George Washington's Oath of Allegiance
This document shows the oath of allegiance signed by George Washington, Commander in Chief of the Armies of the United States of America, while encamped at Valley Forge, PA, on May 12, 1778. Oaths of allegiance and fidelity and oaths of office were taken mainly by Continental Army line and staff officers in accordance with a resolution of the Continental Congress of February 3, 1778. The oaths generally included the name of the subscriber, his rank or office, his organization, the date, the name and rank of the witness, and the place where the oath was taken.
Oaths of allegiance and fidelity and oaths of office are part of the Numbered Record Books assembled by the War Department to document information about Revolutionary War military operations and service, pay and settlement of accounts, and supplies. These records were collected decades after the war to replace wartime records lost in a devastating fire at the War Department in November 1800, and during the burning of Washington by the British in 1814. Learn more about the War Department Collection of Revolutionary War Records
George Washington's Oath of Allegiance. National Archives Identifier: 12043370
View and download Washington's Oath of Allegiance on the National Archives Catalog. You can explore more of our holdings by visiting our online Catalog or by visiting the National Archives in Washington, DC. This record is located with Record Group 93: War Department Collection of Revolutionary War Records, Series: Numbered Record Books, File Unit: Oaths of Allegiance and Fidelity and Oaths of Office. We encourage researchers to visit us onsite to explore these records and learn more about the archival collections held in the National Archives in Washington, DC.