Crown 1775. bayonets ensued. The commander, De la Place, was required to surrender the fort. "By what authority?" he asked." "I demand it," said Allen, "in the name of the great Jehovah, and of the continental congress." This extraordinary summons was instantly obeyed; and the fort, with its valuable stores, and 49 prisoners, was surrendered without resistance.1 Colonel Seth Warner, despatched with a party of men to Crown Point, easily took possession of that fortress, in which was a garrison consisting of but one sergeant and 12 men. The pass at Skenesborough was seized at the same time by a detachment of the volunteers from Connecticut; and major Skene and his family, with a number of soldiers and several small pieces of cannon, were taken. A sloop of war lying at St. John's, at the northern extremity of lake Champlain, was surprised and seized by Arnold, who, for that service, armed and manned a schooner found in South Bay. Thus, without the loss of a man, two very important posts were acquired, together with the command of the lakes George and Champlain. Skenesborough. Mass. pro gress re The spirit of the cabinet was proportioned to that of the vincial con- soldiery. On the 5th of May, the Massachusetts provincial nounce gov. congress resolved, "that general Gage has, by the late transacGage. tions, and many other means, utterly disqualified himself from serving this colony, as a governor, or in any other capacity; and that therefore no obedience is in future due to him; but that, on the contrary, he ought to be considered and guarded against, as an unnatural and inveterate enemy to the country." From this time general Gage's jurisdiction was confined within the walls of the capital. May 25. Clinton. June 12. Toward the end of May, a considerable reinforcement arrived Howe, Bur- at Boston from England; and, about the same time, generals goyne, and Howe, Burgoyne, and Clinton, who had gained great reputation in the preceding war. General Gage, thus reinforced, prepared himself to act with more decision. He issued a proclamation, Gen. Gage's and, in the king's name, offered and promised his most gracious proclama pardon to all persons," who shall forthwith lay down their arms, and return to the duties of peaceable subjects, excepting only from the benefit of such pardon, Samuel Adams and John Hancock, whose offences are of too flagitious a nature to admit of any other consideration, than that of condign punishment ;" and he proclaimed and ordered "the use and exercise of the law tion. 1 There were taken at Ticonderoga between 112 and 120 iron cannon, from 6 to 24 pounders; 50 swivels; 2 ten inch mortars; 1 howitzer; 1 cohorn; 10 tons of musket ball; 3 cart loads of flints; 30 new carriages; a considerable quantity of shells; a warehouse full of materials to carry on boat building; 100 stand of small arms; 10 casks of poor powder; 2 brass cannon; 30 barrels of flour; and 18 barrels of pork. The prisoners were the captain, a lieutenant, a gunner, 2 sergeants, and 44 rank and file, beside women and children. martial," throughout the province of Massachusetts, "for so 1775. long time as the present unhappy occasion shall necessarily require." This proclamation, instead of intimidating or dividing the colonists, served but to embolden and unite them. Battle of The movements of the British army excited an apprehension June 17. that general Gage intended to penetrate into the country. It was Bunker therefore recommended by the provincial congress to the council Hill. of war, to take measures for the defence of Dorchester neck, and to occupy Bunker's Hill. This hill, which is high and commanding, stands just at the entrance of the peninsula of Charlestown. Orders were accordingly issued on the 16th of June, for a detachment of 1000 men, under the command of colonel Prescot, to take possession of that eminence; but, by some mistake, Breed's Hill was marked out, instead of Bunker's Hill, for the projected entrenchments. About nine in the evening, the detachment moved from Cambridge, and, passing silently over Charlestown Neck, ascended Breed's Hill, and reached the top of it unobserved. This hill is situated on the farther part of the peninsula, next to Boston; and is so high as to overlook every part of that town, and so near it as to be within cannon shot. The provincials, who had provided themselves with entrenching tools, immediately commenced the work, and laboured with such diligence, that, by the dawn of day, they had thrown up a redoubt about eight rods square. Although the peninsula was almost surrounded with ships of war and transports, the men worked so silently, that they were not discovered until morning. At break of day, the alarm was given at Boston by a cannonade, begun on the provincial works by the ship of war Lively. A battery of six guns was soon after opened upon them from Copp's Hill, in Boston. Under an incessant shower of shot and bombs, the provincials indefatigably persevered in their labour, until they had thrown up a small breast work, extending from the east side of the redoubt to the bottom of the hill, toward the river Mystic. General Gage, judging it necessary to drive the provincials from this eminence, detached major general Howe and brigadier general Pigot, about noon, with ten companies of grenadiers, and ten of light infantry, with a due proportion of field artillery, to perform that service. These troops landed at Moreton's point, where they immediately formed; but, perceiving that the Americans waited for them with firmness, they remained in their first position, until the arrival of a reinforcement from Boston. Meanwhile the Americans were also reinforced by a body of their countrymen, with generals Warren and Pomeroy; and the troops on the open ground pulled up some adjoining post and rail fences, and, placing them at a small distance apart in two 1775. parallel lines, filled up the space with new mown grass, and formed a cover from the musketry of the enemy. Charles The British troops, now joined by the second detachment, and formed in two lines, moved forward with the light infantry on the right wing, commanded by general Howe, and the grenadiers on the left, by brigadier general Pigot; the former to attack the provincial lines in flank, and the latter the redoubt in front. The attack was begun by a very heavy discharge of field pieces and howitzers, the troops advancing slowly, and halting at short intervals, to allow time for the artillery to produce effect on the works. While they were advancing, orders were given to set fire to Charlestown, a handsome village on their left flank, town burnt. containing about 400 houses, chiefly of wood; and in a very short time the town was wrapped in one great blaze. This awfully majestic spectacle added indescribable grandeur to the scene, in the view of the unnumbered spectators, who, occupying the heights of Boston and of its neighbourhood, were eagerly looking for the approaching battle. The provincials, having permitted the enemy to approach within less than one hundred yards of their works, unmolested, then poured in upon them such a deadly fire of small arms, that the British line was broken, and fell precipitately back toward the landing place. This disorder was repaired by the vigorous exertions of the officers, who again. brought them up to the attack; but the Americans, renewing their fire as before, drove them back again in confusion. General Clinton, arriving at this juncture from Boston, united his exertions with those of general Howe and the other officers, and was eminently serviceable in rallying the troops, who, with extreme reluctance, were a third time led on to the charge. The powder of the Americans now began so far to fail, that their fire became necessarily slackened. The British brought some of their cannon to bear, which raked the inside of the breastwork from end to end; the fire from the ships, batteries, and field artillery, was redoubled; and the redoubt, attacked on three sides at once, was carried at the point of the bayonet. The provincials, though a retreat was ordered, delayed, and made obstinate resistance with their discharged guns, until the assailants, who easily mounted the works, had half filled the redoubt. American redoubt taken. During these operations, the British light infantry were attempting to force the left point of the breastwork, that they might take the American line in flank; but, while they advanced with signal bravery, they were received with unyielding firmness. The provincials here, as well as at the redoubt, reserved their fire until the near approach of the enemy, and then poured in their shot with such well directed aim, as to mow them down in ranks. No sooner was the redoubt lost, than the breastwork was necessarily abandoned. The provincials were now to make 1775. their way over Charlestown neck, which was completely raked by the shot of the Glasgow man of war, and of two floating Provincia's batteries; but, great as was the apparent danger, the retreat was effected with inconsiderable loss. retreat. On the part of the British, about 3000 men were engaged in Loss in the this action; and their killed and wounded amounted to 1054. battle. The number of Americans in this engagement was 1500; and their killed, wounded, and missing, amounted to 453.1 becomes Events had now proved the necessity of a second congress, A second which had been advised by the last, unless there should be a congress redress of grievances. The effusion of blood, with the continu- necessary. ance of open hostilities, called for wisdom in council, as well as valour in the field. Nor had the colonists waited for this extremity. Before the battle of Lexington, the same eleven colonies, which had sent delegates to the first congress, had appointed delegates for the second. On the 10th of May, they met at Congress Philadelphia, and chose Peyton Randolph president. At the meets. opening of congress, Mr. Hancock laid before that body depositions, proving that, in the battle of Lexington, the king's troops were the aggressors; together with the proceedings of the provincial assembly of Massachusetts on that occasion. The crisis 1 Of the British, 226 were killed, and 828 wounded; 19 commissioned officers being among the former, and 70 among the latter. Of the Americans, 139 were killed, and 314 wounded and missing. The only provincial officers of distinction lost, were general Joseph Warren of Boston, colonel Gardner of Cambridge, lieutenant colonel Parker of Chelmsford, major Moore, and major M'Clany. The death of general Warren was deeply and universally lamented. He had received the commission of major general four days only before the battle, into which he rushed as a volunteer. Just as the retreat of the provincials commenced, a ball struck him in the head, and he fell dead on the spot. In private life, he was esteemed for his engaging manners; and as a physician, for his professional abilities. In counsel, he was judicious; in action, ardent and daring." To the purest patriotism and most undaunted bravery, he added the virtues of domestic life, the eloquence of an accomplished orator, and the wisdom of an able statesman." The memory of colonel Gardner is cherished with high regard in Cambridge. It is impossible to do justice to all the officers and soldiers, who distinguished themselves in this hard fought battle. A number of the Massachusetts troops were in the redoubt, which was so nobly defended, and in that part of the breastwork nearest to it. The left of the breastwork, and the open ground stretching beyond it to the water side, were occupied partly by the Massachusetts forces, and partly by the Connecticut, under captain Knowlton of Ashford, whose conduct was much applauded, and by the New Hampshire troops, under colonel Stark. General Putnam was in this battle, and fought with his usual intrepidity. He charged his men to retain their fire till the very near approach of the enemy; reminded them of their skill in their customary shooting at home; and directed them to take sight at the enemy.— The poet and the painter place him at the rear of the retreating troops: "There strides bold Putnam, and from all the plains Calls the tired host, the tardy rear sustains, Barlow's Vision of Columbus, and Trumbull's Battle of Bunker Hill. May 26. measures of the king. 1775. had now arrived, which required the other colonies to determine, whether they would maintain the cause of New England in actual war; or, withdrawing from those colonies, and abandoning the object for which they had so long contended, submit to the absolute supremacy of parliament. The delegates in congress did not hesitate which part of the alternative to embrace. They unanimously determined, that, as hostilities had actually commenced, and large reinforcements to the British army were expected, the colonies should be immediately put in a state of defence; "but as they wished for a restoration of the harmony formerly subsisting between the mother country and the colonies," they resolved that, "to the promotion of this most desirable Petition to reconciliation, an humble and dutiful petition be presented to his majesty." Beside this second petition to the king, they prepared a second address to the inhabitants of Great Britain; another to the people of Canada; and another to the assembly of Jamaica. These addresses were composed in a masterly manner, and were well calculated to procure friends to the colonies. Congress voted, that 20,000 men should be immediately equipped; unanimously chose George Washington, then a delegate from Virginia, to be general and commander in chief of the army of the United Colonies, and all the forces now raised, or to be raised by them; proceeded to organize the higher departments of the army; and emitted bills of credit to the amount of three millions of Spanish milled dollars to defray the expenses of the war, and pledged the TWELVE UNITED COLONIES for their redemption.1 Articles of war for the government of the continental army were formed. Addresses to G. Britain, Canada & Jamaica. style of confederated colonies. Advise On the 9th of June, Congress having received a letter from Massachu the Provincial Convention of the Massachusetts Bay, dated May 16th, setting forth the difficulties they labour under for want of a powers of regular form of government, and requesting explicit advice setts to exercise the government. respecting the taking up and exercising the powers of civil government, resolved: "That no obedience being due to the Act of Parliament for altering the Charter of the Colony of Massachusetts Bay, nor to a Governor or Lieutenant Governor, who will not observe the directions of, but endeavour to subvert that Charter, the Governor and Lieutenant Governor of that Colony are to be considered as absent, and their offices vacant; |