of the children, the dying groans of the wounded...The three Boston generals have issued orders to give no quarters to the provincials but to burn & plunder every place they are permitted to pass through." and so much more. A wealth of fine content on the front page.
Fine content continues inside as well with one item noting: "...enemy fired above 90 cannon balls into Roxbury...did no other damage than killing two cows & wounding the arm of a marine taken at Lexington, and since enlisted in the Continental army. General Washington has heard from Colonel Arnold...writes that he was assured there were no forces of consequence to resist him at Quebec...".
A page 3 item notes: "...that Gen. Monckton was named to succeed Gen. Gage in the command of the army in the Massachusetts Bay..." and "We hear Col. Prescott, who commands at St. John's, has offered to evacuate the fort to Gen. Montgomery on terms which were rejected...General Gage & most of the officers who were at Lexington are recalled & sail this day. General Howe succeeds to the command..." and more. Some war-related content on the back page as well.
Four pages, never-trimmed margins, scattered foxing, very nice condition.

AI notes: When George Washington was appointed commander-in-chief of the Continental Army in June 1775, British officials and military leaders largely dismissed the significance of the choice, viewing it as symbolic rather than strategic. To them, Washington was a provincial landowner with limited military credentials, known mainly for his involvement in the French and Indian War—experience they regarded as insufficient for leading a major rebellion. British generals, including Thomas Gage and later William Howe, underestimated both Washington's leadership and the resolve of the colonial militias, believing that a swift show of force would end the uprising. In Britain, the press and political elite treated Washington’s appointment with scorn, seeing it as evidence of colonial overreach and rebellion rather than a credible military challenge. However, this initial condescension began to erode following the Siege of Boston, where Washington successfully organized and disciplined his army to force a British evacuation in March 1776. Though still critical of his abilities, British observers gradually recognized that Washington's leadership—and his ability to maintain the fight despite lack of resources—would prolong the conflict far beyond their expectations.