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XXVI.

1775.

vanced only a few miles, when they perceived by the CHA P. firing of guns and ringing of bells, that the country was alarmed. Colonel Smith immediately detached fix companies of light infantry to fecure two bridges on different roads, leading from Concord, and on the other fide of that town.

Hoftilities st

Lexington

At five o'clock in the morning, they reached Lex- 19th. ington, fifteen miles diftant from Bofton, near which they perceived a military corps exercifing on a green; these persons were peremptorily fummoned to throw down their arms and difperfe; the former part of the injunction was difregarded, the latter fullenly obeyed, and while the Americans were in the act of retreating, fome pieces were discharged at the king's troops from behind a stone wall, and from adjoining houses: the fire was inftantly returned, and several Americans were killed and wounded.

stroyed at

THE advanced detachment was, in confequence of Stores de this delay, joined by the grenadiers; they proceeded Concord. to Concord, and destroyed fome stores; but the light infantry, pofted at the bridge, were obliged to maintain their pofition by firing on the militia, of whom near four hundred were affembled, and who returned the fire.

WHEN the detachment began their retreat to Bofton, the whole country was alarmed; the minute-men, volunteers, and militia, affembled from all quarters, and were posted among trees, in houfes, and be hind walls, whence they greatly annoyed the king's troops; while a strong body, hourly reinforced, preffed on their rear. Spent with fatigue, and haraffed by an inceffant and effectual, though irregular fire, the foldiers were driven before the Americans to Lexing ton, where they were fortunately met by a divifion under lord Percy, confifting of fixteen companies of foot, and fome marines, who had marched to fuftain them. Colonel Smith's detachment, completely exhaufted, lay down on the earth to recover ftrength, while the troops under lord Percy formed a hollow

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The troops

haraffed in

their returne

CHA P. fquare, inclofing them, and adminiftering refresh

XXVI.

1775.

Obfervations and view of

the contra dictory flate

ments.

ment.

THE united companies proceeded toward Boston, haraffed by the Americans, who from their places of ambush kept up an inceffant fire, running from front to flank, and from flank to rear, loading their pieces at one place, and discharging them at another, in a manner which rendered it impoffible to assault them in

return.

AFTER evading an infidious attempt to lure them to their doom, by falfe intelligence refpecting a ford, the detachment reached Bofton about fun-fet, not lefs difpirited by the incidents, than exhaufted by the fatigues of their long and diftreffing march. The whole force amounted to about about eighteen hundred men; fixty-five were killed, a hundred and eighty wounded, and twenty-feven miffing, of whom feveral were fcalped, or had their ears cut off by the Ameṛi, cans. The provincials loft, according to their own accounts, about fifty killed and thirty-eight wounded. SUCH were the proceedings of this day, in which blood was firft drawn in battle, between Great Britain and her colonies. Affertions diametrically contradictory were advanced, respecting the origin of hoftility : the queftion will not now be very interefting, confidering the great events which enfued and which were not influenced by that fact. The state of animofity against government, and the open declarations of the demagogues, left no doubt that force would be ultimately reforted to in deciding the differences: the collecting of military ftores, the pains taken to alarm the country, and the drawing up of an armed body to oppofe the progress of the king's troops, render indifputable the hoftile difpofitions of the Americans, and clearly indicate their refolution to try their strength on that day; the British forces, in the recent expedition to Salem, and on many other occafions, had fhewn incredible forbearance in fuftaining every fpecies of infult, without having recourfe to extremities; and the affertion,

affertion, that they were first affailed is fupported by CHAP. probability; although many witnesses gave direct tefti

mony to the reverse.

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1775.

the event.

THE advantages derived from the expedition were Effects of but trifling, as great part of the ftores had been previously removed; while the injury accruing to the cause of government was extenfive and permanent. The circumstances of the day afforded the enemy an opportunity of throwing odium on the king's troops, and enabled them to excite the timid to refiftance, and confirm the wavering in fentiments of decided and unlimited oppofition. Difcipline and valour had been baffled by energy and cunning; those who were not engaged in the conteft, became enflamed with emulation; longed to fhare the glory of driving before them the British troops; and talked with confidence of expelling them from Boston. Their zeal was farther excited by an untrue report, industriously circulated, that one object of the expedition was the feizure of John Hancock and Samuel Adams, two diftinguished members of congress.

It is well observed by a writer friendly to the Ame- Bolton ricans, that as force was to decide the conteft, it was the Ameriblockaded by fortunate for them that the firft blood was drawn in cans. New England, where the inhabitants are fo connected by descent, manners, religion, politics, and a general equality, that the destruction of an individual interested the whole community, and excited general indignation. The militia from all parts of the province poured in, and an army was foon formed of twenty thousand men, under the command of colonels Ward, Pribble, Heath, Prefcott, and Thomas, officers who had ferved in provincial regiments in the last war, and now acted as generals. The head-quarters were fixed at Cambridge, and a large detachment from Connecticut having joined them under Putnam, a veteran, who

See accounts on both fides, in the London Gazette, 10th July, 1775-Stedman-Andrews-Ramfay-Morfe's American Geography-Almon's Remembrancer, 1773—and the depofitions published by the Americans."

had

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8775.

CHAP. had acquired knowledge and experience in the laft two wars, a line of encampment was formed of thirty miles in extent, reaching from the river Mystic on the left, to Roxburgh on the right, and inclofing Bofton in the centre; while Putnam took a pofition from which he could extend fuccours to thofe parts of the line of encampment which were nearest to Bofton: the ftrength of the works from the Neck preferved that town from affault, but it was clofely blockaded.

22d April.

families to

To prevent co-operation in cafe of an attack, which, Gage permits however defperate, was daily expected, general Gage quit Bofton; entered into a compact with the inhabitants, permitting them to leave the town, with their families and effects, on giving up their arms. Many, wifhing to avail themselves of this agreement, performed their part of the ftipulation; but it was fpeedily reprefented, that the enemies of government alone were difpofed to quit Bofton, by which means the danger of the well-difpofed was greatly increafed, as in case of an affault, their lives and properties alone would be expofed. In confequence of thefe intimations, paffports firains them. Were not granted without delays and difficulties; effects, it was contended, did not include merchandize; the wives and children of those who absented themselves were deemed defirable hostages, and thus feparations of families enfued. General Gage, in vin dication of thefe proceedings, iffued a proclamation, afferting, that all the arms had not been delivered up; but the inhabitants bitterly complained of the infraction of the agreement f.

but afterwards re

Exertions of the provinsial congrefs.

THE provincial congrefs, which was now removed to Watertown, ten miles from Boston, fhewed their confideration for the befieging army, by making provifions for cloathing, and fixing a liberal pay for the officers and foldiers. They alfo eftablifhed rules for governing the military force, and voted a large fum,

f Ramfey's Hiftory of the American Revolution, vol. i. p. 189,

See thefe rules, which, with their introductory recitals, are worthy of notice, as indicating the unaltered puritanical fpirit of the people, in Almon's Remembrancer, vol. i. p. 120.

to

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1775.

to be iffued in paper currency, for defraying its ex- CHA P. penfes, for the redemption of which paper the faith of the province was pledged. They drew up an address to the inhabitants of Great Britain, juftifying the late conflict; complaining, in acrimonious terms, of the conduct of the regulars; profeffing great loyalty, but appealing to heaven for the justice of their caufe, and declaring their resolution not to fubmit to the perfecution and tyranny of a cruel miniftry, but to die or be free. They alfo refolved, that as general Gage had, sth May. by the late transactions, difqualified himself from ferving that colony as governor, or in any other capacity, no obedience was due to him, but he was to be guarded against as an unnatural and inveterate enemy.

other Pro

WHILE fo much ardour, zeal, and refolution, were Conduct of difplayed in Maffachufet's Bay, the other provinces vinces. were not backward in exhibiting a confentaneous fpirit. On receiving news of the affair at New York, the populace at Lexington feized the magazine of arms, and unladed two provifion-veffels destined for the troops at Boston; formed themselves into military 23d April. companies, chofe officers, diftributed arms, called a New York. provincial congrefs, and adopted all the violent meafures which they had hitherto fo cautiously avoided. In Philadelphia, even the quakers took up the fword, Philadelphia. excepting only the aged and the heads of meetings. At fome places the magazines were feized; in New Exportation of provifions Jersey the treasury; and a general prohibition was im- prohibited. pofed on the exportation of provifions.

referred to

of Pennfyl the affembly

vania;

DURING this ferment, lord North's conciliatory ad May. Conciliatory propofitions arrived, and were firft referred to the propofitions affembly of Pennsylvania, introduced by a perfuafive and lenient addrefs from Mr. Penn, the governor, who folicited temper, calmnefs, and deliberation, in confidering the plan of reconciliation held out by the parent to her children; defcanted on the equity, moderation, and kindness of the terms, congratulated them on being the first colonial affembly to whom the propofitions had been fubmitted, and endeavoured,

from

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