the grey of the morning; and the garrison, consisting of 1 lieutenant, 1 gunner, 2 sergeants, and 44 rank and file, besides women and children, with their commander, Capt. De la Place, surrendered themselves prisoners of war, without firing a gun, and were also sent down into Connecticut, for security.*

Soon after the surrendry of the fort, Col. Seth Warner arrived with the remainder of the troops, and the boats which Col. Allen had sent back for the purpose, and took the command of an expedition against Crown Point, which was also surprised and taken, with a garrison of twelve men, commanded by a sergeant. This fortress contained more than one hundred pieces of cannon.

One object more became necessary to secure the command of Lake Champlain, and that was an armed vessel that lay at the north end of the lake. To secure this, Col. Arnold was detached on board a schooner, then lying at South Bay, and sailed in quest of the sloop of war, accompanied by Col. Allen, with a detachment of his Green Mountain Boys, in boats. Col. Arnold out-sailed the boats, surprised, and took the sloop, and on his return with his prize, met Col. Allen, who also returned to Ty.

This display of spirit and enterprise, secured to America the command of Lake Champlain, with the fortresses of Ticonderoga, and Crown Point, which had cost the confederates so much blood and treasure, in their former wars with Canada. Col. Allen left Col. Arnold in garrison at Ticonderoga, and embarked in a new expedition.

During these operations in the north, Gen. Gage contemplated an attack upon Gen. Thomas, at Roxbury, whose whole force consisted of only 700 militia, in want of ammu

The arms and military stores taken in this fort, were as follows, viz. About 120 iron cannon, 6424 lbs. ball-50 swivels-2 ten inch mortars-1 howitzer-1 Cohorn--100 stand of arms-10 tons of musket balls-3 cart load of flints-30 new gun carriages-a large quantity of shells-10 casks of powder-2 brass cannon-30 barrels of flour-18 barrels of pork, &c. Also, a warehouse full of materials for boat building.

nition, and poorly supplied with arms. When Gen. Thomas learnt the movements of Gen. Gage, he practised an old statagem of deceiving the enemy, by multiplying his forces; and to effect this, he commenced the march of his whole force round a hill, that lay exposed to the view of the enemy, and continued their march through the day, and thus defeated the attack of his enemy.

The committee of safety reinforced Gen. Thomas by a detachment of one half of the militia of the ten neighbouring towns, and thus Roxbury was preserved. Whilst the positions of the army at Cambridge and Roxbury were thus strengthened, the Massachusetts congress took the precaution to disarm all the disaffected, or tories, and to prevent all persons from moving with their effects out of the province.

During these operations, the British sent out their foraging parties among the small islands in the Bay, which occasioned frequent and sharp skirmishing between the parties. These skirmishes taught the Americans, that the British were more formidable in name, than in arms, which led them to commence their attacks sharply, and firmly, and most generally with success. These successes diffused courage and confidence throughout the camps at Cambridge and Roxbury, and taught them to face the British with firmness.

On the 25th of May, the Cerberus (man of war) arrived at Boston, with the three British generals, Howe, Clinton, and Burgoyne, who were expected to "bring the colonies at the feet of the ministry," the first campaign.

These officers came out to America on a party of pleasure, and brought out their fishing geer for their amusement, knowing, as they had been taught through the medium of Governor Hutchinson's correspondence with ministers, that the few disaffected, restless, aspiring characters in America, would not dare make resistance, and face British

troops, when things became serious. Struck with astonishment at the situation of things, when they landed in Boston, they anxiously enquired of Generals Gage and Haldiman how the skirmish happened at Lexington; but when they learnt from General Haldiman, then lieutenantgeneral, that he was ignorant of the affair until it was over, and that he was indebted even for that knowledge to the reports of a barber's shop, they were the more astonished, and saw clearly that all was not right.

On the 27th a severe skirmish took place, first upon Noddles-Island, and next upon Hog-Island, between a foraging party of the British, and a party of Americans, headed by General Putnam, and Dr. Warren. The action continued through the night, and the British suffered severely in killed and wounded; their foraging was defeated, and an armed vessel which covered the party, grounded in the morning, and was taken, stript, and destroyed by the Americans. These repeated successes, however trifling in themselves, were of the highest use, and importance to the American cause; not only in camp, but throughout the country, in giving strength, confidence, and support to the cause.

On the 30th of May the provincials again proceeded to Noddles-Island, and burnt the mansion house, as tory property; and drove off five or six hundred head of horses, cattle, and sheep. The next day they proceeded to Pittiek's-Island and drove off as many more; and on the night of the 2d of June, they visited Deer-Island and carried off as many more; and thus they shewed their daring intrepidity in presence of a British army, fleet, and armed vessels; and distressed the enemy, by removing their forage from the mouths of their own cannon. That free egress, and ingress, which had thus far been indulged to those who wished to move out of, or into the town of Boston, was now checked, under various pretexts, and at VOL. III.

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length the women and children were restrained, hoping that their safety might secure the town from an assault, or restrain the men from departing.

At this time the small-pox raged in Boston, and was communicated to the American army by the poor people, who were sent out of Boston, and many provincials suffered severely.

The want of money now began to embarrass the Americans, and it became necessary for the Massachusetts congress to direct their receiver-general to borrow money, particularly 3751. sterling of a gentlemen at Salem, and at the same time strike off province notes to pay the army their arrears, and advance pay to the recruits.

By the returns of the army on the 10th of June, at Cambridge, it amounted to 7644 officers and soldiers ; but it was rather an assemblage of men, than an army, being all militia, without order, and without discipline; but full of zeal, and true to their rights, and their country's

cause.

In this state of things General Gage issued his proclamation on the 12th of June, offering pardon, &c. in the king's name, to all who should quietly submit to the royal ́authority, excepting Samuel Adams, and John Hancock; denouncing at the same time, as rebels and traitors, all such 'as should refuse this proffered mercy, or aid and assist in any way, or correspond with such as should refuse to accept. It also declared the province to be under martial law, until civil law could be restored.

On the 5th of December, 1774, Doctor Joseph Warren had been chosen president of the provincial congress of Massachusetts, in place of John Hancock, Esq. removed by election, to the General Congress, and at this time, June 14th, they appointed him second major-general of the Massachusetts forces.

This proclamation of General Gage, was considered by the Americans as a public manifesto, and a prelude to some serious operations; they made preparations accordingly, and at the same time watched the motions of the enemy very closely.

On the 13th, intelligence was communicated to the committee of safety, that the enemy were in motion, and thạt a sortie might be expected soon; they recommended to the Congress to order all the militia to hold themselves in readiness; and to the council of war to secure Bunker's Hill, as a commanding position, upon that quarter; and Dorchester neck, upon the other side, as important passes into the country. On the 16th, orders were issued accordingly by the commander in chief at Cambridge, and a detachment of one thousand men, under the command of Colonel Prescott, was sent to take possession of and fortify Bunker's Hill, on the following night. The detachment advanced to their duty; but by mistake fortified Breed's Hill, which lay contiguous to Bunker's Hill, yet nearer to the enemy. Here they commenced their operations at midnight, with all possible alacrity, and silence. When the morn appeared, the Lively, man of war, who lay near, discovered the works, and commenced her firing, which also disclosed the redoubt to the view of the enemy in Boston. Struck with surprise at the boldness of the movement, as well as the undaunted firmness with which the provincials pursued their labours, under the incessant fire of the Lively, as well as the floating batteries, and those from Copp's Hill in Boston, General Gage saw at once the danger of his situation, in an open town, in presence of such an enemy; he resolved for his own safety, to dislodge the provincials from this position accordingly about noon of the 16th, he detached four battalions of infantry, ten companies of grenadiers, and a suitable train of artillery, under the command