Artemas Ward
The steadfast Massachusetts general who commanded the colonial forces besieging Boston, providing crucial early stability to the Revolutionary cause.
1727–1800 (age 73)·Continental Army general·Birthday: November 26
Biography
Before Washington, there was Ward. As political tensions exploded into war at Lexington and Concord, Artemas Ward, a veteran of the French and Indian War and a respected Massachusetts politician, found himself commanding the chaotic, enthusiastic militia army that bottled up the British in Boston. He was not a flashy tactician, but a figure of administrative resolve and local trust, organizing supplies, fortifications, and the disparate colonial regiments into a functional force during those critical first months. When George Washington arrived to take command, Ward served loyally as his second-in-command, his deep knowledge of the New England troops and landscape proving invaluable. His contribution was foundational: he held the revolutionary effort together at its most fragile beginning, allowing the Continental Army to be born.
#1 When Artemas Was Born
The biggest hits of 1727
Artemas's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1727Born
1732Started school
1740Became a teenager
1743Could drive
1745Could vote
1748Turned 21
1757Turned 30
1767Turned 40
1777Turned 50
1787Turned 60
1797Turned 70
1800Died at 73
Key Achievements
- Appointed the first Commander-in-Chief of the Massachusetts provincial forces at the outbreak of the Revolutionary War in 1775.
- Effectively managed the siege of Boston for two months before George Washington's arrival.
- Served as the senior major general and second-in-command of the Continental Army under Washington.
- Represented Massachusetts in the U.S. House of Representatives after the war.
Did You Know?
The town of Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, where he lived, still preserves his family home as a museum.
He suffered from poor health, including kidney stones, throughout the war, often commanding from a sickbed.
He was one of the original members of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, founded in 1780.
“Discipline is the soul of an army.”
