The following is an installment of “On This Day,” a 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.

Feb. 11, 1776.

It is dawn in February 1776, approximately 6:21 a.m., and Gen. George Washington has already saddled up at his Cambridge headquarters. Washington has always been an early riser. It’s a habit that began in his youth as a surveyor, and it continued as a farmer, where he hoped to maximize productivity at Mount Vernon.

Washington rides out from his headquarters, just as the sun comes up, off to inspect the frozen heights south of Boston. It has been nearly a year since the Siege of Boston began, and they are in the midst of a long winter stalemate.

Col. Richard Gridley, the army’s chief engineer, and Col. Henry Knox, the commander of artillery, ride with Washington to evaluate whether fortifications can support a newly arrived cannon.

Rufus Putnam, an engineer and........

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