The stirring words of the Declaration of Independence — life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness — were read aloud across the colonies and in the halls and salons of Europe. The beautifully formed list of grievances attempted to justify the proposed separation from Great Britain, an important step gaining support for the conflict already being waged under the leadership of Virginia’s George Washington.

Who was this man who, over a year earlier, had been chosen unanimously to lead the Continental Army?

The great-grandson of an English immigrant, Washington had been born on the family farm in Virginia in 1732. After the death of his father, the young Washington become the ward of his older brother, Lawrence. Unable to continue his formal education, George fell under the spell of the land and, in later years, would reclaim that early enjoyment of working the land. Understanding that Mount Vernon belonged to his brother, George chose a vocation that would allow him to continue enjoying the land even if he did not own his own corner of paradise; he became the official surveyor of Culpepper County, Virginia, in 1749 at age 17.

When Lawrence died unexpectedly, George found himself responsible for his mother, Mary Ball Washington, and Mount Vernon while also assuming some of Lawrence’s community leadership posts, including a position as the district adjutant militia leader for Virginia and a subsequent appointment to the Virginia House of Burgesses. By 1754, he was serving in the British army as an officer in the fight for control of the western lands (the French and Indian War), and while unexperienced in military strategy, he had proven himself a strong leader.

His experience in the French and Indian War and as a landowner in the years of increasing taxation and strict oversight by the royal governors helped form Washington’s opinion that Great Britain was exploiting the colonies to support its own ineffective policies and financial mismanagement. Because of his vocal opposition to British policies, George was chosen as a delegate to the Continental Congress in 1774 and, the following year, was offered the position of commander-in-chief of the Continental Army, which in reality did not exist. However, the engagement between local militia and British forces at Lexington and Concord propelled the Continental Congress into action and a decision to unite the local militias into a colonial force.

Almost 250 years later, citizens have an image of General George Washington, Father of his Country, astride his horse, leading troops into victory at Yorktown, defeating the strongest empire in the world. In reality, the journey to independence was still uncertain; the colonies did not unite in their desire for independence until a year after Washington’s appointment. And, even then, the possibility of victory was uncertain, reminiscent of David and Goliath.

I’ve often tried to imagine Washington’s feelings when, only one month after his appointment as the commanding general, conflict erupted in British-occupied Boston. The stalemate that had existed in Massachusetts since the occupation of Boston and the resounding shots fired at Lexington and Concord gave way to armed confrontation, only a few hundred miles from where the congressional delegates were locked in debate about their future.

The early militia records document that more than 18,000 colonial militiamen had converged on Boston in the days following the Lexington Alarm. While the Second Continental Congress may not have been solidified in its future action, the militiamen in Boston had no doubt that a war was going to be fought and their future was swinging in the balance. This Provincial Army of Observation — interesting name — had encircled the city, supervised by militia commander Artemus Ward. The British forces in Boston, although substantial, numbered less than 8,000, but the militiamen knew their numbers alone would not win a conflict, for they lacked sufficient artillery. So both sides settled down with a “wait and see” attitude.

On June 16, 1775, General Ward ordered Colonel William Prescott to strengthen the American blockade by taking control of the Charlestown Peninsula. Stealthily moving 1,400 militiamen into position, Prescott occupied the two dominant hills on the peninsula, Bunker Hill and Breed’s Hill. The few pieces of light artillery he possessed were moved to Breed’s Hill, closer to Boston and its harbor.

Imagine the British surprise when they awoke on the morning of July 17, 1775, to find that the high hills above the city were now swarming with colonial militiamen, prepared to end the stalemate. British General Gage called his senior officers together for a strategy session. Generals William Howe, Henry Clinton, and John Burgoyne agreed with Gage that an attack against the armed colonists should be launched immediately.

As the British moved into position, the militiamen prepared to repeal the British charge, hearing the British order of charge with “fixed bayonets.”

The Second Continental Congress may have been locked in indecision, but the militia forces surrounding Boston heard the call and responded with equal force, fighting for their city and their own freedom.

When the smoke cleared, British Major Benjamin Thompson’s prediction that the British possessed “scarcely a regiment in Camp but that can produce men that can beat them at shooting” was verified. The British casualties included 100 officers, evidence that the colonists had purposefully targeted officers, an effective tactic considered inappropriate according to continental rules of engagement.

By sunset on June 17, 1775, the British military understood that new battlefield tactics were in play and they did not have a copy of the playbook.