Artemas Ward, a General from Massachusetts, has been in charge of the colonial forces camped in Cambridge since the day after the battles of Lexington and Concord. He has written to the Continental Congress in Philadelphia of the trials in organizing an army, asking for assistance or "I shall be left all alone." He waits for a response. A debate breaks out in Congress: should they authorize the creation of an Army of the United Colonies? If so, whom should they pick to lead it? Artemas Ward already has experience and knows his troops, but he is relatively unknown outside New England. Some members in Congress also believe it is important to raise support outside of the turbulent New England area. Attention turns to a Virginian, one who has turned up to Congress repeatedly in his military uniform.