On this day 250 years ago in Philadelphia, the Continental Congress delivered to George Washington his Commission that read:

We reposing especial trust and confidence in your patriotism, 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 raised or to be raised by them and of all others who shall voluntarily offer their service and join the said army for the defence of American Liberty and for repelling every hostile invasion thereof And you are hereby vested with full power and authority to act as you shall think for the good and Welfare of the service.

And we do hereby strictly charge and require all officers and soldiers under your command to be obedient to your orders & diligent in the exercise of their several duties. And we do also enjoin and require you to be careful in executing the great trust reposed in you, by causing strict discipline and order to be observed in the army and that the soldiers are duly exercised an provided with all convenient necessaries.

And you are to regulate your conduct in every respect by the rules and discipline of war (as herewith given you) and punctually to observe and foll⟨ow⟩ such orders and directions from time to time as you shall receive from this or a future Congress of the said United Colonies or a committee of Congress for that purpose appointed.

This Commission to continue inforce until revoked by this or a future Congress.

Source: “Commission from the Continental Congress, 19 June 1775,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-01-02-0004. [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary War Series, vol. 1, 16 June 1775 – 15 September 1775, ed. Philander D. Chase. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1985, pp. 6–8.]

Also on that day in Philadelphia, the Congress commissioned Charles Lee, Philip Schuyler and Israel Putnam as Major Generals in the Continental Army. Lee was a recent immigrant to America, arriving only in 1773 although he had served in the British Army in America during the French and Indian War.

Source: Journals of Congress at 98-99 accessed at https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=msu.31293020542571&seq=105

And on that day in Wilmington, North Carolina an Association was “unanimously agreed to, by the inhabitants” of New Hanover County that declared

We do unite ourselves under every tie of religion and honor and associate as a band in her defense against every foe; hereby solemnly engaging that whenever our continental or provincial councils shall decree it necessary we will go forth and be ready to sacrifice our lives and fortunes to secure her freedom and safety. . . . under our present circumstances, we shall be justified … in resisting force by force.

Source: https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=226258