The following is an installment of “On This Day,” a series celebrating America’s 250th anniversaryby following the actions of Gen. George Washington, the Continental Congress, and the men and women whose bravery and sacrifice led up to the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
April 20, 1776
One year after Lexington and Concord, and after one week at his new headquarters in New York, Gen. George Washington’s sole focus is on readiness. Writing to the New York Committee of Safety, Washington asks what method exists for assembling 2,000 to 2,500 militia — and how quickly — if a British fleet appears…