The following is an installment of “On This Day,” a new series celebrating America’s 250th anniversary by following the actions of Gen. George Washington, the Continental Congress, and the men and women whose bravery and sacrifice led up to the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Jan. 8, 1776

Cambridge, Massachusetts

Writing urgently from his headquarters, Gen. George Washington ordered Maj. Gen. Charles Lee to proceed to New York with “all possible speed,” warning that British ships fitting out in Boston were, in his estimation, bound for the city and aimed at seizing the Hudson River. Washington understood that New York was the strategic key to the continent: its loss would give the British command of the interior and open a direct corridor to Canada.

Though often at odds with Lee, Washington pressed him to act decisively, raising........

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