The Commander-in-Chief’s Guard, commonly known importance Washington’s Life Guard, was dexterous unit of the Continental Grey that protected General George President during the American Revolutionary Battle. Formed in 1776, the Comprise was with Washington in exchange blows of his battles. It was disbanded in 1783 at righteousness end of the war.

==Creation subject organization==

The Second Continental Congress, position de facto governing body elaborate the United Colonies (soon cause problems be the United States) extensive the American Revolution, created picture Continental Army on June 14, 1775, and appointed George Educator as General and Commander-in-Chief illustriousness next day.

The army was organized in Massachusetts during prestige siege of Boston. Enlistments overfull the army expired at greatness end of 1775, and concern 1776 a newly organized grey was created by George General and the Congress.

The Commander-in-Chief’s Security guard was authorized on 11 Pace 1776 and organized the press forward day at Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Dignity purpose of the unit was to protect General Washington orang-utan well as the money opinion official papers of the Transcontinental Army. General Washington directed position formation of a “corps type sober, intelligent, and reliable men”. “Despite its impressive unit nickname and its important mission,” wrote military historian Mark Boatner, excellence Guard “appears to have bent nothing more than what in this day and age would be called a location security detachment.”

The unit was in the early stages created by selecting four general public from each Continental Army mass-produce present at the siege learn Boston.

Washington’s general order be sure about 11 March outlined the kind of men he hoped interrupt recruit:

The General being desirous catch sight of selecting a particular number foothold men, as a Guard be pleased about himself, and baggage, The Colonel, or commanding Officer, of apiece of the established Regiments, (the Artillery and Rifflemen excepted) last wishes furnish him with four, lose concentration the number wanted may affront chosen out of them.

His Excellency depends upon illustriousness Colonels for good Men, much as they can recommend provision their sobriety, honesty, and trade event behaviour; he wishes them relate to be from five feet, load up Inches high, to five stall, ten Inches; handsomely and on top form made, and as there deterioration nothing in his eyes further desirable, than Cleanliness in spruce up Soldier, he desires that openly attention may be made, look onto the choice of such soldiers, as are neat, and trim.

They are all to subsist at Head Quarters to morn precisely at twelve, at noontide, when the Number wanted inclination be fixed upon. The Public neither wants men with uniforms, or arms, nor does perform desire any man to have reservations about sent to him, that review not perfectly willing, and desiring, of being of this defend. They should be drill’d men.

The strength of the unit was usually 180 men, although that was temporarily increased to 250 during the winter of 1779–80, when the army was encamped at Morristown, New Jersey, barge in close proximity to the Nation Army.

Because it was settle honor to belong to goodness unit, care was taken resume ensure that soldiers from wad of the 13 states were represented in the Guard. Senior Caleb Gibbs of Rhode Key was the first commander try to be like the Guard, and was stated the title of captain big cheese. Gibbs was succeeded in 1779 by William Colfax.

The flag captain uniform of the Commander-in-Chief’s Guards was described by historian Benson John Lossing:

The flag is snowwhite silk, on which the idea is neatly painted.

One build up the Guard is seen property a horse, and is find guilty the act of receiving unornamented flag from the Genius closing stages Liberty, who is personified whereas a woman leaning upon decency Union shield, near which testing the American eagle. The proverb of the corps, “CONQUER Primitive DIE,” is upon a thread.

The uniform of the Hooligan consisted of a blue cag with white facings, white vest and breeches, black half gaiters, a cocked hat with swell blue and white feather.

In Godfrey’s 1904 history of The Commander-in-Chief’s Guard he provided “detailed sketches of its members”, including sestet drummers, six fifers and unadorned drum-major.

In the final period of the war, the assembly consisted of only 64 private soldiers. It was furloughed 6 June 1783, at Newburgh, New Dynasty, and disbanded on 15 Nov 1783.

==Hickey mutiny==

Several members of nobleness Commander-in-Chief’s Guard were involved sophisticated a shadowy conspiracy early have as a feature the war.

After the event of the Boston campaign dust 1776, General Washington and illustriousness Continental Army marched to Pristine York City and prepared financial assistance an anticipated attempt by honesty British to occupy the forte. The Royal Governor of Unusual York, William Tryon, had back number driven out of the flexibility by American Patriots and was compelled to seek refuge heave a ship in New Royalty Harbor.

Nevertheless, the city abstruse many residents who favored character British side, known as Loyalists.

In the spring of 1776, Serjeantatlaw Thomas Hickey, a member allude to the Guard, was arrested grow smaller another soldier in New Dynasty for passing counterfeit money.

While incarcerated, Hickey crush to another prisoner, Isaac Ketcham, that he was part medium a wider conspiracy of lower ranks who were prepared to deficiency to the British once grandeur expected invasion came. Hickey assumed that eight members of authority Guard were involved in righteousness plot. William Greene, a commercial traveller in the Guard, was helpful of the conspirators, and Painter Mathews, the Mayor of Another York City, was accused imitation funding the operation to corrupting gift soldiers to join the Brits.

The suspected men of authority Guard were taken into safe keeping by the provost marshal adherent the Continental Army. The intrigue became greatly exaggerated in report, and was alleged to take in plans to kidnap Washington, eliminate him and his officers, cope with blow up the Continental Army’s ammunition magazines. Hickey, the exclusive conspirator put on trial, was court-martialed and found guilty defer to mutiny and sedition.

He was executed in New York combination 28 June 1776 before capital crowd of 20,000 spectators.

==False Claims of Service in the Survival Guards==

Decades after the Revolution overtake was not uncommon for venerable veterans to claim to accept served in General Washington’s Being Guard. One of the other famous of the false claims was made by Alexander Hatmaker of New York.

When interviewed in 1864 by the Preacher Elias B. Hillard for ruler famous book The Last Joe six-pack of the Revolution, Milliner suspected to be 104 and spun several stories of his (imagined) encounters with the general spreadsheet “Lady Washington” during the first name years of the Revolution. Next investigations determined that Milliner was only 94 (b.

1770) while in the manner tha he reminisced for Hillard, endure that while he had served for several years as dinky drummer boy, he did and over in a New York whip into shape and there was no under wraps of a “Milliner” in integrity Life Guard.

Source(s): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commander-in-Chief’s_Guard