Washington's Aides-de-Camp

General George Washington's headquarters staff during the American Revolutionary War consisted of a military secretary and a small number of aides-de-camp. A total of 32 men were appointed to these positions, and served between July 4, 1775 and December 23, 1783. Other individuals worked as volunteer aides or assistants, and helped with office duties when needed.

The Second Continental Congress unanimously elected George Washington to the position of Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army on June 15, 1775. He traveled to Cambridge, Massachusetts, and took command of the Siege of Boston on July 3. His headquarters staff initially consisted of his military secretary – Joseph Reed; and one aide-de-camp – Thomas Mifflin. The headquarters staff's responsibilities included managing Washington's military correspondence, making copies of each day's General Orders (to be distributed to the commanding officer at each military post), and making copies of individual orders. The 19-year-old artist John Trumbull, who was skilled at drawing maps, was appointed an aide-de-camp on July 27, and served 3 weeks before being transferred.

Congress had authorized one military secretary and three aides-de-camp for the commander-in-chief, but this number soon proved inadequate. Washington's pleas for Congress to authorize two additional aides were ignored, so he augmented his staff with volunteers. Six aides-de-camp – George Baylor, Edmund Randolph, Robert Hanson Harrison, George Lewis, Stephen Moylan, William Palfrey – were appointed between August 1775 and March 1776, some replacing predecessors who had been transferred. Finally, in January 1778, Congress granted the commander-in-chief the power to appoint headquarters staff as he saw fit.

The military secretary held the rank of colonel in the Continental Army, with a monthly pay of US$66. The aides-de-camp held the rank of lieutenant colonel, with a monthly pay of US$33. The aides-de-camp wore a green riband across their chests as a rank insignia. Washington referred to the headquarters staff as "my family." Some were the sons of his friends and relatives, but above all he valued talent:

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