University of Virginia Library

CHAPTER II.

April 3.—This day the committee at New York received
a letter from the general committee of South Carolina, in
which they say: "The present struggle seems to

us most glorious and critical. We seem to ourselves
to stand upon the very division line between all the
blessings of freedom, and the most abject vassalage. The
very idea of an earthly power, which shall bind the present
and future millions of America, in all cases whatsoever; in the
direction of which we are to have no more voice than our oxen,
and over which we can have no constitutional control, fills
us with horror. To hold not only our liberty and property at
will, but our lives also, as well as the lives of all our posterity!
To be absolutely dependent for the air in which we
breathe, and the water which we drink, upon a set of men at
the distance; who, even when they abuse that power, are out
of the reach of our vengeance, is a proposal which this colony
hears with indignation, and can only submit to when there is
no possible remedy. By the late detestable acts of the British
Parliament respecting America, all mankind will judge
whether that body may be safely entrusted with such a power.
We have now appealed to the remaining justice of the nation;
we have endeavored to arouse them to a sense of their own
dangers; we have appealed to their mercantile interests for
our defence. Our hopes of success are not yet damped by
any thing but the possibility of disunion among ourselves.
We have the pleasure to inform you, that in this colony, the
association takes place as effectually as law itself. Sundry
vessels from England have been already obliged to return
with their merchandise, or have thrown it overboard as common
ballast.[2]

"We may assure you of our fixed determination to adhere
to the resolutions at all hazards, and that ministerial opposition
is here obliged to be silent; we wish for the day when it
shall be silenced among you likewise. And whatever noise is
made by the friends of arbitrary rule, about the design of
those proceedings in your House of Assembly, we cannot, and
will not believe that you intend to desert the cause. We feel
ourselves bound to you by the closest ties of interest and affection.
We consider this season as big with American glory, or
with American infamy, and, therefore, most ardently wish
you the direction and aid of that Almighty Being, who presides
over all.

"We confidently expect to meet you in General Congress
at Philadelphia, with hearts full of zeal in our country's cause,
and full of mutual confidence in the integrity of each other."

April 4.—A letter from London says, that "despatches
have been sent from here by a sloop-of-war to General Gage,

containing, among other things, a royal proclamation,
declaring the inhabitants of Massachusetts
Bay, and some others in the different colonies, actual
rebels, with a blank commission to try and execute such of
them as he can get hold of. With this is sent a list of names
to be inserted in the commission, as he may judge expedient.
Messrs. Samuel Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine,
and John Hancock, of Massachusetts Bay; John Dickinson,
of Philadelphia; Peyton Randolph, of Virginia; and Henry
Middleton, of South Carolina, are particularly named, with
several others. This black list the General will no doubt

2 This letter was signed by Charles Pinckney as chairman and published in
the Pennsylvania Packet, April 10.

keep to himself, and unfold it gradually as he finds it convenient. [4]
Every mark of power is preparing to be shown to
the Americans. Three general officers are appointed to go
with the next troops. They are Generals Burgoyne, Clinton,
and Howe. A considerable number of men are drafted from
the three regiments of guards, and ordered to hold themselves
in readiness to embark for America immediately. Four regiments
from Ireland, one of them light dragoons, are under
sailing orders for Boston, with several capital ships of war,
and six cutters, to obstruct the American trade, and prevent
all European goods from going there, particularly arms and
ammunition.—Oh, poor America!"[5]

April 7.—Last Tuesday, Governor Martin met the Assembly
of North Carolina, at Newbern, and addressed them
in a high-flying, abusive, anti-American speech,

in which he spoke hard things of all the colonies,
congresses, committees, and people on this continent, except
those of his own stamp, and begged of his assembly not to
approve of sending delegates to the Congress in May. To
this the Assembly returned a truly noble answer, and to-day
they have passed the following resolution: "That the House
do highly approve of the proceedings of the Continental Congress
lately held at Philadelphia, and that they are determined,
as members of the community in general, that they
will strictly adhere to the said resolutions, and will use the
influence they have to induce the same observance by every
individual of this colony."[7]

April 11.—This morning a very respectable number of
freeholders and inhabitants of the county of Westchester,[8]
assembled at the White Plains, agreeable to no-

tice given, that their sentiments might be known
concerning the choice of a committee, to meet other committees
in the city of New York, for the purpose of choosing
delegates to the next Continental Congress.

The friends to order and government met at the house of
Captain Hatfield. Those who were for a committee, put up
at another public house in the town. About twelve o'clock,
word was brought to the gentlemen at Captain Hatfield's, that
the opposite party had already entered upon the business of
the day; upon which they immediately walked down to the
court-house, although not half of their friends who were expected
had yet appeared; where they found the other company
collected in a body. The numbers on each side seemed
to be nearly equal, and both together might amount to two
hundred, or, at most, to two hundred and fifty. The friends
to government then declared, that as they had been unlawfully
called together, and for an unlawful purpose, they did
not intend to contest the matter with them by a poll, which
would be tacitly acknowledging the authority that had summoned
them, but that they came only with a design to protest
against all such disorderly proceedings, and to show their
detestation of all unlawful committees and congresses. They
then declared their determined resolution to continue steadfast
in their allegiance to their gracious and merciful sovereign,
King George the Third; to submit to lawful authority, and to
abide by and support the only true representatives of the
people of the colony, the General Assembly. Then giving
three huzzas, they returned to Captain Hatfield's, singing, as
they went, with a loyal enthusiasm, the grand and animating
song of

At their return, finding that many of their friends had arrived
during their absence, and that many still kept coming in, they
proceeded to draw up, and sign a declaration, [10] which they

seemed to do with as much patriotic zeal as ever warmed the
hearts of true and faithful subjects.[11]

April 12.—This afternoon John Sullivan and John Langdon,
Esqs., delegates for the province of New Hampshire,
arrived at New York. They are on their way to the grand
Continental Congress, to be held at Philadelphia on the tenth
of next month. At the same time, the Kingfisher sloop-of-war
weighed anchor and proceeded to the North River, in order to
protect two transports, which lately arrived from Boston, to
take in necessaries for carrying on the siege of that place.[12]

April 18.—The grenadiers and light infantry companies
are all drafted from the several regiments in Boston, and
put under the command of an officer. Most of the transports
and other boats are put together, and fitted up for
immediate service. We suspect that some formidable expedition
is intended by the soldiery; but what or where we
cannot determine. The town watches in Boston, Charlestown,
Cambridge, and other towns, are all ordered to look well to
the landing places.[13]

April 19.—About ten o'clock last night, the troops in
Boston were discovered to be in motion in a very secret manner,
and it was found they were embarking in

boats which they had privately brought to the
place in the evening at the lower end of the common. Expresses
set off immediately to alarm the country, that they
might be on their guard. When they were passing about a
mile beyond Lexington, they were stopped by a party of
officers who came out of Boston in the afternoon of that day,
and were seen lurking in bye-places in the country until after
dark. One of the expresses immediately fled, and was
pursued a long distance by an officer, who, when he had overtaken
him, presented a pistol and cried out, "You're a dead
man if you don't stop!" but he kept on until he gained a
house, when, stopping suddenly, he was thrown from his horse;
and having the presence of mind to call out to the people of
the house, "Turn out! turn out! I've got one of them!" the
officer immediately retreated as fast as he had pursued. The
other express,[15] after undergoing a strict examination, was
allowed to depart.

The body of the troops, in the mean time, under the command
of Lieutenant-Colonel Smith, had crossed the river and
landed at Phipps' farm. They proceeded with great silence
to Lexington, six miles below Concord. A company of militia,
numbering about eighty men, had mustered near the meetinghouse.
Just before sunrise the king's troops came in sight,
when the militia began to disperse. The troops then set out
upon the road, hallooing and huzzaing, and coming within a
few rods of them, the commanding officer cried out in words
to this effect, "Disperse, you damned rebels! damn you, disperse!"
upon which the troops again huzzaed, and at the
same time one or two officers discharged their pistols, which
were instantaneously followed by the firing of four or five of
the soldiers, and then there seemed to be a general discharge
from the whole. It is to be noticed, they fired upon the
militia as they were dispersing agreeably to their command,
and that they did not even return the fire. Eight of our men
were killed, and nine wounded. The troops then laughed,
and damned the Yankees, and said they could not bear the
smell of gunpowder.

Soon after this action, the troops renewed their march to
Concord, where they divided into parties, and went directly
to the several places where the province stores were deposited.
Each party was supposed to have a Tory pilot.[16] One body

went into the jail yard, and spiked and otherwise damaged
the cannon belonging to the province, and broke and set fire
to the carriages. They then entered a store and rolled out
about a hundred barrels of flour, which they unheaded, and
emptied about forty into the river.[17] Some took possession of
the town-house, which was soon after discovered to be on fire,
but which was extinguished without much damage. Another
party took possession of the North Bridge. About one hundred
and fifty of the militia, who had mustered upon the
alarm, coming towards the bridge, were fired upon by the
troops, and two were killed upon the spot. Thus did the
troops of Britain's king fire FIRST at two several times upon
his loyal American subjects, and put a period to ten lives
before one gun was fired upon them! Our people THEN
returned the fire, and obliged the troops to retreat, who were
soon joined by their other parties, but finding they were still
pursued, the whole body moved back to Lexington, both
troops and militia firing as they went.

During this time an express was sent to General Gage,
who despatched a reinforcement under the command of Earl
Percy, with two field-pieces. Upon the arrival of this reinforcement
at Lexington, just as the retreating party had
reached there, they made a stand, picking up their dead, took
all the carriages they could find, and put their wounded
thereon. Others of them—to their eternal disgrace be it
spoken—were robbing and setting houses on fire, and discharging
their cannon at the meeting-house.

While this was transacting a party of the militia at Menotomy,[18]
attacked a party of twelve of the enemy, who were
carrying stores and provisions, killed one of them and took
possession of their arms and stores, without any loss.

The troops having halted about an hour at Lexington,
found it necessary to make a second retreat, carrying with
them many of their dead and wounded. This they continued
from Lexington to Charlestown, with great precipitation, the
militia closely following them, firing till they reached Charlestown
Neck, where they arrived a little after sunset.[20] Passing

over the Neck the enemy proceeded up Bunker Hill and
encamped for the night.[21]

April 20.—One Mansfield, a breeches maker in Boston,
who went out with the troops yesterday, was in the skirmish
fired at by the regulars through mistake—they taking him to
be one of the provincials. The ball entered his neck and came
out of his mouth. Wretches like him often meet their just
reward.

Some officers in the king's army, it is said, have sworn that
the Americans fired first. Their method of cheating the
devil, we are told, has been by some means brought about.
They procured three or four traitors to their God and country,
born among us, and took with them; and they first fired upon
their countrymen, which was immediately followed by the
regulars. It is said also that these wretches were dressed in
soldier's clothing.

Yesterday, when the second brigade, under Earl Percy,
marched out of Boston, to reinforce the first, nothing was
played by the fifes and drums but Yankee Doodle, (which had
become their favorite tune ever since that notable exploit,
which did so much honor to the troops of Britain's king, of tarring
and feathering a poor countryman in Boston, and parading
with him through the principal streets, under arms, with
their bayonets fixed.) Upon their return to Boston, one asked
his brother officer how he liked the tune now. "D—n them!"
returned he—"they made us dance it till we were tired!"
Since which Yankee Doodle sounds less sweet in their ears.[22]

A deserter from Boston says that Gen. Gage has written

home since the battle of Lexington, that the Americans load
their rifle-barrel guns with a ball slit almost in four quarters,
which when firing out of those weapons, breaks into four
pieces and generally does great execution.[23]

The first stand made by the country in the late engagement
was with only two hundred men at Concord Bridge,

which the soldiers were endeavoring to pull up.
The soldiers gave the first fire, and killed three
or four. It was returned with vigor by the country people,
and the regulars began soon to retire. The country people immediately
lined the roads, which are secured with stone walls,
and their numbers hourly increasing, they annoyed the regulars
exceedingly, allowing them to halt but two or three
times, and then in open plains for a few minutes.

A considerable body of provincials formed an ambuscade
near Cambridge for the troops on their return; but the bridge
having been destroyed by the first brigade in their march out,
the troops took their route through Charlestown, and by that
means avoided a total overthrow. The number of the regulars
when the two brigades joined, is said to have been at least
eighteen hundred. It does not appear that they were attacked
by more than six hundred provincials until they got near to
Charlestown, when a very strong reinforcement from the towns
of Marblehead and Salem fell in with them, and gave them
two severe fires. This quickened their pace to Bunker Hill,
where they took refuge, formed in order, and remained until
reinforced by the third brigade sent over from Boston to secure
their retreat. This was effected without further loss.

A gentleman, who mixed with the soldiers at Charlestown
ferry, says he saw at least two officers and soldiers brought
over wounded in an hour. It is impossible at this time to ascertain
the number of the killed and wounded on either side.
A young gentleman who was within twelve miles of the field
of battle informs us that the country had buried one hundred
and ninety soldiers, and it is supposed a great number must
have been carried off and burnt on Bunker Hill by their comrades.

General Haldiman and Lord Percy are both returned
safe, having been enclosed on all sides by their soldiers, during
the retreat. Mr. Paul Revere, who left Boston to acquaint
Messrs. Hancock and Adams of the design against them, was
taken prisoner, but got clear again by a stratagem. Colonel
Murray's son,[25] who conducted the first brigade to Concord, is a
prisoner, and not killed as reported. Upon the whole, Lord
North's troops have had a severe drubbing; and when we consider
the disparity of numbers and discipline, and the sudden
and unexpected attack against the country, we have reason to acknowledge
the interposition of Heaven on that memorable day.[26]

Yesterday the ship Samson arrived at New York from
England. Accounts by this vessel mention that the forces
destined for, and on their way to America, are eleven regiments
of foot, and two of light horse, on board ninety-five transports,
with seventeen men-of-war, all victualled for twelve months;
other accounts reduce the forces and ships to about half the
above number. All, however, agree, that the design of their
coming is to dragoon the British colonies into a surrender of their
liberty and property, and to destroy the English constitution:
—They who refuse to fight for their liberty deserve to be slaves.

A letter from London received by the captain of the Samson
says, "The friends of America, on the arrival of the packet,
were much alarmed at a report that New York

was disaffected to the common cause, and had
determined to break the resolves of the Congress, especially
that of non-importation. However, we had the pleasure, from
the best accounts, to find it otherwise. I have now to inform
you that notwithstanding all we could do, the Fishery Bill[28]
was yesterday (March 1) read the third time, and passed the
House of Commons, whereby a stop is to be put to all the
fisheries on the first of July, except the whale fishery, which
is to be continued until the first of November. Every impartial
man must in his heart condemn a bill so replete with inhumanity
and cruelty. It will be an everlasting stain on the
annals of our pious sovereign, who, from the best accounts, is
the grand promoter of these proceedings. We hope the firmness
of your countrymen will evince to all the world, your just
sense of measures so unjust; and will, in due season, retort
them with vengeance on the guilty heads of the enemies of
the British empire.[29]

April 23.—A writer in Wethersfield, in a letter to New
York, says: "The eyes of America are on New York. The

ministry have certainly been promised by some of
your leading men, that your province would desert
us; but you will be able to form a better judgment when
you see how this intelligence is relished. Take care of yourselves!
We have more than men enough to block up the
enemy at Boston; and if we are like to fall by treachery, by
heaven, we will not fall unavenged on the traitors. If balls,
or swords, will reach them, they shall fall with us. It is no
time now to dally or be merely neutral. He that is not for
us is against us, and ought to feel the first of our resentment.
You must now declare, most explicitly, one way or the other,
that we may know whether we are to go to Boston or New
York. If you desert, our men will as cheerfully attack New
York as Boston, for we can but perish, and that we are determined
upon, or be free. I have nothing to add."[31]

April 24.—The communication between Boston and the
country is entirely stopped up, and not a soul permitted to go
in or out without a pass. This day the Governor has disarmed
all the inhabitants, after giving them his word and honor that
the soldiers should not molest nor plunder them. Cambridge

is the head-quarters of the provincials, and they are commanded
by General Putnam. They are entrenching themselves at
Roxbury, and erecting batteries to play on the lines.[32]

The following anecdote, we are assured, is authentic. It
was communicated by a gentleman from the neighborhood of
Boston:—An American soldier who had received a wound in
his breast, in pursuing General Gage's troops on the nineteenth
of April, supported his body against a tree, when a brother
soldier came up to him and offered him his assistance. "I am
beyond your assistance, (said the wounded man,) pursue the
enemy." With these words on his lips, he fell back and died.[33]

A gentleman who travelled lately through Connecticut,
informs us that he met with an old gentlewoman who told
him that she had fitted out and sent five sons and eleven
grandsons to Boston, when she heard of the engagement between
the provincials and regulars. The gentleman asked
her if she did not shed a tear at parting with them? "No,"
said she, "I never parted with them with more pleasure."
"But suppose," said the gentleman, "they had all been killed."
"I had rather (said the noble matron) this had been the case,
than that ONE of them had come back a coward."[34]

April 29.—The following association was set on foot in
New York to-day, and signed by above one thousand of the
principal inhabitants. It is to be transmitted through all the
counties in the province, where, we make no doubt, it will be
signed by all ranks of people:

"Persuaded that the salvation of the rights and liberties of
America, depends, under God, on the firm union of its inhabitants,
in a vigorous prosecution of the

measures necessary for its safety, and convinced
of the necessity of preventing the anarchy and confusion which
attend a dissolution of the powers of government; we, the
freemen, freeholders, and inhabitants of the city and county
of New York, being greatly alarmed at the avowed design of
the ministry to raise a revenue in America, and shocked by the
bloody scene now acting in the Massachusetts Bay, do, in the
most solemn manner, resolve never to become slaves; and do
associate under all the ties of religion, honor, and love to our
country, to adopt and endeavor to carry into execution, whatever
measures may be recommended by the Continental Congress,
or resolved upon by our provincial convention, for the
purpose of preserving our constitution and opposing the execution
of several arbitrary and oppressive acts of the British
Parliament, until a reconciliation between Great Britain and
America, on constitutional principles, (which we most ardently
desire,) can be obtained; and that we will, in all things, follow
the advice of our general committee, respecting the purposes
aforesaid, the preservation of peace and good order, and the
safety of individuals and private property."[36]

May 1.—It is said that several letters written by General
Gage were intercepted last week on their way to New York;

which contain matters of a very serious and
alarming nature. It is expected the public will
soon be made acquainted with the contents of the General's
letters, which are now in possession of the patriots of New
York. Some believe that the Congress are to be seized, and
sent to England, and this belief is strengthened by letters from
London. It therefore becomes the duty of every man to prepare
for such a ministerial attempt, and to be ready, at an
hour's notice, to defend the Congress.

On Saturday last a meeting of the military associators
was held in Philadelphia, when it was determined that each

ward should be formed into one or more companies;
the officers to be chosen in the respective
wards. Two troops of light-horse are now raising there.
Two companies of expert riflemen, and two companies of
artillerymen are forming. They have six pieces of brass artillery
and several light iron ones. Their provincial arms,
powder, and equipments, are all secured. Three provincial
magazines are forming. In short, Mars has established his
empire in that city; and it is not doubted but they will have
in a few weeks from this date, four thousand men well equipped
for their own defence, or for the assistance of their neighbors.

Several gentlemen who measured the ground on which the
people stood at the meeting on Saturday, are of the opinion
that their number amounted to eight thousand.[39]

May 2.—A correspondent at Paris, says:—"I find the
French are extremely attentive to our American politics, and
to a man, strongly in favor of us. Whether mostly from ill-will
to Britain, or friendship to the colonies, may be matter of
doubt; but they profess it to be upon a principle of humanity,
and a regard to the natural rights of mankind. They say that
the Americans will be either revered or detested by all Europe,
according to their conduct at the approaching crisis. They
will have no middle character; for in proportion as their virtue
and perseverance will render them a glorious, their tame
submission will make them a despicable people."[40]

May 4.—The post having been interrupted, the postmaster,
who has hitherto without legal authority been appointed from
home, and as a conveniency, permitted here un-

questioned, has discharged the riders, the expense
of which he has no longer a fund to support. An office for
this necessary business will doubtless be put under proper
regulations by the Continental Congress, and no more be
permitted to return to the rapacious hands of unauthorized intruders;
since it would be the most contemptible pusillanimity
to suffer a revenue to be raised from our property, to
defray the expense of cutting our throats. It is said, Mr.
William Goddard, who has been a great sufferer, with many
others, by the mal-practices of an illegal holder of this office,
is now on a journey, in order to put the business under
proper regulations to be laid before the Congress.[42]

Rivington, in his paper of this morning, offers the following
to the public:—"As many publications have appeared from

my press which have given great offence to the
colonies, and particularly to many of my fellow-citizens,
I am therefore led by a most sincere regard for their
favorable opinion, to declare to the public, that nothing which
I have ever done, has proceeded from any sentiments in the
least unfriendly to the liberties of this continent, but altogether
from the ideas I entertained of the liberty of the press, and of
my duty as a printer. I am led to make this free and public
declaration to my fellow-citizens, which I hope they will consider
as a sufficient pledge of my resolution for the future to
conduct my press upon such principles as shall not give offence
to the inhabitants of the colonies in general, and of this city
in particular, to which I am connected by the tenderest of all
human ties, and in the welfare of which I shall consider my
own as inseparably involved."[44]

May 5.—This evening arrived at Philadelphia, Captain
Osborne, from London, in whom came passenger the worthy
Dr. Benjamin Franklin, agent for Massachusetts government,
and the province of Pennsylvania.

May 6.—This afternoon, arrived at New York from the
eastward, on their way for Philadelphia, to attend the Continental
Congress, the Hon. John Hancock and Thomas Cushing,
Esqs.; Samuel Adams and Robert Treat Paine, Esqs.,
delegates for the province of Massachusetts Bay; and the Hon.
Eliphalet Dyer, Roger Sherman, Esq., and Silas Deane, Esq.,
delegates for the colony of Connecticut. They were met a few
miles out of town by a great number of principal gentlemen of
that place, in carriages and on horseback, and escorted into
the city by near a thousand men under arms. The roads were
lined with a greater number of people than were ever known
on any occasion before. Their arrival was announced by the
ringing of bells, and other demonstrations of joy. They have
double sentries placed at the doors of their lodging.[47]

Yesterday there was a meeting at Williamsburg, Virginia,
of the committee and part of the militia of King William
county; when the contents of the second express from the
northward was communicated. It had such an effect on the
minds of the people, that near two hundred pounds was immediately
subscribed for the use of our brethren now fighting
in the common cause. Most of the principal gentlemen subscribed
ten pounds each, and as not half the country were
present, there is no doubt it will be nearly doubled.[48]

May 8.—This morning the delegates from the eastward,
together with Philip Livingston, James Duane, John Alsop,
and Francis Lewis, delegates for New York city; Colonel
William Floyd for Suffolk, and Simon Boerum for Kings
county, in New York, set out for Philadelphia attended by a
great train, to the North River ferry, where two or three sloops
and a number of other vessels were provided. It is said about
five hundred gentlemen crossed the ferry with them, among
whom were two hundred militia under arms.[49]

May 9.—The committee of Bucks county, Pennsylvania,
met yesterday and recommended the people to associate into

companies, and learn the military exercise of
arms. Some townships have already begun, and
many others, animated with the same zeal for the welfare of
their country, readily fall in with the plan, a knowledge of
which, we have great reason to fear, we shall be soon called
upon to give a proof of. The unanimity, prudence, spirit and
firmness, which appeared in the deliberations of yesterday, do
honor to Bucks county, and will, we hope, in some measure,
wipe off those aspersions they too deservedly lay under. A
large number of the inhabitants assembled, and the resolves
of the day being made public, testified their highest approbation
of the conduct of the committee, and unanimously
voted them the thanks of the county. A disciple of that
species of creatures called tories being formally introduced to
a tar-barrel, of which he was repeatedly pressed to smell,
thought prudent to take leave abruptly, lest a more intimate
acquaintance with it should take place.[51]

May 10.—The commanding officer at Cambridge has given
leave to the regulars who were taken prisoners, either to go to
Boston and join their respective regiments, or have liberty to
work in the country for those who will employ them. In
consequence of which, those who were confined in Worcester,
Massachusetts, fifteen in number, heartily requested to be

employed by the people, not choosing to return to their regiments
to fight against their American brethren, though some of
them expressed their willingness to spill their blood in defence
of their king in a righteous cause. They all set out yesterday
for different towns.[52]

To-day the eastern delegates arrived at Philadelphia. They
were met about six miles out by the officers of all the companies
in the city, and by many other gentlemen on horseback,
in all amounting to five hundred. When they came within
two miles of the city they were met by the company of riflemen,
and a company of infantry, with a band of music, who
conducted them through the most public streets of the city to
their lodgings, amidst the acclamations of near fifteen thousand
spectators.[53]

The proceedings of April nineteenth have united the colonies
and continent, and brought in New York to act as vigorously
as any other place whatsoever, and has raised an

army in an instant, which are lodged in the several
houses of the towns round Boston, till their tents are
finished, which will be soon. All that is attended to, besides
ploughing and planting, is making ready for fighting.
The non-importations and non-exportations will now take place
from necessity, and traffic give place to war. We have a fine
spring, prospects of great plenty; there was scarce ever known
such a good fall of lambs; we are in no danger of starving,
through the cruel acts against the New England governments;
and the men who had been used to fishery, a hardy generation
of people, Lord North has undesignedly kept in the country
to give strength to our military operations, and to assist as
occasion may require. Thanks to a superior wisdom for his
blunders. The General is expecting reinforcements, but few
have arrived as yet, the winds, contrary to the common run
this season, instead of being easterly, have been mostly the
reverse. When the reinforcement arrives, and is recovered of
the voyage, the General will be obliged in honor to attempt
dislodging the people, and penetrating the country. Both
soldiers and inhabitants are in want of fresh provisions, and
will be like to suffer much, should the provincial army be able
to keep the town shut up on all sides, excepting by water, as
at present.[55]

May 17.—This evening arrived at Philadelphia, John
Brown, Esq., from Ticonderoga, express to the General Con-

gress, from whom we learn that on the beginning
of this instant, a company of about fifty men from
Connecticut, and the western part of Massachusetts, joined
by upwards of one hundred from Bennington, in New York
government, and the adjacent towns, proceeded to the eastern
side of Lake Champlain, and on the night before the tenth current,
crossed the lake with eighty-five men, not being able to
obtain craft to transport the rest, and about day-break invested
the fort, whose gate, contrary to expectation, they found shut,
but the wicker open, through which, with the Indian war-whoop,
all that could, entered one by one, others scaling the
wall on both sides of the gate, and instantly secured and disarmed
the sentries, and pressed into the parade, where they
formed the hollow square; but immediately quitting that
order, they rushed into the several barracks on three sides of
the fort, and seized on the garrison, consisting of two officers,
and upwards of forty privates,[57] whom they brought out, disarmed,
put under guard, and have since sent prisoners to
Hartford in Connecticut. All this was performed in about
ten minutes, without the loss of life, or a drop of blood on our
side, and but very little on that of the king's troops.

In the fort were found about thirty barrels of flour, a few
barrels of pork, seventy odd chests of leaden ball, computed at

three hundred tons, about ten barrels of powder
in bad condition, near two hundred pieces of
ordnances of all sizes, from eighteen-pounders downwards, at

G Hayward Lith 171 Pearl St. N. Y.

Ticonderoga and Crown Point, which last place, being held
only by a corporal and eight men, falls of course into our
hands.

By this sudden expedition, planned by some principal persons
in the four neighboring colonies, that important pass is
now in the hands of the Americans, where, we trust, the wisdom
of the grand Continental Congress will take effectual
measures to secure it, as it may be depended on, that administration
means to form an army in Canada, composed of British
regulars, French, and Indians, to attack the colonies on that
side.

Mr. Brown brought intercepted letters from Lieutenant
Malcom Fraser, to his friends in New England, from which
it appears that General Carleton has almost unlimited powers,
civil and military, and has issued orders for raising a Canadian
regiment, in which, Mr. Fraser observes, the officers find difficulty,
as the common people are by no means fond of the service.
He likewise remarks, that all the king's European subjects
are disaffected at the partial preference given to the late
converts to loyalty, as he phrases it, to their utter exclusion
from all confidence, or even common civility. Matters are indeed
in such a situation, that many, if not most of the merchants,
talk of leaving the province.

Mr. Brown also relates that two regular officers of the 26th
regiment, now in Canada, applied to two Indians, one a head
warrior of the Caughanawaga tribe, to go out with them on a
hunt to the south and east of the rivers St. Lawrence and
Sorel, and pressing the Indians farther and farther on said
course, they at length arrived at Cohass,[59] where, the Indians
say, they were stopped and interrogated by the inhabitants, to
whom they pretended they were only on a hunt, which the
inhabitants (as the Indians told Mr. Brown) replied must be
false, as no hunters used silver (bright) barrelled guns. However,
the Cohass people dismissed them all, and when they
returned into the woods, the Indian warrior insisted on knowing
what their real intention was, and they told him that it
was to reconnoitre the woods, to find a passage for an army to

march to the assistance of the king's friends at Boston. The
Indian asked, where they would get the army? They
answered, in Canada, and that the Indians in the upper castles
would join them. The chief on this expressed resentment
that he, being one of the head men of the Caughanawaga tribe,
should never have been consulted in the affair. But Mr.
Brown presumes the aversion of this honest fellow and his
friends to their schemes, was the reason of their being kept
from their knowledge.

The conductors of this grand expedition are to be Monsieur
St. Luke le Corne, the villain who let loose the Indians on the
prisoners at Fort William Henry, and one of his associates.

May 18.—We hear from Halifax, that the people have at
last shown they have spirit. It seems the agents for procur-

ing forage for the expected regiment of dragoons
had taken without consent of the owner, and were
shipping for Boston, a great quantity of hay, upon which the
people set fire to, and wholly destroyed it; and when that
work was finished, they attempted the like by the king's magazines,
which they several times fired, but they were extinguished
by the people from the ships of war lying there, who
made a brisk fire on the people, and prevented them from
effecting their design. The fugitives from Boston are gone
for Halifax, but the people say, no d—d Tories shall be allowed
to breathe in their air, so that those d—ls can't find a resting
place there, which was the only place on the continent that
they even dared to hope they might stay in.[62]

They had a great fire in Boston last night. It appeared to
be between King street and the market; it continued all
night, and is not yet extinguished. What has really happened,
is to us uncertain as yet.[63]

May 21.—A correspondent writing from Boston, says:—
"As to the inhabitants removing, they are suffered to go out
under certain restrictions. This liberty was ob-

tained after many town-meetings, and several conferences
between their committee and General Gage. The
terms mutually agreed to were: `That the inhabitants should
deliver up all their arms to the selectmen.' This was generally
done, though it took up some days. On this condition
the inhabitants were to have had liberty to move out of town,
with their effects, and during this to have free egress and regress.
But mark the event. The arms being delivered, orders
were issued by the general, that those who inclined to remove,
must give in their names to the selectmen, to be by them returned
to the military town major, who was then to write a
pass for the person or family applying, to go through the lines
or over the ferry. But all merchandise was forbid; after a
while, all provisions were forbid; and now, all merchandise,
provisions, and medicine. Guards are appointed to examine
all trunks, boxes, beds, and every thing else to be carried out;
these have proceeded to such extremities, as to take from the
poor people a single loaf of bread and half a pound of chocolate;
so that no one is allowed to carry out a mouthful of provisions;
but all is submitted to quietly. The anxiety indeed
is so great to get out of town, that even were we obliged to go
naked, it would not hinder us. But there are so many obstructions
thrown in the way, that I do not think those who
are most anxious, will be all out in less than two or three
months. Vastly different from what was expected; for the
general at first proposed, unasked, to procure the admiral's
boats to assist the inhabitants in the transportation of their
effects, which is not done, and there are but two ferry boats
allowed to cross. They have their designs in this, which you
may easily guess at. We suffer much for want of fresh meat.
The transports, with the marines, are all arrived."[66]

May 24.—This day, Dr. Myles Cooper, president of King's
College in New York, sailed for Bristol, in the Exeter, having
remained for near two weeks on board the King Fisher,
commanded by Captain Montague, where he thought fit to
shelter himself from the resentment of a people who consider
him as the writer of several pieces highly injurious to the liberties
of America. The Rev. Dr. Chandler, and the Rev. Mr.
Cook, go passengers with him.[67]

It having been thought highly expedient, at this exigency
of our public affairs, that every person among us who is known
to be an enemy to the rights and privileges of this country,

and has been aiding and abetting the cursed plans of a tyrannical
ruler, and an abandoned ministry, should be disarmed
and rendered as incapable as possible of doing fur-
ther material mischief, the Tories in Worcester,
Massachusetts, were notified to appear with their arms and
ammunitions on Monday last. They accordingly appeared,
and after surrendering their arms to the committee of correspondence,
and being strictly ordered not to leave the town, or
to meet together without a permit, were dismissed.[69]

The people of New Jersey have taken possession of the
treasury of that province, in which was the amount of between
twenty and thirty thousand pounds; which money is to be appropriated
to the payment of the troops now raising in that
province, for the defence of the liberties of America.[70]

May 25.—The man-of-war Cerberus arrived at Boston, with
the three generals Howe, Clinton, and Burgoyne, together
with about seven hundred marines and two hundred drafts.[71]

Pennsylvania Packet, June 26.

May 26.—Last Sabbath[72] about ten o'clock A. M., an express
arrived at General Thomas's quarters at Roxbury, Mas-

sachusetts, informing him that four sloops, two of
them armed, had sailed from Boston to the
south shore of the bay, and that a number of soldiers were
landing at Weymouth. General Thomas ordered three companies
to march to the support of the inhabitants. When
they arrived, they found the soldiers had not attempted to
land at Weymouth, but had landed on Grape Island, from
whence they were carrying off hay on board the sloops. The
people of Weymouth assembled on a point of land next to
Grape Island, but the distance from Weymouth shore to said
island was too great for small arms to do much execution.
Nevertheless, our people frequently fired. The fire was returned
from one of the vessels with swivel guns, but the shot
passed over our heads, and did no mischief. Matters continued
in this state for several hours, the soldiers poling the
hay down to the waterside, our people firing at the vessel, and
they now and then discharging swivel guns. The tide was
now come in, and several lighters which were aground were
got afloat, upon which our people, who were ardent for battle,
got on board, hoisted sail, and bore directly down upon the
nearest point of the island. The soldiers and sailors immediately
left the barn, and made for their boats, and put off
from one end of the island, whilst our people landed on the
other. The sloops hoisted sail with all possible expedition,
whilst our people set fire to the barn, and burnt seventy or
eighty tons of hay, then fired several tons which had been
poled down to the water side, and brought off the cattle.[74] As
the vessels passed Horse-Neck, a sort of promontory which
extends into Germantown, they fired their swivels and small
arms at our people very briskly, but without effect, though
one of the bullets from their small arms, which passed over
our people, struck against a stone with such force, as to take
off a large part of the bullet. Whether any of the enemy were
wounded, is uncertain, though it is reported three of them
were. It is thought that they did not carry off more than one
or two tons of hay.[75]

May 28.—Yesterday a party of the American army at
Cambridge, to the number of between two and three hundred
men, had orders to drive off the live stock from

Hog and Noddle's islands. In attempting to carry
out these orders, they were attacked by the king's troops.
The combat began on Hog island about five o'clock in the afternoon,
and continued almost incessantly till midnight. The
attack was made with cannon, swivels, and small arms, from
an armed schooner, sloop, and eight or ten barges, upon our
people, who had small arms only, but were very advantageously
posted by Colonel Putnam, who got to them just in
season to station and command them properly. He placed
them in a ditch up to their wastes in water, and covered by
the bank, to their necks. The schooner, sloop, and boats full
of men, came within twelve or fifteen rods of them, and gave
our people a fine opportunity to place their shot well. About
midnight the fire ceased a little, and our people retreated to
the main land, where they were soon after joined by Captain
Foster with two field-pieces, which were planted on the way of
Winnesimit ferry. At daylight this morning, the combat was
renewed, and as the schooner passed the ferry way, she was
briskly attacked by our people, with the field-pieces and small
arms, which soon clearing her deck, she drifted on shore,
where our people set fire to her, and she blew up, notwithstanding
the utmost endeavors of the people in the boats to
tow her off, and save her from destruction. In this they exposed
themselves much to our fire, and suffered greatly.
When they found the schooner was lost, they with difficulty
towed off the sloop, much disabled, and retired to their den;
and thus ended the combat. This afternoon our people got
out of the wreck twelve four-pounders, six swivels, and every
thing else that was valuable, without molestation; they afterwards
destroyed or removed from both the islands all the
stock, a large quantity of hay, and burned all the barns and
houses.

All this was done in sight, and as we may say, under the
noses of the whole fleet and army at Boston without molestation.
The killed of the enemy (General Gage's crew of
enemies to the English constitution) they themselves allow to
be more than one hundred, besides wounded; others, who have
good opportunity to know, say their killed and wounded exceed
three hundred, and I believe they have suffered as much
as in their precipitate flight from Lexington on the memorable
19th of April. Our killed none! wounded three! Heaven apparently,
and most evidently, fights for us, covers our heads in
the day of battle, and shields our people from the assaults of
our common enemies. What thanks can speak our gratitude!

These interpositions, and our determined resolutions, may
perhaps make our haughty enemies glad to quit their unjust
professions for a cooler and more calm retreat, in some distant
quarter of the globe; and leave us peaceably to enjoy those
rights and liberties which God in our nature has given us, as
our inalienable right, and which they are most unjustly endeavoring
to wrest from us by violence.[77]

A correspondent gives the following etymology of the
word Yankee:—"When the New England colonies were first
settled, the inhabitants were obliged to fight their way against
many nations of Indians. They found but little difficulty in
subduing them all, except one tribe who were known by the
name of Yankoos, which signifies invincible. After much
waste of blood and treasure, the Yankoos were at last subdued
by the New England men. The remains of this nation (agreeably
to the Indian custom) transferred their name to their conquerors.
For a while they were called Yankoos, but from a
corruption, common to names in all languages, they got
through time the name of Yankees. A name which we hope
will soon be equal to that of a Roman, or an ancient Englishman.[78]

May 30.—A captain who was lately seized by Admiral
Greaves and taken into Boston, has just come out; he says he
was at the wharf at Noddle's island when the

battle began. The master of the Diana schooner
told him, that guns were never better served than the Americans';
that not a shot missed him.[80] One man was carried
on board for dead, but the next morning he came to, and had
not the least wound about him; others were frightened almost
to death. There is an amazing difference in the looks and
behavior of the enemy since the battle, from what there was
before; before there was nothing but noise and confusion, now
all is still and quiet, insomuch that one can hardly perceive
that there is any fleet or army there. From the general
down to the common soldier, they seem to be in a great panic,
and are afraid to go to bed for fear the Yankees will kill them
before morning.[81]

June 1.—The synod of New York and Philadelphia, at
their late meeting in the former city, appointed the last Thursday
in June to be observed by all the congrega-

tions under their care, as a day of fasting and
prayer, on account of the alarming state of our public affairs.
Should the Continental Congress appoint a fast, the synod
have directed that to be observed in preference to the day appointed
by themselves, provided that it is not more than four
weeks distant from the last Thursday of June; if at a greater
distance, they have ordered both days to be kept. They also
recommend to all the congregations in their charge, to spend
the afternoon of the last Thursday in every month in public
prayer, during the continuance of our present troubles.[83]

The martial spirit which prevails among the inhabitants
of Somerset county, in New Jersey, truly merits the attention

of the public. We have certain intelligence that
they are forming themselves into companies, and
daily exercising, to become complete masters of the military
discipline; and particularly, that the township of Bridgewater,
in said county, met at Rariton, the sixth instant, and
chose Mr. Abraham Ten Eyck, captain, under whose command
eighty-five volunteers immediately enlisted, to be in
readiness at an hour's warning, to march for the assistance of
any neighboring colony, on any emergency. Their pay and
other necessaries are provided by said township. The other
counties and townships, it is hoped, will follow their example,
as it may be necessary to repel force by force, in order to
secure our national rights and privileges.[85]

A parliamentary youngster opening one day unseasonably,
an old sportsman, who sat next him, whispering in his
ear, reminded him, that when a young dog was faulty, it was
customary to couple him with one better trained, and whose
experience might correct his error; true, replied the boy archly,
when young dogs run counter, I know it is usual to couple
them; but when old dogs run counter, we hang them up. [86]

June 4.—Yesterday morning a detachment of cavalry from
the Williamsburg[87] volunteers, in their uniforms, well mounted

and equipped, with a wagon containing their
baggage and provisions, set out in a regular
military procession, to meet the Hon. Peyton Randolph,
Esq., late president of the Grand Continental Congress, on the
way from Philadelphia, his presence being requisite at the
general assembly now sitting. To-day about noon, the troop
of horse met that gentleman at Ruffin's ferry, accompanied by
Colonel Carter Braxton, and escorted them to Williamsburg,
after having been joined by a company of infantry, who
marched out the distance of two miles for the same purpose.
They arrived about sunset, and were attended to the hon. gentleman's
house by the whole body of cavalry and infantry,
whose very martial appearance gave great satisfaction to the
spectators. The bells began to ring as our worthy delegate
entered the city, and the unfeigned joy of the inhabitants, on
this occasion, was visible in every countenance; there were illuminations
in the evening, and the volunteers, with many
other respectable gentlemen, assembled at the Raleigh, spent
an hour or two in harmony and cheerfulness, and drank several
patriotic toasts.[89]

June 6.—This being the day agreed on for the exchange of
prisoners, between twelve and one o'clock, Dr. Warren[90] and
Brigadier-General Putnam, in a phaeton, together

with Major Dunbar, and Lieut. Hamilton of the
64th, on horseback, Lieut. Potter, of the marines, in a chaise;
John Hilton of the 47th, Alexander Campbell of the 4th, John
Tyne, Samuel Marcy, Thomas Perry, and Thomas Sharp of the
marines, wounded men in two carts; the whole escorted by
the Weathersfield company, under the command of Captain
Chester, entered the town of Charlestown, and marching slowly
through it, halted at the ferry, where, upon a signal being
given, Major Moncrief landed from the Lively man-of-war in
order to receive the prisoners and see his old friend General
Putnam.[92] Their meeting was truly cordial and affectionate.
The wounded privates were soon sent on board the Lively, but
Major Moncrief and the other officers returned with General
Putnam and Dr. Warren to the house of Dr. Foster, where an
entertainment was provided for them. About three o'clock
a signal was made by the Lively, that they were ready to
deliver up our prisoners, upon which General Putnam and
Major Moncrief went to the ferry, where they received Messrs.
John Peck, James Hews, James Brewer, and Daniel Preston,
of Boston; Messrs. Samuel Frost and Seth Russell, of Cambridge;
Mr. Joseph Bell, of Danvers; Mr. Elijah Seaver, of
Roxbury; and Cæsar Augustus, a negro servant of Mr. Tileston,
of Dorchester, who were conducted to the house of Captain
Foster and there refreshed; after which the general and
major returned to their company, and spent an hour or two in
a very agreeable manner. Between five and six o'clock Major
Moncrief, with the officers that had been delivered to him,
were conducted to the ferry, where the Lively's barge received
them, after which General Putnam, with the prisoners that
had been delivered to him, returned to Cambridge, escorted
in the same manner as before. The whole was conducted with
the utmost decency and good humor, and the Weathersfield
company did honor to themselves, their officers, and their
country. The regular officers expressed themselves as highly
pleased; those who had been prisoners politely acknowledged
the genteel kind treatment they had received from their captors;
the privates, who were all wounded men, expressed in
the strongest terms their grateful sense of the tenderness which
had been shown them in their miserable situation; some of
them could do it only by their tears. It would have been to
the honor of the British arms if the prisoners taken from us
could with justice have made the same acknowledgment. It
cannot be supposed that any officers of rank, or common humanity,
were knowing to the repeated cruel insults that were
offered them; but it may not be amiss to hint to the upstarts
concerned, two truths of which they appear to be wholly
ignorant, viz.: That compassion is as essential a part of the
character of a truly brave man as daring, and that insult
offered to the person completely in the power of the insulter,
smells as strong of cowardice as it does of cruelty.[93]

June 8.—This forenoon, Laughlin Martin and John Dealy
were carried through the principal streets of Charleston, South
Carolina, in complete suits of tar and feathers. The very

indecent and daring behavior of the two culprits, in several
instances, occasioned their being made public spectacles of.
After having been exhibited for about half an
hour, and having made many acknowledgments of
their crime, they were conducted home, cleaned, and quietly
put on board of Captain Lasley's ship, lying wind bound for
Bristol. Upon the intercession of Martin's friends, and his
promises of future good behavior, he is allowed to come on
shore and follow his business as usual.[95]

This morning the three battalions of the city and liberties
of Philadelphia, consisting of fifteen hundred men, the artillery
company of one hundred and fifty, (with two

twelve and four six-pound brass field-pieces,) a
troop of light horse, several companies of light infantry,
rangers, and riflemen, in the whole above two thousand
men, marched to the commons, and having joined in brigade,
went through the manual exercise, firings and manœuvres,
(with a dexterity scarcely to have been expected from such
short practice,) in the presence of the honorable members of
the Continental Congress, and several thousand spectators;
among whom were a great number of the most respectable
inhabitants of this city.[97]

The New York Provincial Congress have desired the General
Assembly of Connecticut to send sufficient force to hold
the important fortresses of Ticonderoga and Crown Point, until
that province can raise troops for the purpose, and they will |

Pennsylvania Packet, June 12.

reimburse the expense, those fortresses being within the limits
of that province.[98]

The grand American army at Cambridge is nearly completed.
Great numbers of the Connecticut, New Hampshire,
and Rhode Island troops are arrived there. Among the latter
there is a fine company of artillery, with four excellent field-pieces.
Many large pieces of battering cannon are expected
soon from different places. Twelve pieces, eighteen and
twenty-four-pounders, with a quantity of ordnance stores, are
already arrived from Providence.[99]

Colonel Skeene, governor of Ticonderoga and Crown Point,
is at Philadelphia upon his parole of honor, to keep within
eight miles of the city between the Delaware and Schuylkill,
and not to correspond with any person on political subjects.
This gentleman concealed the circumstance of his being an
officer, from the captain with whom he came a passenger.
But a few days before they made the capes of Delaware, they
spoke a New England vessel, who informed them of the taking
of Ticonderoga. The Colonel instantly declared he would
march with five thousand men from Canada, and retake it;
and manifested such warmth on the occasion that the captain
of the ship discovered the quality of his passenger, and after
reprimanding him for the imposition he had practised upon
him, thought it prudent, upon his arrival at Philadelphia, to
deliver him up. The Colonel had taken care, however, to
destroy his despatches, and now finds how ineffectual is his
commission to tamper with the members of the Congress, in
the way that an immaculate ministry procure the sanction of
an immaculate Parliament.[100]

June 12.—To-day General Gage has issued a proclamation,
offering pardon in the king's name to all those, excepting

Samuel Adams and John Hancock, who will forthwith
lay down their arms, and return to their
usual occupations. Those who do not accept the mercy he
offers, and who give protection to those gentlemen, or assist
them in any way, are to be treated as rebels and traitors.
Martial law is also declared, "for so long a time as the present
unhappy occasion shall necessarily require." A correspondent
says:—"The proclamation is replete with consummate
impudence, the most abominable lies, and stuffed with daring
expressions of tyranny as well as rebellion against the established
constitutional authority both of Great Britain and of the
American States."

By command of Mother Gary,
Thomas Flucker, Secretary.[102]

It is said that there are no less than three German princes
upon their travels incog. in New England. This looks not a

little suspicious; certain it is, that there is not a Court in
Germany, that would not send their best generals to the assistance
of the Americans.[103]

The following paragraph is extracted from some remarks
on Gage's account of the battle at Lexington, which is published
in the London Gazette of to-day. The

miserable Gazette writer concludes his narrative
by informing the public that General Gage says, "that too
much praise cannot be given to Lord Percy for his remarkable
activity the whole day." The public will think this a very
singular compliment! The preceding part of the narrative
has told us a story about the troops marching, or in plainer
English, retreating from Lexington. They did not halt, but
continued their retreat for fifteen miles. What then are we to
understand by the remarkable activity of Lord Percy? His
personal bravery is too well known to leave room for suspicion
that he would show "remarkable activity" in retreating; yet
the account in the Gazette leaves the compliment so ambiguous,
that an invidious reader might suppose Lord Percy made it,
like the swift-footed Achilles, with a light pair of heels. It is
not surprising that Gage should wish to pay his court to
Northumberland house; but when he pays another compliment,
as he cannot write himself, he should entrust a better
hand than the pensioned compiler of the Gazette.[105]

June 14.—A few days ago returned to New York from
the eastward, Mr. William Goddard, who has been indefatigable
in soliciting the establishment of post-offices

on constitutional principles, in which he has at
last succeeded. The matter has been taken up by the committees,
provincial Congresses, or assemblies, in the colonies of
New Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay, Rhode Island, and Connecticut,
throughout which, offices, postmasters, riders, and
rates of postage have been established and are to be laid before
the Continental Congress, there to be approved or altered as
shall be thought expedient. It is hoped New York and the
other governments will adopt similar measures. The rates of
postage have been continued as before.[107]

June 15.—The Continental Congress elected Colonel
George Washington, a delegate from Virginia, general and
commander-in-chief of all the American forces.[108] —It was last
year reported that Sir Jeffery Amherst had said, that with five
thousand English regulars he would engage to march from one
end to the other of the continent of North America. This being
spoken of publicly in a coffee-house in North America,
Colonel Washington, who was present, declared, that with one
thousand Virginians he would engage to stop Sir Jeffery Amherst's
march. It is the fashion at St. James' to despise the
Americans, to call them cowards, poltroons, &c., and the resolution
seems to be taken to put their courage to the proof.
The very able, spirited, and prudent conduct of this gallant
officer when he covered and preserved the remains of the English
army after one of their defeats in the last war in North
America,[110] has endeared him to every brave man, and stamped
him with the name of being a most noble officer.[111]

It is said that all the men-of-war which were in the harbors
near Boston, have been called to that place, and that every
method is taken to strengthen the town. The intrenchment

BOSTON IN 1775.

at the fortification is now extended quite across the Neck, by
which the town is become an island. Some of the transports
from Cork have arrived at Boston, and the grenadiers and infantry
appear to be in motion. General Gage by his late conduct,
seems to be greatly alarmed.[112]

June 17.—Last night a detachment from the camp at
Cambridge, marched to Charlestown, and there took possession
of Breed's Hill, about half a mile from the ferry.

Their intrenching tools not coming up in season,
it was twelve o'clock before they began their work. At daylight
this morning they were discovered from Boston, when
the men-of-war at the ferry, the battery from Cop's Hill, and
the floating batteries, kept up a continual cannonading and
bombarding, which fortunately did but little execution, although
their intrenchments were very far from being completed.
This continued till about two o'clock, when a large army, under
the command of General Howe, landed in Charlestown, and
after plundering it of all its valuable effects, set fire to it in ten
different places. Then, dividing the army, part of it marched
up in the front of the provincial intrenchments and began an
attack at long shot; the other part marched round the town
of Charlestown under cover of the smoke occasioned by the
fire of the town. The provincial sentries discovered the regulars
marching upon their left wing, and gave notice to the
Connecticut forces posted there. Captain Knowlton,[114] of Ashford,
with four hundred of said forces, immediately repaired
to, and pulled up, a post and rail fence, and carrying the posts
and rails to another fence, put them together for a breastwork.
He then gave orders to the men not to fire until the enemy
were got within fifteen rods, and then not till the word was
given. The word being given, the regulars fell surprisingly;
it was thought by spectators who stood at a distance that the
provincials did great execution.

The action continued about two hours, when the regulars
on the right wing were put into confusion and gave way. The

Connecticut troops closely pursued them, and were on the
point of pushing their bayonets, when orders were received
from General Pomeroy, for those who had been in action for
two hours to fall back, and their places to be supplied by fresh
troops. These orders being mistaken for a direction to retreat,
the troops on the right wing began a general retreat, which
was handed to the left, the principal place of action, where
Captains Knowlton, Chester, Clark, and Putnam, had forced
the regulars to give way, and being warmly pursuing them,
were, with difficulty, persuaded to retire; but the right wing
by mistaking the orders having already retreated, the left, to
avoid being encircled, were obliged to retreat with the main
body. They retreated with precipitation across the causeway to
Winter's Hill, in which retreat they were exposed to the fire
of the enemy from their shipping and floating batteries.

The provincials sustained their principal loss in passing the
causeway. The regulars pursued the provincials to Winter's
Hill, where the latter being reinforced by General Putnam,
renewed the battle, repulsed the regulars with great slaughter,
and pursued them till they got under cover of their cannon on
the shipping. The regulars then returned to Bunker's Hill,
and the provincials to Winter's Hill, where they are now intrenching
and erecting batteries.

In this action fell our worthy and much lamented friend,
Doctor Warren, with as much glory as Wolfe, after performing
many feats of bravery, and exhibiting a coolness and conduct
which did honor to the judgment of his country in appointing
him a few days before one of our major generals.[115]

The number of regulars which first attacked the provincials,
was not less than two thousand. The number of the provincials
was only fifteen hundred, who, it is supposed would soon
have gained a complete victory had it not been for the unhappy
mistake already mentioned. The regulars were afterwards reinforced

with a thousand men. It is uncertain how great a
number of them were killed or wounded, but all agree that
their loss is more than one thousand. General Howe says,
"you may talk of your Mindens and Fontenoys, but I never
saw nor heard of such a carnage in so short a time."[116]

June 18.—Yesterday evening, his excellency the Right
Honorable Lord William Campbell, governor-in-chief of South
Carolina, with his lady and family, arrived at Charleston in
the Scorpion man-of-war from England. His Lordship was
saluted on his arrival by the Tamar man-of-war, by Fort Johnson,
and the several forts in town; and about one o'clock today

his Lordship landed at Champney's wharf, where he was
received by several gentlemen, and also by the grenadier company
and the regiment of militia under arms. From the
wharf his Lordship walked in procession, preceded by the
grenadier company, to the state-house, where his commission
was read and published in the council chamber, in the presence
of some of the members of his majesty's council. From this
place he returned in the same order to the Exchange, where
his commission was again read; after which his Lordship and
the whole company repaired to the state-house, where a genteel
entertainment was provided.[119]

June 20.—This morning the three battalions of Philadelphia,
and the liberties, together with the artillery company, a troop
of lighthorse, several companies of light infantry, rangers, and
riflemen, in the whole about two thousand, marched out to
the commons, and having joined in brigade, were reviewed by
General Washington, who is appointed commander-in-chief of
all the North American forces by the honorable Continental
Congress. They went through the manual exercise, firings,
and manœuvres with great dexterity and exactness.

This evening Thomas Jefferson, Esq., arrived here from
Virginia, to attend the Congress, agreeable to his election, in
the room of the Hon. Peyton Randolph, Esq. He is attended
by Doctor M`Clurg.[120]

June 22.—The Provincial Congress of South Carolina broke
up, after three weeks of unremitted application. They have
requested, by public advertisement, that men of every denomination
and persuasion will carry with them to all places of
divine worship, loaded fire-arms. This, on Sunday last, was
almost generally complied with.[121]

June 23.—One of the surgeons attending the military hospital
at Boston, has written home, that the provincials in the
late engagement, "had either exhausted their ball, or were

determined that every wound should prove fatal. Their muskets
were charged with old nails and angular pieces of iron,
and from most of the men being wounded in the legs, I am inclined
to believe it was their design, not wishing to kill the
men, to leave them as burdens on us, to exhaust the provisions,
as well as to intimidate the rest of the soldiery."[122]

June 24.—Yesterday morning General Washington and
General Lee set off from Philadelphia to take command of the
American army at Massachusetts Bay. They were accompanied
a few miles from town by the troop of lighthorse, and by all
the officers of the city militia on horseback. They parted
with our celebrated commanders, expressing the most ardent
wishes for their success over the enemies of our liberty and
country.

Major Thomas Mifflin is appointed aide-de-camp to General
Washington, and accompanies the general to the camp near
Boston. The active and successful part which this gentleman
has taken in the civil and military affairs of the province of
Pennsylvania, has endeared him so much to his fellow-citizens
that few men have ever left us more universally beloved or
regretted.[123]

June 25.—This afternoon at four o'clock, General Washington,
attended by Generals Lee and Schuyler, and the lighthorse
of Philadelphia, on the way for the American camp at
Cambridge, landed at Colonel Lispenard's seat, about a mile
above New York, from whence they were conducted into the
city, by nine companies of foot, in their uniforms, and a
greater number of the principal inhabitants of that city than
ever appeared on any occasion before.[124]

The ship Juliana, Captain Montgomery, arrived at Sandy
Hook last night, from London, in which vessel his excellency
Governor Tryon came passenger. He landed at New York at
eight o'clock this evening, and was conducted to the house of

the Hon. Hugh Wallace, Esq., by an immense number of the
principal people of that city.[125]

June 26.—The Massachusetts occasional newspaper of today,
gives the following account of the action at Boston on the

seventeenth:—"This town was alarmed at break
of day, by a firing from the Lively ship-of-war;
and a report was immediately spread that the provincials had
broke ground, and were raising a battery on the heights of the
peninsula of Charlestown, against the town of Boston. They
were plainly seen, and in a few hours a battery of six guns
played upon their works. Preparations were instantly made
for the landing a body of men; and some companies of grenadiers
and light infantry, with some battalions, and field artillery,
amounting in the whole to about two thousand men,
under the command of Major-General Howe and Brigadier-General
Pigot, were embarked with great expedition, and
landed on the peninsula without opposition, under cover of
some ships-of-war and armed vessels.

The troops formed as soon as landed; the provincials on
the heights were perceived to be in great force, and strongly
posted. A redoubt thrown up on the 16th at night, with other
works full of men, defended with cannon, and a large body
posted in the houses of Charlestown, covered their right; and
their left was covered by a breastwork, part of it cannon proof,
which reached from the left of the redoubt to the Mystic river.

Besides the appearance of the provincials' strength, large
columns were seen pouring in to their assistance; but the
king's troops advanced. The attack began by a cannonade, and
notwithstanding various impediments of fences, walls, &c.,
and the heavy fire they were exposed to, from the vast number
of provincials, and their left galled from the houses of
Charlestown, the troops made their way to the redoubt, mounted
the works and carried it. The provincials were then forced
from other strongholds, and pursued till they were driven clear
of the peninsula, leaving five pieces of cannon behind them.
Charlestown was set on fire during the engagement, and most

part of it consumed. The loss they sustained must have been
considerable, from the vast number they were seen to carry off
during the action, exclusive of what they suffered from the
shipping. About a hundred were buried the next day after,
and thirty found wounded on the field, some of whom are since
dead. About one hundred and seventy of the king's troops
were killed and since dead of their wounds; and a great many
were wounded.

This action has shown the bravery of the king's troops, who
under every disadvantage, gained a complete victory over three
times their number, strongly posted, and covered by breastworks.[127]

June 27.—Yesterday afternoon General Washington with
his suite, attended by the several New York militia companies,

a troop of gentlemen of the Philadelphia lighthorse,
commanded by Captain Markoe, and a number
of the inhabitants of New York, set out for the provincial
camp at Cambridge, near Boston. Last night he rested at
King's Bridge, and this morning proceeded on his journey.[129]

June 29.—A correspondent at Charleston, South Carolina,
writes:—"Our place has rather the appearance of a garrison
town than a mart for trade; one company keeps guard all day,
and two every night. In our situation we cannot be too
watchful and may require much strength, for our negroes have
all high notions of their liberty, and we lately learnt by intercepted
letters and other ways, that there have been endeavors to
set the Indians on us. Mr. Stuart, the superintendent of Indian
affairs, is accused of being the person who has forwarded
this wicked design, and he has fled for safety.

"The Tories in Georgia are now no more. That province is
almost universally on the right side, and is about to choose
delegates to send to the Congress."[130]

June 29.—Yesterday General Wooster, with seven companies
of his regiment, and Colonel Waterbury, with his regiment
complete, both consisting of about eighteen hundred
men, arrived at New York from Connecticut. They appear
to be a healthy, hearty body of men, and are now encamped
about two miles out of town.[131]

The reports from the northward are various; it is thought
from the best accounts, that the Canadians will be very reluctant
to enter into the service against the colo-

nies, and it is pretty certain that General Carleton
has hanged two or three of them for refusing, and speaking
discouraging to others; so that it is on the whole believed that
through all the stratagems of tyranny, Carleton will dragoon a
number of the Canadians and Indians into the service. It is
generally believed he is making preparation to come against
us; but some think otherwise, and that he is only fortifying
at St. John's to prevent any incursion from us. Doubtless a
short time will discover which of those is the truth. We have
certain intelligence that Guy Johnson is making all the interest
possible to raise the Indians about the Lakes and Oswegatcha
against us.[133]

July 1.—General Putnam, who commanded the Connecticut
troops, is a veteran soldier of great experience. He served
during the whole of the last war against the

French, and was wounded fifteen different times
in the service of his country. He was once taken prisoner by
the Indians, who first scalped, then tied him to a tree, and
were about to make a stroke at his head, which would have
put an end to his existence, when a French officer happening
at the instant to pass by, saved his life.

When he heard of the battle of Lexington, he was following
his plough. As soon as he was satisfied of the truth of the
news, he took one of his horses out of the plough, and bid his
servant take the other and follow him with his arms to Boston.

Should the boasting General Burgoyne ridicule the simplicity
of our American Cincinnatus, and be asked at the same time
where his master's orders found him when he was commanded
to repair to Boston, the answer would most probably be, "in
a gambling house or brothel."[135]

July 3.—A writer in London says:—"Though the American
soldiery perhaps may not be so regularly disciplined as
the king's troops, yet it must be considered that there is a very
material difference between a man who fights for his natural
liberty, and the man who only fights because he is paid for it.
The former defends himself in a just cause; the latter is the
mere dupe of power. The former is animated by the zeal of
his attachments to the public weal; the latter has no attachments
at all, except to his pay for slaughter and bloodshed."[136]

This night died of the wounds he received in the battle
of the seventeenth of June, the amiable, the gallant Colonel
Thomas Gardner, of Cambridge, Massachusetts.[137]

None of the men who have been raised by the several colonies,
are, in future, to be distinguished as the troops of any
particular colony, but as the forces of "The United Colonies
of North America," into whose joint service they have been
taken by the Continental Congress, and are to be paid and
supported accordingly.[138]

Colonel Lasher's battalion was reviewed at New York by
Major-General Schuyler, accompanied by the Brigadier-Generals
Montgomery and Wooster, in the presence of a very respectable
number of the principal gentlemen and ladies. They
went through the exercises and evolutions with the greatest
order, alertness, and decorum. That country can never be enslaved,
whose rights are defended by the hands of its citizens.[139]

July 4.—The Provincial Congress of New York, being informed
by a number of the freeholders of the city, that the
corporation had prepared and intended to present an address
to Governor Tryon, congratulating him on his return to government,
the Congress unanimously voted, that they disapproved
of the same, and ordered that the secretary serve a
copy of the above vote on the mayor, which was done accordingly.[140]

July 5.—General Wooster, and the officers of the Connecticut
forces at New York, dined at Mr. Samuel Frances, in the
Fields, where an elegant entertainment was pro-

vided by the members of the New York Military
Club. The day was spent in the utmost harmony, every thing
conspiring to please, being all of one mind, and one heart.
The following loyal toasts were drank:—1. The king—better
counsellors to him. 2. The hon. Continental Congress. 3.
General Washington, and the army under his command. 4.
The several provincial congresses and committees in the confederated
colonies. 5. A speedy union on constitutional principles
between Great Britain and America. 6. Conquest and
laurels to all those heroes who draw their swords in support of
freedom. 7. Confusion and disappointment to the friends of
despotism and the enemies of America. 8. May the disgrace
of the rebels against the constitution be as conspicuous as that
of the rebels against the house of Hanover. 9. All those
worthies in both Houses of Parliament, who stood forth advocates
of America and the rights of mankind. 10. The Lord
Mayor, and worthy citizens of London. 11. The glorious
memory of King William. 12. The immortal memory of
Hampden, Sydney, and every patriot who fell in defence of
liberty. 13. May the enemies of America be turned into salt-petre,
and go off in hot blasts. 14. May Great Britain see her
error before America ceases in affection. 15. May America
ever be the dread and scourge of tyrants. 16. The daughters
of America in the arms of their brave defenders only. 17.
Death and jack-boots, before dishonor and wooden shoes. 18.
The glorious nineteenth of April, when the brave Americans
convinced General Gage and the friends of tyranny, that they
dare fight and conquer also.[142]

July 7.—It is said that Governor Martin, of North Carolina,
has issued a proclamation,[143] "tending to persuade, seduce,

and intimidate the good people of that province
from taking measures to preserve those rights and
that liberty, to which, as subjects of a British king, they have
the most undoubted claim," and that "the committee of the
counties of New Hanover, Brunswick, Bladen, Dublin, and
Orslow, in order to prevent the pernicious influence of the said
proclamation, have unanimously resolved that, in their opinion,
his excellency Josiah Martin, Esq., hath, by the said proclamation
and by the whole tenor of his conduct since the unhappy
disputes between Great Britain and her colonies, discovered
himself to be an enemy to the happiness of that colony
in particular, and to the freedom, rights, and privileges of
America in general."[145]

July 8.—This forenoon, a trumpeter came from the regular's
army, with a letter from General Burgoyne to General Lee;

and was conducted blindfolded by the guards,
to the head-quarters, in Cambridge. After delivering
the letter he was permitted to return. The contents
of this letter has occasioned much speculation and is variously
reported; but we hear the substance of it is nothing more than
this: That General Burgoyne laments being obliged to act in
opposition to a gentleman for whom he formerly entertained
a great veneration; but that his conduct proceeds from principle,
and doubts not that General Lee is actuated by the same
motive; he wishes affairs may be accommodated, and desires
to have a conference with General Lee.[147]

This has been proposed to the general officers, and to the
Provincial Congress, but they declare against it, as it has given

rise to suspicions and jealousies among the men, who are not
ignorant that a politeness of this kind one hour, is quite consistent
with cutting throats the next.[148]

July 9.—Yesterday morning, about half-past two o'clock,
we were called up and informed that the regulars had attacked
the lines at Roxbury. We heard distinctly the firing of small
arms and artillery on Roxbury Neck, and soon discovered a
great fire in that quarter, but two hours elapsed before we
knew the cause, which was as follows:

Two hundred volunteers, from the Rhode Island and Massachusetts
forces, undertook to burn a guard-house of the regulars
on the Neck, within three hundred yards of their
principal works. They detached six men, about

ten o'clock in the evening, with orders to cross on
a marsh up to the rear of the guard-house, and there to watch
an opportunity to fire it. The remainder of the volunteers
secreted themselves in the marsh on each side of the Neck,
about two hundred yards from the house. Two pieces of brass
artillery were drawn softly on the marsh within three hundred
yards, and upon a signal from the advanced party of six men,
two rounds of cannon shot were fired through the guard-house.
Immediately the regulars, who formed a guard of forty-five or
fifty men, quitted the house and were then fired on by the
musketry, who drove them with precipitation into their lines.
The six men posted near the house set fire to it, and burnt it
to the ground. After this they burnt another house nearer
the lines, without losing a man. They took two muskets and
accoutrements, a halbert, &c., all which were bloody, and
showed evident marks of loss on the part of the regulars. The
houses have been a long while made use of by the regulars as
an advanced post, and has given them an opportunity of discovering
our operations at Roxbury.[150]

July 10.—A gentleman who came out of Boston to-day,

says the inhabitants have been numbered, and amount to six
thousand five hundred and seventy-three. The
soldiers number, women and children, thirteen
thousand six hundred. Three hundred Tories are chosen to
patrol the streets; forty-nine at night. It is very sickly
there; from ten to thirty funerals in a day, and no bells allowed
to toll; Master Lovell[152] has been taken up and put in
jail, in consequence of some letters found in Dr. Warren's
pockets.

The regular officers say: "Damn the rebels, they will not
flinch." A great number of floating batteries are building,
and five transports and three sloops are sailed for hay and
wood to the eastward.

This gentleman also says, that the officers and soldiers
triumph very much at the death of Dr. Warren, saying, it is
better to them than five hundred men.[153]

The following instructions for the officers of the several
regiments of the Massachusetts Bay forces, who are immediately

to go upon the recruiting service, were issued this
morning at Cambridge, by General Gates:—"You
are not to enlist any deserter from the ministerial army, nor
any stroller, negro, or vagabond, or person suspected of being
an enemy to the liberty of America, nor any under eighteen
years of age.

"As the cause is the best that can engage men of courage
and principle to take up arms; so it is expected that none but
such will be accepted by the recruiting officer. The pay, provision,
&c., being so ample, it is not doubted but that the
officers sent upon this service will, without delay, complete
their respective corps, and march the men forthwith to camp.

"You are not to enlist any person who is not an American
born, unless such person has a wife and family, and is a settled
resident in this country. The persons you enlist must be provided
with good and complete arms."[155]

July 11.—A correspondent informs us that one of the gentlemen
appointed to command a company of riflemen, to be
raised in one of the frontier counties of Pennsyl-

vania, had so many applications from the people
in his neighborhood, to be enrolled for the service, that a
greater number presented than his instructions permitted him to
engage, and being unwilling to give offence to any, thought
of the following expedient. He, with a piece of chalk, drew
on a board the figure of a nose of the common size, which he
placed at the distance of one hundred and fifty yards, declaring
that those who should come nearest the mark should be
enlisted. Sixty odd hit the object.—General Gage, take care
of your nose.[157]

The regulars are situated on Bunker's and Breed's Hills,
both on the peninsula, where the late town of Charlestown
stood, and within reach and under the cover of

the guns, from the batteries in the town of Boston,
and the ships in the harbor, and of a number of floating batteries,
which they have built, that carry two guns in their
bows, two in their sterns, and one on each side. The Americans
are situated near Charles river, about two hundred rods
below Harvard College, where they have a redoubt, which
begins the line; then about sixty rods from that another redoubt,
and lines continued near one hundred rods. At Charlestown
road, on the west side of the road, at the foot of Prospect
Hill, another redoubt, and strong fortification. On Prospect
Hill, is Putnam's post, a very strong fortification; and between
that and Winter Hill a redoubt. On Winter Hill, a
strong citadel, and lines over Charlestown road, to Mystic;
then in Mr. Temple's pasture, a strong redoubt, that commands
to Mystic river, so that they have a complete line of circumvallation
from Charles river to Mystic river. The Americans'
main fortress is on Prospect Hill; the regulars on
Bunker's Hill, within cannon shot of each other. A hill between
these two posts, a little to the eastward of Prospect Hill,
called Cobble Hill, will soon create a squabble as to which shall
have it. It will not be many days before a contest begins,
which will probably bring on a general engagement. In four
or five days more, the Americans will be well prepared, and
won't care how soon the regulars come; the sooner the better.
At Roxbury side the regulars have dug across the neck, and
let the water through, and the Americans in turn, have intrenched
across the outer end of the neck, and are strongly fortified
there, and on the hill by the meeting-house; so strong,
that it is believed every man in Boston, and at Bunker's and
Breed's Hills must fall, before they can force a passage that
way into the country.[159]

July 12.—This afternoon, at fifty-five minutes past three
o'clock, there was a violent shock of an earthquake at Jessup-

borough, twelve miles southwest of Lake George.[161]
The earth was much agitated, with small tossing,
agile waves, and the noise thereof as loud as thunder; and it
was with difficulty that some people that were building a
house could sit on the timber. At fifty-one minutes after six,
and forty-one minutes after seven, were two small shocks with
less noise.[162]

During a severe cannonade at Roxbury, last week, a bomb,
thirteen inches in diameter, fell within the American lines, and
burnt furiously, when four of the artillerymen ran up, and one
kicked out the fuse, saved the bomb, and probably some lives
—a stroke of heroism worthy of record. The regulars have so
hardened the provincials by their repeated firing, that a cannonading
is just as much minded as a common thunder shower.
All things look well. The provincials are now strongly posted,
as are the regulars. Neither side are willing to attack each
other in their lines.

We have just got over land from Cape Cod, a large fleet of
whale boats; in a day or two we shall man them in Cambridge

and Mystic rivers, and try to keep the regulars' boats from
insulting us.[163]

July 16.—As to intelligence from Boston, it is seldom we
are able to collect any that may be relied on; and to repeat
the vague flying rumors would be endless. We

heard yesterday by one Mr. Rolston, a goldsmith,
who got out from Boston in a fishing schooner, that the distress
of the troops increases fast, their beef is spent, their malt and
cider all gone; all the fresh provisions they can procure, they
are obliged to give to the sick and wounded; that thirteen of
the provincials who were in jail, and were wounded at Charlestown,
are dead; that no man dared to be seen talking to his
friend in the street; that they are obliged to be within every
evening at ten o'clock according to martial law, nor can any
inhabitant walk the streets after that time without a pass from
Gage; that Gage has ordered all the molasses to be distilled
into rum for the soldiers; that he has taken away all licenses
for selling of liquors, and given them to his creatures; that he
has issued an order that no one else shall sell under a penalty
of ten pounds; that the spirit which prevails among the soldiers
is that of malice and revenge; that there is no true
courage to be observed among them; that their duty is hard,
always holding themselves in readiness for an attack, which
they are in continual fear of; that Doctor Eliot[165] was not on
board of a man-of-war as was reported; Mr. Lovel, with many
others, is certainly in jail; that last week a poor milch cow
was killed in town and sold for a shilling sterling a pound;
that the transports from Ireland and New York arrived last
week, but every additional man adds to their distress.[166]

July 19.—Wednesday evening last, a number of ladies and
gentlemen collected at a place called East Farms, in Connecticut,
where they had a needless entertainment, and made
themselves extremely merry with a good glass of wine. Such

entertainments and diversions can hardly be justified upon
any occasion; but at such a day as this, when every thing
around us has a threatening aspect, they ought to be discountenanced,
and every good man should use his influence to
suppress them. And are not such diversions and entertainments
a violation of the eighth article of the Association of the
Continental Congress? And is it not expected that the Committee
of Inspection will examine into such matters, and if they
find any persons guilty of violating said Association, that they
treat them according as the rules of it prescribe?[167]

Last Monday night, two men belonging to the Swan, Captain
Ayscough, being on shore, at Newport, Rhode Island, saw

fit to attempt an escape from their old and detested
habitation. The next morning two or three
of the ferry boats which pass between Newport and Conanicut
were fired upon and brought to, an event so singular
that two respectable members of the committee waited upon
Captain Ayscough to know the reason. He told them that
two of his men the night before were sent on shore upon some
errand, and had not returned, and added, that he was confident
the inhabitants knew where they were, and that they
were detained by them purposely. The two gentlemen declared
themselves ignorant of the matter, and believed the
whole town to be. However, to pacify Captain Ayscough,
they assured him that they would summon the committee together,
inquire into the matter, and, at the same time, desired
Captain Ayscough to write a letter to the committee, stating
his grievance. This he did, and they promised to wait on him
in the afternoon with an answer. As the captain's letter was
rather in the threatening style, the committee could not help
inquiring what he meant thereby, and assured him in their
reply, that they were not to be intimidated, and did not think
themselves by any means accountable for the desertion of any
of his men. Captain Ayscough read the letter with considerable
composure, folded it up and then gave it to Wallace, captain
of the Rose; Ayscough, at this time, being on board
Wallace's ship. Captain Wallace immediately flew into a
most terrible passion, threw the letter down in a violent fit of
rage, damned the committee and the Congress, and swore at
Ayscough for writing to such a parcel of damned rebels, and
declared that if he knew the two gentlemen who were then
present to be of the committee they never should go on shore
again. They endeavored to pacify him, but in vain. He
swore, repeatedly, that if there was a God in heaven, the town
should be destroyed before morning; that he was the king's
officer and would not be insulted. Hereupon the two gentlemen
left the ship. A signal gun was instantly discharged, and
the three pirates in the harbor and their tender immediately
weighed anchor and came close in with the town. Their tomkins
were taken out, the marines on board beat to arms,
and all the hostile preparations imaginable going forward
against a defenceless seaport, consisting (exclusive of the men)
of not less than six thousand women and children. About
half-past nine in the evening, a cannon was discharged from
the Rose, when many really thought the firing on the town
was begun. Several women fainted away; others went into
fits, and a few absolutely miscarried by the fright.

This morning about one or two o'clock, one of the Swan's
men returned, and in order, it is supposed, to save himself
from a flogging, as it was necessary for him to give some account
of himself, he invented the following lie, and swore to it upon the
Holy Evangelist, namely: "That the Rhode Island rebels had
taken him and his companion, and wanted that they should
enlist among them to fight against the king, but that they refused,
and because they did, the rebels gagged them and then
carried them to Providence jail, but that he broke away and
travelled thirty miles to get on board again;" with much of
the same stuff.

The captains of the pirates either believed this gross and
inconsistent falsehood, or fain would make the inhabitants
think so; accordingly it was taken down in writing, sent on
shore, and satisfaction demanded, or the town should certainly
be laid in ashes that very day. Another cannon was now
discharged, four ferry boats and two wood sloops seized, quantities

of tar and other inflammatory and combustible matter put
into the same, in order to set on fire and send into the wharves,
as a more expeditious way of destroying the town than by cannon
only; the cannon at the same time were to be fired on
every part of the town. The court-house, Doctor Stiles"[169]
meeting-house, and the printing office were first of all to feel
the effects of this horrid plot. The most terrible parade was
kept up by these low ministerial tools till near two o'clock
this afternoon, when two persons of undoubted veracity (farmers
within two or three miles of the town) went on board the
Swan. One of these gentlemen assured the captains of the
three ships, that he saw the stragglers, for whose desertion
such terrible confusion had ensued, in his corn-field yesterday
morning, and described them; the other gentleman declared
that he saw them in the afternoon near where he was
making hay, and likewise described them. After fully proving
that they knew the men, by pointing out the one who had returned,
notwithstanding four others were first produced in
order to deceive them, they came on shore; when, all at once,
the boats and prisoners were dismissed, the ships weighed
anchor and stood up the river.

Let every honest American rise up in opposition to such
inhuman, and must we add, when speaking of Britons too,
worse than savage cruelty. To prepare, after so hostile a
manner, to destroy thousands of lives and ruin vast estates,
merely because two drunken wretches had fled from a ship
under the command of a petty tyrant, is what will make a
considerable figure in some future page, when our many trials
are handed down to posterity by some able historian.[170]

A writer says that General Gage's army is now divided
into three companies. "The first company is under ground;

the second is above ground; the third is in the
hospital; and the general has received express
orders from home for the second and third companies to march
and follow the first."[172]

Yesterday morning, according to orders issued the day before
by Major-General Putnam, all the continental troops
under his immediate command assembled on Prospect Hill,
when the declaration of the Continental Congress[173] was read,
after which an animated and pathetic address to the army was
made by the Reverend Mr. Leonard,[174] chaplain to General
Putnam's regiment, and succeeded by a pertinent prayer;
when General Putnam gave the signal, and the whole army
shouted their loud amen by three cheers; upon which a cannon
was fired from the fort, and the standard lately sent to General
Putnam was exhibited, flourishing in the air, bearing on one
side this motto, An Appeal to Heaven, and on the other side,
Qui Transtulit Sustinet. The whole was conducted with
the utmost decency, good order, and regularity, and to the
universal acceptance of all present. And the Philistines on
Bunker's Hill heard the shout of the Israelites, and, being
very fearful, paraded themselves in battle array.[175]

A report is current, that the troops will not winter at Boston,
but the province they are to remove to is not clear. Some
say Rhode Island will be the head-quarters, others

New York, with Long Island, as it lies so contiguous.
It is to be remarked, that either of these provinces is
a more desirable and proper climate for troops to winter in
than Boston, and at Boston no good can be expected from the
winter campaign, whereas there is a chance of doing something
on new ground, and among new people, not so expert in
arms or so inured to the field. What adds to the probability
of the report is, that such a measure would embarrass the Provincials
more than any other whatever, for the men, who still
look on themselves as trained militia only, would think they
had a right to be discharged when they had no enemy to oppose,
and the peace of their province as it were totally restored.
Whereas, according to the principles and spirit of the leaders
of that unfortunate town and province, they must by all means
persuade the men to follow the regulars to any distant province,
in order to stir up the same spirit of opposition there,
that has reigned in Boston; for it is an undoubted fact, that if
government gains any one province over to its side, the business
is done, and the others would soon follow. Another thing
in favor of the troops moving is, that it would probably alarm
the Congress so much, that that august and respectable assembly
would soon break up, there being a great deal of difference
between holding such meeting with a body of troops in the
neighborhood, and in having no forces near them for hundreds
of miles.[177]

July 21.—Yesterday, agreeably to the recommendation of
the delegates in the hon. Continental Congress, was observed

with the utmost solemnity, by fasting, abstinence,
and devotion. In all the churches in New York
were large congregations, and excellent discourses, delivered
from the several pulpits, expressive of the truly calamitous
situation of this unhappy continent.[179]

At New Castle, in Delaware, the Reverend Æneas Ross
delivered a discourse in the morning, from Deut. 23, 9th verse,
"When the host goeth forth against the enemy, then keep
thee from every wicked thing!" And in the afternoon, the
Reverend Joseph Montgomery preached from Deut. 29th
chap., 9th and 10th verses transposed, "Ye stand this day
all of you before the Lord your God; your captains of your
tribes, your elders and your officers, with all the men of Israel;
keep therefore the words of this covenant and do them, that ye
may prosper in all that ye do!" Both of the services were
attended by all the militia, with their proper officers in their
uniform, and a numerous concourse of the other inhabitants.[180]

July 24.—By authentic accounts from South Carolina, we
are informed that the colony of Georgia has appointed delegates
to the Continental Congress now in Philadelphia, where
they may be expected daily to arrive. The same accounts

inform, that the people of Carolina have taken into their possession
about one hundred and thirty barrels of gunpowder
imported in the ship —, Captain Maitland, from London,
on Government account.[181]

July 25.—Captain Dowdle, with his company of riflemen,
from Yorktown, Pennsylvania, arrived at Cambridge about
one o'clock to-day, and since has made proposals

to General Washington to attack the transport
stationed at Charles river. He will engage to take her with
thirty men. The general thinks it best to decline it at present;
but at the same time commends the spirit of Captain Dowdle
and his brave men, who, though they just came a very long
march, offered to execute the plan immediately.[183]

July 28.—A deserter from Boston says, that, yesterday
morning, General Gage surrendered in the orders of the day,
his command of the army to General Howe, and

now acts only as a Civil Governor; that he is
lampooned and despised by the whole army; that Howe is
much censured for his mode of attack on our lines last month;
that their artillery was wretchedly served; and, what is more
strange, that all their spare cartridges which they brought out,
were twelve-pounders, and they took only nine-pounders cannon,
so that when the Americans were obliged to quit their
lines, the regulars had not one round of artillery.[185]

July 30.—Last Friday the regulars cut several trees, and
were busy all night in throwing up a line, and

abbatis in front of it. In the evening orders were
given to the York County Riflemen to march down to our
advanced post on Charlestown Neck, to endeavor to surround
the advanced guard, and to bring off some prisoners, from
whom we expected to learn their design in throwing up the abbatis
on the Neck. The rifle company divided, and executed
their plan in the following manner: Captain Dowdle, with
thirty-nine men, filed off to the right of Bunker's Hill, and
creeping on their hands and knees, got into the rear without
being discovered. The other division of forty men under
Lieutenant Miller, were equally successful in getting behind
the sentinels on the left, and were within a few yards of
joining the division on the right, when a party of regulars came
down the hill to relieve their guard, and crossed our riflemen
under Captain Dowdle, as they were lying on the ground in
an Indian file. The regulars were within twenty yards of our
men before they saw them, and immediately fired. The riflemen
returned the salute, killed several, brought off two prisoners,
and their arms, with the loss of Corporal Creuse, who is
supposed to be killed, as he has not been heard of since the
affair.

In return for this the regulars alarmed us last night in their
turn. At one o'clock this morning, a heavy firing of small
arms and cannon occasioned our drums to be beat to arms, and
the corps were immediately ordered to their posts. The firing
continued in three different quarters, Roxbury, Sewell's Point
at the mouth of Cambridge river, and at the advanced post at
Charlestown Neck. Some hours elapsed before we knew the design
of the enemy, which was this: We had surrounded some
of their out-guard the night before, which induced them to
serve our sentinels in like manner.

They sent two flat-bottomed boats to Sewell's Point to attack
our redoubt there. The boats, after a useless fire of several
hours, retired. The picquet guard of the enemy on
Charlestown Neck, attacked and drove in our advanced guard,
who, being reinforced by General Lee's orders, recovered their
ground and beat the enemy, killed several, and brought off seven
muskets without losing a man, although our men engaged
them under their guns, within point blank shot of their lines.[187]