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APPENDIX B-DEPARTMENT COMMANDERS
 
Department Commander Dates of Command
Main Army George Washington Duration of war
Eastern Department Artemas Ward 4 Apr 1776-20 Mar 1777
William Heath 20 Mar 1777-7 Nov 1778
Horatio Gates 7 Nov 1778-Nov 1779
Northern Department (initially New York Department) Philip Schuyler 25 Jun 1775-19 Aug 1777
Horatio Gates 19 Aug 1777-17 Apr 1778
John Stark 17 Apr 1778-19 Oct 1778
Edward Hand 19 Oct 1778-20 Nov 1778
James Clinton 20 Nov 1778-25 Jun 1781
John Stark 25 Jun 1781-15 Oct 1781
William Alexander (Stirling) 15 Oct 1781-21 Nov 1781
John Stark 21 Nov 1781-29 Aug 1782
William Alexander (Stirling) 29 Aug 1782-15 Jan 1783
Southern Department Charles Lee 1 Mar 1776-9 Sep 1776
Robert Howe 9 Sep 1776-25 Sep 1778
Benjamin Lincoln 25 Sep 1778-13 Jun 1780
Horatio Gates 13 Jun 1780-31 Oct 1780
Nathanael Greene 31 Oct 1780-end of war
Western Department Edward Hand 10 Apr 1777-26 May 1778
Lachlan McIntosh 26 May 1778-20 Feb 1779
Daniel Brodhead 5 Mar 1779-24 Sep 1781
William Irvine 24 Sep 1781 -end of war
Highlands Department William Heath 12 Nov 1776-21 Dec 1776
Alexander McDougall 21 Dec 1776-12 May 1777
Israel Putnam 12 May 1777-16 Mar 1778
Alexander McDougall 16 Mar 1778-20 May 1778
Horatio Gates 20 May 1778-24 Nov 1778
Alexander McDougall 24 Nov 1778-27 Nov 1779
William Heath 27 Nov 1779-21 Feb 1780
Robert Howe (acting) 21 Feb 1780-21 Jun 1780
Alexander McDougall 21 Jun 1780-3 Aug 1780
Benedict Arnold 3 Aug 1780-25 Sep 1780
George Washington 25 Sep 1780-28 Sep 1780
Alexander McDougall 28 Sep 1780-5 Oct 1780
Nathanael Greene 5 Oct 1780-17 Oct 1780
William Heath 17 Oct 1780-11 May 1781
John Paterson (acting) 11 May 1781-24 Jun 1781
Alexander McDougall 24 Jun 1781-18 Jan 1782
William Heath 18 Jan 1782-24 Aug 1782
Henry Knox 24 Aug 1782-end of war
Canadian Department Richard Montgomery (provisional) 9 Dec 1775-31 Dec 1775
David Wooster (provisional) 31 Dec 1775-6 Mar 1776
Charles Lee 17 Feb 1776-1 Mar 1776 (never served)
John Thomas 6 Mar 1776-1 Jun 1776
John Sullivan 1 Jun 1776-2 Jul 1776
Horatio Gates Appointed 17 Jun 1776 but never served due to withdrawal of troops from department area

page updated 7 May 2001


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