Gen. Thomas Gage (1721–1787) had been for ten years commander in chief of British troops in North America with headquarters at New York. He was at this time relinquishing his post and returning to England for a brief visit. He returned to America a short time later as the last royal governor of Massachusetts. GW had known Gage during the French wars, when Gage served as lieutenant colonel of the 44th Foot in the ill-starred Braddock expedition. The entertainment GW attended was a farewell from the merchants of New York to General Gage, held at Hull’s tavern (Rivington’s N.Y. Gazetteer, 3 June 1773).