a series of acts were passed, and the power of the nation exerted, to crush the town of Boston, because it had shown a more determined spirit of resistance to their oppressive and unconstitutional measures than had appeared in other places. The ministry were not sensible that the colonies considered themselves all engaged in a common cause; they were in hopes to humble and crush the rebellious inhabitants of that devoted town, which they thought would be such a terrific example as would frighten all the colonies into submission. But their wicked designs recoiled on the heads of their authors; for these oppressive measures towards the Bostonians only served to exasperate the people throughout all the colonies, who regarded them as cruel and detestable.

In March 1775, the public indignation was greatly excited by the following base and most shameful transactions :

"The people from the country, whose business called them into Boston, were suspected by the officers of purchasing guns from their soldiers. In order to furnish an opportunity to inflict punishment, and to raise occasion for a serious quarrel, Lieutenant Colonel Nesbit, of the forty seventh regiment, ordered a soldier to offer a countryman an old rusty musket. A man from Billerica was caught by this habit, and purchased the gun for three dollars. The unfortunate man was immediately seized by Nesbit and confined in the guard house all night. Early next morning they stripped him entirely naked, covered him over with warm tar, and then with feathers, placed him on a cart and conducted him through the streets as far as liberty tree, where the people began to collect in vast numbers, and the military, fearing for their safety, dismissed the man, and retreated to their barracks. The party consisted of about thirty grenadiers, with fixed bayonets, twenty drums and fifes playing the rogue's march, headed by the redoubtable Nesbit with a drawn sword! What an honorable deed for a British field officer and grenadiers! The select men of Bellerica remonstrated with General Gage respecting this outrage, but obtained no satisfaction,

The breach between Britain and the colonies had now become so wide, as with the mass of the people, nearly to exclude all ideas of conciliation; and both parties began to make preparations for an appeal to the sword. No alternative was left the Americans but slavery, or resistance by force; measures were adopted for training the militia to the use of arms, to encourage the manufacture of gun powder, and for collecting all kinds of military stores; and committees of public safety were appointed in all the towns in the province. The British government sent out a reinforcement of troops to Boston, and in the mean time Governor Gage attempted to counteract the designs and measures of the provincials, and particularly to seize and destroy their military stores, and thus deprive them of the means of resistance. To destroy their military stores at Concord, General Gage despatched in a secret manner, a regiment of grenadiers, who undertook to disperse, and fired upon a party of militia at Lexington, several of whom were killed, which was the first blood spilt in that memorable war and revolution, that separated Great Britain and America forever; and gave to the latter, not only a rank among the nations of the earth, but what only can exalt a nation-Liberty and free institutions, which are the durable foundations of its glory and rising prosperity; its tranquillity and happiness, its increasing population and wealth, the rapidity of which is unexampled in the annals of the world. Thus, dear reader, I have given you a summary view of the causes which led to the American revolution. I shall commence the revolution by giving you an account of the battle of Lexington.

On the 18th of April, 1775, Lieut. Colonel Smith and Major Pitcairn left Boston with 800 chosen men from the British army, for the purpose of destroying the American stores at Concord. On their arrival at Lexington, they found about seventy militia under arms upon the green. Major Pitcairn, seeing the Americans on parade, rode up to them, and exclaimed, disperse, you rebels, throw down your arms, and disperse. His orders not being instantly obeyed, he discharged his own pistol, and ordered his men to fire. His orders were obeyed, and

three of the Americans were killed. The detachment proceeded to Concord. The militia of that town had also assembled to oppose them, but their number was so small that they retired and waited for aid from the neighboring towns. The British destroyed all the stores that were to be found, and then began their retreat towards Lexington. But the whole country was in arms, and pressed upon their rear. The Americans kept up a continual fire from behind hedges, stone walls, etc. Major Pitcairn, fearing his carcass would be picked from his horse, dismounted, and led his division on foot; but his horse and equipments were taken by the provincials. At sunset, the regulars, overcome with fatigue, secured their retreat over Charlestown neck, and found on Bunker's Hill a place of security and repose.

The loss of the British in killed, wounded and taken prisoners, amounted to 273, while the American loss in killed, wounded and missing, was only 88.

The battle of Lexington spread like a conflagration, and aroused the hardy sons of the country to a manful resistance. The agriculturist left his plough in the furrow, and the mechanic dropped his tools in the shop, and the great mass of the people repaired to Boston with such arms as could be found. Within a few days a large army was collected under the command of generals Ward and Putnam. This alarmed general Gage for the safety of his garrison. When the tidings of these events reached the south, the population were aroused to the contest with the same animated zeal which had heen displayed at the north, and the tocsin of alarm spread far and wide through the country.

On the 28th of April, 1776, the provincial congress of Massachusetts issued the following general circular :

"We conjure you by all that is dear, by all that is sacred, that you give all possible assistance in forming an army, in defence of the country. Our all is at stake. Death and destruction are the certain consequences of delay. Every moment is infinitely precious; an hour lost, may deluge your country in blood, and entail perpetual slavery upon the few of your posterity that survive the carnage.

We beg and entreat, as you will answer it

to your country, to your consciences, and above all, as you will answer it to your God, that you will hasten, by all possible means, the enlistment of men, to form an army; and send them forward to head quarters, at Cambridge with that exhibition, which the vast importance, and instant urgency of the affairs demands."

This, as might be expected, aroused the energies of the country and inspired the people with the most hero ic feelings. The call was promptly obeyed, and the sons of liberty enlisted themselves with the greatest alacrity for the defence of their rights.

The responsibilities which now rested on the fathers of the revolution were great, and their services important. They had to embody and discipline new and inexperienced troops, bring order out of confusion, and to supply both arms and ammunition, being without funds, and almost without authority to resist them. Besides this, the

army was to be supplied with provisions, in the face of a formidable, well disciplined, and well furnished enemy. But the zeal and ability of the officers were equal to the crisis. Of some it is even recorded, that for a succession of days and nights, they were constantly at the head of their respective guards, without a change of raiment. At this critical epoch, General Ward directed colonel Ethan Allen to raise four hundred Green Mountain Boys, on the New-Hampshire grants, since then composing the state now called Vermont. With this force he was to surprise the garrisons of the English on lake Champlain. The colonel raised two hundred and thirty of the number, with which force he repaired to Castleton, where he met one hundred an seventy-two more, by concert with certain officers of the militia. In this plan Dean, Wooster, and Parsons, with others in Connecticut, co-operated, and sentinels were posted on the different routes to Ticonderoga, to intercept intelligence of the intentions of the Americans.

About this time, Colonel Benedict Arnold, who had arrived to assist in the enterprise, consented to act in concert with colonel Allen, and no unnecessary delay prevented them from moving forward to the object which they determined to accomplish.

Colonel Allen crossed the lake on the 10th of May, with a detachment of only eighty three men, with which he attacked fort Ticonderoga early in the morning. With this small number he rushed into the fort, while the garrison was asleep. Captain Delaplace was ordered to surrender the garrison instantly, as he would save them from immediate destruction. The captain inquired by what authority, to whom colonel Allen replied " In the name of the Great Jehovah, and the continental Congress." The fort was immediately surrendered, and the soldiers paraded without arms. The prisoners consisted of four officers, forty-four privates, with several women and children, who were sent into Connecticut for security.

The fruits of this victory were- -120 iron cannon, 50 swivels, more than three tons of balls, two ten inch mortars, and a quantity of shells, flints, gun carriages, powder, flour, pork, etc. with two brass cannon, and many other valuables.

With the remainder of the party, Colonel Seth Warner, a native of Connecticut, crossed the lake, and took the fortress of Crown Point by surprise, with more than one hundred pieces of cannon. Colonel Arnold, who had embarked on the lake, in a small schooner, captured an English armed vessel, and returned to Ticonderoga with his prize. Thus was a free communication with Canada secured by the command of the lake.

While the tide of success thus waited on the American arms in the north, general Gage contemplated an`attack upon the American troops at Roxbury, under the command of general Thomas. The number of troops at this place, amounted in all, to but seven hundred militia, and they were nearly destitute of both arms and ammunition. What was wanting in force, however, was supplied by stratagem. The Americans were marched round a hill in full view of the enemy, and displayed to such advantage through the day, that the British general was completely hoaxed, and the attack was not made. Reinforcements soon arrived, and the place was saved.

The success which attended the American arms in their frequent skirmishes with the foraging parties of the