- Mar 22, 2019
- 2,365
On this date in 1783, in our historic Maryland Statehouse, General George Washington resigned his Commission in the Continental Army, before the assembled members of the Continental Congress.
From Wikipedia:
Washington arrived at Annapolis on December 19, 1783, and was greeted by General William Smallwood and General Horatio Gates at the Three Mile Oak.
The next day, he wrote to Congress about the method to resign, whether in person or by writing. The President of the Continental Congress, Thomas Mifflin, appointed a committee of Thomas Jefferson, James McHenry, and Elbridge Gerry to determine the details.
On Monday, December 22, Congress honored Washington with a feast at Mann's Tavern, attended by between two and three hundred gentlemen. Later that night, a public ball was held in his honor by Maryland Governor William Paca at the State House.
Nearly six hundred guests attended.
At noon, on Tuesday, December 23, Charles Thomson, secretary of the Continental Congress, led Washington, accompanied by two of his aides-de-camp, Col. David Humphreys and Col. Benjamin Walker, into the Senate Chamber of the Maryland State House.
While depicted in some paintings of the event, Martha Washington was not actually in attendance.
Then Washington delivered his remarks to the assembly:
“Happy in the confirmation of our Independence and Sovereignty, and pleased with the opportunity afforded the United States of becoming a respectable Nation, I resign with satisfaction the Appointment I accepted with diffidence.
…
I consider it an indispensable duty to close this last solemn act of my Official life, by commending the Interests of our dearest Country to the protection of Almighty God, and those who have the superintendence of them, to his holy keeping.
Having now finished the work assigned me, I retire from the great theatre of Action; and bidding an Affectionate farewell to this August body under whose orders I have so long acted, I here offer my Commission, and take my leave of all the employments of public life.”
— George Washington
As the last act of his resignation, Washington handed his commission and his speech to President Mifflin.
The next day, December 24, Washington left for Mount Vernon.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Washington's_resignation_as_commander-in-chief
https://annapolisdiscovered.com/george-washington-resigns-and-goes-home/
From Wikipedia:
Washington arrived at Annapolis on December 19, 1783, and was greeted by General William Smallwood and General Horatio Gates at the Three Mile Oak.
The next day, he wrote to Congress about the method to resign, whether in person or by writing. The President of the Continental Congress, Thomas Mifflin, appointed a committee of Thomas Jefferson, James McHenry, and Elbridge Gerry to determine the details.
On Monday, December 22, Congress honored Washington with a feast at Mann's Tavern, attended by between two and three hundred gentlemen. Later that night, a public ball was held in his honor by Maryland Governor William Paca at the State House.
Nearly six hundred guests attended.
At noon, on Tuesday, December 23, Charles Thomson, secretary of the Continental Congress, led Washington, accompanied by two of his aides-de-camp, Col. David Humphreys and Col. Benjamin Walker, into the Senate Chamber of the Maryland State House.
While depicted in some paintings of the event, Martha Washington was not actually in attendance.
Then Washington delivered his remarks to the assembly:
“Happy in the confirmation of our Independence and Sovereignty, and pleased with the opportunity afforded the United States of becoming a respectable Nation, I resign with satisfaction the Appointment I accepted with diffidence.
…
I consider it an indispensable duty to close this last solemn act of my Official life, by commending the Interests of our dearest Country to the protection of Almighty God, and those who have the superintendence of them, to his holy keeping.
Having now finished the work assigned me, I retire from the great theatre of Action; and bidding an Affectionate farewell to this August body under whose orders I have so long acted, I here offer my Commission, and take my leave of all the employments of public life.”
— George Washington
As the last act of his resignation, Washington handed his commission and his speech to President Mifflin.
The next day, December 24, Washington left for Mount Vernon.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Washington's_resignation_as_commander-in-chief
https://annapolisdiscovered.com/george-washington-resigns-and-goes-home/