Author: Frederick Alen Schuster
Major General Artemas Ward-First Commander-in-Chief of the Revolutionary Forces at Massachusetts

Artemas Ward born November 6, 1727 during a time when the the colonies were at constant war with with the French and the Native Americans tribes of the area. He was born in Shrewsbury, MA a settlement that his father and grandfather help settle and was the fifth child of Lt. Nahum and Martha Howe Ward. Artemas attended the public school system, was home schooled and tutored by his pastor. At the age of 16, Artemas enrolled and was accepted to Harvard University where he studies Law. At the age of 23 he graduated Harvard and begun to study his master’s degree, finishing in three years time. After Harvard he taught for a short period, married Sarah Trowbridge and after a short period the couple returned to his boyhood home in Shrewsbury.

At age twenty three he became one of the youngest magistrates in Worcester County, where he started a long career of civic, court and English appointments to serve the colony of Massachusetts. It would be here where Arteams Ward would gain the support of the local towns people and see the injustices incurred by the taxation placed on the colony by the British parliament.

Aretmas Ward served in under General Burgoyne in the Seven Year War which would become known in the Americas as the French and Indian War. Her he would be be promoted several times in the course of a few years for his knowledge of military strategy. After the French and Indian Wars he would return to his public life where he would become one of the most outspoken opponents against the British Crown.

At the first Continental Congress Artemas Ward was elected second in command of the Massachusetts forces, however when Jedidah Prebble fail to take command, Artemas Ward would become the the Commander-in-Chief of the forces and would be the Commanding officer at the Battle of Bunker Hill and the Siege on Boston. When the second Continental Congress convened their was overwhelming support to elect Artemas Ward to the Commander-in Chief of the Continental Army. Artemis sent word to his good friend John Adams declining the nomination in support of Virginian so that that the 13 colonies would unite under one cause and support the Revolution. Artemis Ward accepted the second in command reporting only to General George Washington of Virginia, thus the 13 colonies united and supported the American Revolution.

General George Washington and General Artemas Ward had a strong dislike for each other and in March 1777 Artemas Ward stepped aside. General George Washington accepted his resignation, however the Continental Congress did not. General George Washington failed to replace Artemas Ward until the Spring of 1783.

Artemas Ward had a long and successful military and political career. He died on October 27, 1800 at the age of 73. Vice President John Adams said of Artemas Ward that he was essential to the American cause of freedom, without him there may never have been a revolution or a United States of America.