His Excellency George Washington

On July 3, 1775, General George Washington assumed charge of the army that was gathering in Cambridge, Massachusetts. First called "the New England army or "the army at Boston," (p.24) what we now know as the Continental Army was a rag tag collection of untrained men wearing all kinds of dress. There were a few exceptions, however, one being our first Commander-in-Chief. According to an eye witness, James Thacher, a doctor who had just set foot on the scene from his home town of Barnstable:

"'His Excellency was on horseback, in company with several military gentlemen. It was not difficult to distinguish him from all others. His personal appearance is truly noble and majestic, being tall and well proportioned. His dress is a blue coat with buff colored facings, a rich epaulet on each shoulder, buff underdress, and an elegant small sword, a black cockade in his hat.'"
--p.34

Above was taken from the book, "1776" by David McCullough, Simon & Schuster, New York, 2005, chapter 2, "Rabble in Arms" pp. 20 - 69.