On March 20, 1776, General George Washington wrote to the Continental Congress declaring his victory over General Howe and the retreat of the British from Boston Harbor. The following day, Secretary John Adams proposed that Washington receive a gold medal for his successful leadership. It was the first Congressional gold medal awarded to a soldier and the first Comitia Americana medal to be commissioned. The medal’s design and production involved a lengthy process with two failed committees and multiple design attempts. In all it took more than 14 years before Washington received his medal, the sixth Comitia Americana produced despite being the first commissioned.
The final medal, engraved by Benjamin Duvivier, depicted a right-facing profile of Washington designed after the bust by J. A. Houdon on the obverse. On the reverse, Washington on horseback speaks with four mounted officers beside several cannons from Fort Ticonderoga. In the background, the Continental Army runs toward Boston and British ships sail in retreat.
