"of the civil government, fuch proportion to be raised under A. D... "the authority of the affembly of that province, it will be pro- 1775"per to forbear impofing or levying any tax, duty or affeffment " from the faid province, excepting only fuch duties as it may "be expedient to impofe for the regulation of commerce." This propofition was confidered by many of thofe who fupported the general measures of government, as a dereliction of thote rights which they had hitherto contended to be effential to the British legislature; while the oppofition afferted, that it would be received with the fame indignation by the Americans, as every other measure intended to difunite their interests.

This law which occafioned great difcontents in England, met not with the fmalleft regard in America. While the parliament were employed in enacting it, the ill humour that prevailed among the troops and inhabitants at Boston, broke out into action. It is ftill undecided which party commenced hoftilities; but the skirmishes at Lexington and Concord, proved the bravery of the Provincials far fuperior to the ideas generally entertained of it. The blood fhed on thefe occafions excited the greatest indignation in the other colonies, and they prepar ed for war with as much eagerness and dispatch, as if an enemy had already appeared in their own territories. In some places the magazines were feized, in others the treasury, and without waiting for any account or advice, a ftop was almost every where put at the fame time to the exportation of provisions The governor and forces at Bofton, as well as the inhabitants, continued closely blocked up by land; while they were excluded from all fupplies of freth provifions, which the neighbouring countries could have afforded them by fea. As the military ftores began to be exhaufted without the poffibility of receiving any speedy fupply, the governor thought proper to enter into a capitulation with the Boftonians, by which, upon condition of delivering up their arms, they were allowed to depart with all their other effects. Though all the poor and helpless were fent out, and many others obtained paffports both then, and at different times afterwards, yet the greater part of the inhabitants were upon different grounds obliged to remain in the city, which breach of faith, as the Americans termed it on the part 3 A 2

of

A. D. of general Gage, is defcribed with great indignation in all their 1775. fubfequent publications.

The Continental Congrefs, met at Philadelphia May 10th, 1775, and adopted fuch measures as confirmed the people in their warlike refolutions. They provided for the array and fupport of an army, named generals, established a paper currency, for the realizing the value of which the "Twelve United Co"lonies" became fecurities; foon after Georgia acceded to the Congrefs, from which time they were diftinguifhed by the name of the Thirteen United Colonies." It was faid, that in the whole extent of North America, from Nova Scotia to Florida, near 200,000 men were training to arms under the auspices of the Congrefs. This affembly took meafures not only for defending themfelves, but for diftreffing their enemies. They ftrictly prohibited the fupplying of the British fisheries with any kind of provifion; and to render this order effectual, ftopt all exportation to thofe colonies and iflands which still retained. their obedience. This prohibition occafioned no small distress to the people at Newfoundland, and to all thofe employed in the fisheries; infomuch, that, to prevent an abfolute famine, feveral fhips were under a neceffity of returning light from that ftation, to carry out cargoes of provifions from Ireland.

In the mean time, feveral private perfons, belonging to the back parts of Connecticut, Maffachufet's, and New York, without any public command, or participation that has hitherto been difcovered, undertook an expedition of the utmost importance, and which threatened to deprive Great Britain of every fingle poffeffion which the held in North America. This was the furprize of Ticonderago, Crown-Point and other fortreffes, fituated upon the lakes, and commanding the paffes between the ancient English colonies and Canada. Thefe adventurers, amounting in the whole to about 240 men, feized Ticonderago and Crown-Point, in which they found above 200 pieces of cannon, befides mortars, howitzers, and large quantities of various ftores; they alfo took two veffels, which gave them the command of Lake Champlain, and materials ready prepared at Ticonderago for the equipping of others.

Although the troops at Bofton were greatly reinforced by the arrival of the generals lowe, Burgoyne, and Clinton, a

⚫ confiderable

confiderable body of marines, and feveral regiments from Ire- A. D. land, they continued patiently to fubmit to all the inconvenien- 1775cies of a blockade; nor did they receive any confiderable affiftance from the great number of ships of war which almoft furrounded the peninfula. The Congrefs published a refolution, June 8th, importing the compact between the crown and the people of Maffachufet's Bay, to be diffolved. This was followed by a proclamation of general Gage, (June 12th), by which a pardon was offered in the king's name, to all thofe who fhould forthwith lay down their arms, and punishment denounced against those who obftinately perfifted in difobedience. They were to be treated as rebels and traitors; and as the regular course of juftice was ftopped, martial law was to take place until the rules of civil equity were reftored to their due efficacy.

The Provincials confidering this proclamation as an immediate prelude to hoftility, determined to be before hand with their enemies. Having made the neceffary preparations for feizing the port of Charlestown, they fent a number of men with the greatest privacy in the night, to throw up works upon Bunker's Hill. This was effected with fuch extraordinary order and filence, and fuch incredible difpatch, that none of the fhips of war which covered the fhore, heard the noife of the workmen, who by the morning had made a small but strong redoubt, confiderable entrenchments, and a breast-work, that was in fome parts cannon proof. The fight of these works was the first thing that alarmed the Lively man of war, and her guns called the town, camp, and fleet to behold a fight, which feemed little less than a prodigy. A heavy and continual fire of cannon, howitzers, and mortars, was from this time carried on against the works, from the ship, and floating batteries, as well as from the top of Cop's Hill in Boston. About noon, general Gage caufed a confiderable body of troops to be embarked under the command of major-general Howe, and brigadier-general Figot, to drive the Provincials from their works. Thefe troops, confifting of ten companies of grenadiers, as many of light infantry, and the 5th, 38th, 43d, and 52d battalions, with a proper train of artillery, were landed and drawn up

without

A. D. without oppofition, under the fire of the fhips of war. The 1775. two generals found the enemy fo numerous, and in such a posture of defence, that they thought it neceffary to send back for a reinforcement before they commenced the attack; they were accordingly joined by two companies of light infantry and gre nadiers, by the 47th regiment, and by the first battalion of marines, amounting in the whole to fomething more than 2000

men.

The attack began by a moft severe fire of cannon and howitzers, under which the troops advanced flowly towards the enemy, to afford an opportunity to the artillery to ruin the works, and to throw the Provincials into confufion. Thefe, however, fuftained the affault with a firmnefs that would have done honour to regular troops, and detached a body of men to Charlestown which covered their right flank. General Pigot, who commanded the right wing was thus obliged to engage at the fame time with the lines and with thofe in the houses. During this conflict, Charlestown was set on fire; whether by the troops, or by carcaffes thrown from the fhips, is uncertain, but that large and beautiful town, which, being the first settlement in the colony, was confidered as the mother of Boston, was in one day burnt to the ground. The Provincials did not return a hot until the king's forces had approached almoft to the works, where a moft dreadful fire took place, by which above a thoufand of our bravest men and officers fell. In this action, one of the hottest ever known, (confidering the number engaged), our troops were thrown into fome diforder; but in this critical moment general Clinton, who arrived from Bofton during the engagement, rallied them by a happy manoeuvre, and brought them inftantaneously to the charge. They attacked the works with fixed bayonets and irrefiftible bravery, and carried them in every quarter. The Provincials fought defperately, but being, as they affirm, deftitute of bayonets, and their powder expended, they were obliged to retreat over Charlestown neck, which was enfiladed by the guns of the Glasgow man of war, and of two floating batteries. The king's troops took five pieces of cannon, but no prifoners except 30, who were fo feverely wounded that they could not efcape.

The

The poffeffion of part of the peninfula of Charlestown, and A. D. of Bunker's Hill, which was immediately fortified, enlarged the 1775. quarters of the troops, who had been much incommoded by the ftreightness in which they were confined in Boston; but this advantage was counterbalanced by the great additional duty which they were now obliged to perform. Befides, the Provincials loft no time in throwing up works upon another hill oppofite to Bunker's, on the fide of Charleftown neck which was ftill in their poffeffion. The troops were thus as clofely invested in this peninfula as they had been in Boston. Their fituation was irksome and degrading, being furrounded and infulted by an enemy whom they had been taught to defpife, and cut off from all those refreshments of which they stood in the greateft need.

The refentment occafioned by their fufferings probably engaged them to continue a great cannonade upon the works of the Provincials, which could have little other effect than to inure them to that fort of fervice in which they were employed. A regiment of light cavalry which arrived from Ireland, increafed the wants of the garrifon, without being of the finalleft ufe, as the cavalry were never able to fet foot without the fortifications. The hay which grew upon the islands in the bay, as well as the fheep and cattle which they contained, became an object of great attention to the king's troops; but the Provincials having prepared a number of whaling boats, and being mafters of the fhore and inlets of the bay, were, notwithstanding the number of the fhips of war and armed veffels, too fuccessful in burning, destroying, and carrying away thofe effential articles of fupply. Thefe enterprizes brought on feveral skirmishes, and the enemy grew at length fo daring that they burnt the light-houfe fituated on an ifland at the entrance of the harbour, though a man of war lay within a mile of them at the time; and fome carpenters being afterwards fent, under the protection of a fmall party of marines, to erect a temporary light-houfe, they killed or carried off the whole detachment. From this time a fort of predatory war commenced between the king's fhips and the inhabitants on different parts of the coaft. The formet, being refused the fupplies of provifions and neceffaries which they wanted for

themfelves