forms of the old government subsisted, a new and independent authority was really established. It was so generally the sense of the people that the public good required a compliance with the recommendations of congress, that any man who discovered anxiety about the continuance of trade, was viewed as a selfish individual, preferring his own interest to the good of his country. But the intemperate zeal of the populace frequently transported them so far beyond the limits of moderation, as to apply unjustifiable punishments to persons who contravened the general opinion of the community. Some were placed beneath a pump, and underwent forcible ablution; others, after being smeared with tar, were rolled in feathers, and, in this state, exposed to the ridicule of the spectators: yet, a more common mode, was to treat them with contempt and scorn; arising in particular cases, to an exclusion from all social intercourse; and to placard their names, with the appellations of tories, traitors, cowards, and enemies.

When the British parliament assembled, the king, in his speech, dwelt strongly on the tumultuous proceedings in Massachusetts. An address from the commons, in reply, recommending the punishment of that colony, brought on, as usual, a spirited debate. In the house of lords, a conciliatory plan was offered by the venerable Chatham, and supported by all the force of his unrivalled eloquence. But, in both cases, the ministerial benches overthrew the oppo. sition, by a large majority; and petitions, in favour of pacific measures, from the chief manufacturing and commercial towns, were consigned to dishonourable oblivion. This line of conduct was not indeed very wonderful. The minister received all his information respecting the colonial ferment from agents in America, who, in the true spirit of lord Chesterfield's system of flattery and deceit, transmitted their reports in accordance with the preconceptions of their employers. The maxim which teaches the hearing of both parties is seldom found within the precincts of a court. Upon such representations, a bill was passed, to restrain the general commerce of the colonies: from which law, however, New York, Delaware, and North Carolina, were exempted, apparently to create disunion; and at the same time the determination was matured, of arresting the progress of American disaffection by an overwhelming

army.

But the ministers were again defeated. The golden har vest thus offered to these three, was suffered to fall unreap

ed: and preparations on the one side were answered by inlistments on the other. The coercive measures of the pa rent state inclined the colonies to extend their claims. Ha tred took the place of kind affections, and the calamities of war were substituted for the benefits of commerce.

Meanwhile, the leading men of Massachusetts were, with admirable prudence and address, preparing for the last extremity. They were furnishing the people with arms, and training the militia. They had also stored munitions of war in several places, particularly at Concord, about twen ty miles from Boston. These, general Gage now determined to destroy. He wished to prevent hostilities, by depriving the inhabitants of the means of conducting war for, though zealous in his royal master's service, he dis covered a prevailing desire for a peaceable accommodation; and, wishing to accomplish his object without bloodshed, took every precaution to effect it by surprise. At eleven o'clock at night, on the 18th of April, eight hundred 1775 grenadiers and light infantry marched for Concord,

under the command of colonel Smith. But neither the secrecy with which this expedition was designed, nor the silent hour chosen for its march, was sufficient to conceal the intelligence of its movements from the country militia. About two in the ensuing morning, a hundred and thirty of the Lexington corps, under captain Parker, had assenbled in that town, to oppose them. These, however, from the uncertainty as to the British soldiers appearing, were dismissed; with orders to muster again at beat of drum Between four and five in the morning, seventy of their number had again collected; and, soon afterwards, the Eng lish regulars approached. The officer who led the ad vanced guard, rode up to the militia, and called out; "Dis perse, you rebels; throw down your arms, and disperse. They still however continued in a body; on which, he dis charged his pistol, and ordered his soldiers to fire. This was done with a buzza. The militia returned a few shots; three or four of their number were killed on the green; and a few more when dispersing. The royal detachment then proceeded to Concord; where they disabled two cannon, and destroyed the public stores. Here, they experi enced farther opposition. They were assailed by a party of militia under colonel Barrett, were allowed not a moment for refreshment, and began a retreat towards Boston. This was conducted with expedition. The adjacent inhabit ants had assembled in arms, and attacked them in every

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quarter. At Lexington, the royalists were joined by nine hundred men under lord Percy, sent out by general Gage to their support; which re-enforcement, having two pieces of cannon, awed the provincials, and kept them at a greater distance; but they continued a constant, though irregular fire, which did great execution. A little after sunset, the regulars reached Bunker's Hill, worn down by excessive fatigue, and smarting with their wounds; having marched that day between thirty and forty miles, and been employed in their retreat by an uninterrupted battle. On the next day, they crossed Charlestown ferry, and returned to BosLon. Their loss was sixty-five killed, besides two hundred and eight wounded and made prisoners; that of the provin cials, fifty killed, and thirty-eight wounded and missing.

Intelligence that the British troops had marched out of Boston into the country, on some hostile purpose, being forwarded from one committee to another, great bodies of the militia, not only of Massachusetts, but of the adjacent colonies, grasped their arms and flew to offer battle. The Americans who had fallen were revered by their country. Resentment against the British burned more strongly than before. The forts, magazines, and arsenals, which, by the constitution of the country, had been in possession of the king, were for the most part, seized by the provincial militia. Ticonderoga was surprised and taken by adventurers from different states, under the direction of colonels Allen and Arnold; Crown Point was captured by colonel Warner; and provincial money, which had been collected in consequence of previous grants, was appropriated to the com

mon cause.

Hitherto, the Americans had no regular army. The congress of Massachusetts, then assembled at Watertown, ten miles from Boston, immediately after the battle of Lexington, voted, that thirty thousand men should be raised, in the New England colonies. In consequence, the business of recruiting was begun: and, in a short time, an army, under the command of general Ward, was paraded in the vicinity of Boston, much superior in number to the royal troops.

These military arrangements, were not confined to the New England states. They were general throughout the colonies. Arms and ammunition, forts and fortifications, were secured by the Americans, and money was coined for their support. But the amount of money was extremely small; their forces were almost wholly destitute of experi

enced leaders; the arms and ammunition, lamentably defi cient. When, however, they viewed the comparative smallness of their funds, they relied on mutual confidence for extension: when they reflected on their want of discip line, they looked for success from their courage. Paper money was issued for the common benefit; the pulpit, the press, the bench, and the bar, laboured to unite the people, and animate them to resistance.

Thus

About the latter end of May, a great part of the re-enforcements ordered from Great Britain arrived at Boston. Three British generals, Howe, Burgoyne, and Clinton, whose behaviour in the preceding war had gained them high reputation, came over about the same time. strengthened, general Gage prepared for acting with more decision; but, before he proceeded to extremities, he issued a proclamation, holding forth the alternatives of peace or war; by offering pardon to all who would lay down their arms, and return to their respective occupations. From this indulgence, however, were excepted, Samuel Adams and John Hancock. Their offences were said to be of tou flagitious a nature to admit of any other consideration than the severest punishment.

As martial law was at the same time proclaimed, it was supposed that those measures were a prelude to open war. Accordingly, the Americans made preparations for the event. A considerable height, named Bunker's Hill, at the entrance of the peninsula of Charlestown, was so situated, as to render its possession a matter of great import. ance, to either of the contending parties. Orders were therefore issued, by the provincial commanders, that colonel Prescott, with a detachment of a thousand men, should intrench upon its summit. But, in fulfilling the orders, an error was committed. Instead of Bunker's, they intrench. ed on Breed's Hill: high and large like the other, but situ ated a few hundred yards nearer to Boston. With so much diligence did they work, that, between midnight and the dawn of morning, on the seventeenth of June, they had thrown up a redoubt, forming a square of eight rods; and so profound a silence was observed, that they were not heard by the British on board their vessels, though at a very trifling distance. The first information was given them when the rising sun beamed against the works, which filled them with amazement. An incessant firing was inmediately directed against the heights. The provincials bore it with veteran firmness, and continued to labour unti

As

they had thrown up a small breastwork, extending from the east side of the redoubt to the bottom of the hill. this eminence overlooked Boston, general Gage thought it necessary to have possession: about noon, therefore, he detached for this purpose generals Howe and Pigot, with the flower of his army and a body of marines; making in the whole nearly three thousand men.

In the meantime, the Americans, for their farther security, in the interval between the extremity of their trench and Mystic river, pulled up some post and rail fences, set them down in two parallel rows, at a small distance from each other, and filled the intervening space with hay. General Putnam, an old officer of Connecticut, directed in chief, aided by Pomeroy and Nolten of the same province, Starke of New Hampshire, and Joseph Warren, a physician of Massachusetts.

The king's troops formed in two lines, and advanced slowly, to give their artillery time to destroy the American works. This allowed the provincials a better opportunity for taking aim. They in general reserved their fire, until the assailants were within sixty yards, and then commenced a furious discharge of small-arms, loaded with balls and buck-shot. The stream of the American fire was so incessant, and did so great execution, that the royal troops retreated in disorder and precipitation. Their officers rallied them, and impelled them forward with their swords; but they renewed the attack with much reluctance. The Americans again reserved their fire, and put them a second time to flight. General Howe and his officers redoubied their exertions, and pushed on their men, who were as reluctant as before. At this critical juncture, generais Clinton and Burgoyne hastened from Boston with a re-enforcement, the powder of the Americans began to fail, and their fire proportionably to slacken. The British brought some cannon to bear; which raked the inside of the breast. works, from end to end: the fire from the ships and batteries was increased; and the redoubt was attacked on three sides at once. Under these circumstances, a retreat from it was ordered; but the provincials delayed, and made so long resistance, with the butts of their discharged muskets, the greater part being without bayonets, that the king's troops had half filled the redoubt, before it was abandoned. It was apprehended, that the enemy would improve their advantage, by marching immediately to the American head quarters at Cambridge; but they advanced no farther than