retrieved the fortune of the day. Warren, the American leader, was killed in the action. Charlestown, which ftood on the northern peninsula, at the entrance of Bostonbay, and confifted of about 400 houses, was unfortunately reduced to ashes. The manner in which this poft was attacked has been much cenfured: had the troops been landed on the ifthmus, near the town of Cambridge, the American works, it has been faid, might have been more eafily forced, and their retreat effectually cut off: but Putnam lay with a confiderable force at a small diftance, which probably determined the general against this mode of attack. On the other hand, the American general is equally cenfured for not marching his men to fupport the party on Bunker's Hill,

The important forts of Ticonderoga and Crownpoint, the former of which, when poffeffed by the French, had withstood the attack of a large army, were now furprized and taken by a body of American volunteers, formed in the back fettlements, and commanded by a Colonel Easton, and a Colonel Ethan Allen; but it does not appear that either of these partifans acted under commiffions from Congrefs,

It now became neceffary for Congress to provide the means of paying the troops which were raised, and to defray the other expences of the war; and as no fpecie could be obtained, the little which was in circulation, being immediately fecreted upon the breaking out of the troubles, no other refource was left but to iffue a large paper currency, for the redemption of which the delegates of each Province. in Congrefs bound their conftituents. Such a mode of providing for the exigencies of the times, required that a general confidence should be placed in the fecurity: public

spirit

Spirit will often lead men to risk their perfons rather than their property, befides the eafinefs with which these notes could be imitated, expofed the new ftates to great inconveniencies from forgeries.

The title of The United Colonies of America," was then affumed, the Congress declared, that the compact between the legislature of Great Britain, and the people of Maffachufet's Bay was diffolved, by the violation of the charter of William and Mary on the part of England, and therefore recommended to the inhabitants of that province to elect proper officers of state, agreeable to the powers which they poffuffed by their charter. Hancock, a Bostonian of great wealth and influence, was chofen Prefident of the Congrefs, whilft a proclamation by General Gage excepted him and Samuel Adams from that general offer of pardon which was made to all others. The feeble colony of Georgia foon after joined the confederacy, and fent five deputies to Congrefs, upon which the name of the Thirteen United Colonies of America was affumed.

Notwithstanding the Americans appeared thus formidable, yet they were actually very ill provided with arms and ammunition, whilft the moft ample fupplies were shipped in England for the use of the British army; but the tranfports being fent out unarmed, and happening to be feparated from their convoy by a gale of wind on the American coaft, many of them were captured by the Provincial cruifers, without being able to make any defence. So large a fupply thus eafily obtained, was a most important acqui

*It is afferted, that there had been a time when the American army was fo deffitute of military stores, as not to have powder enough in all their magazines to furnish more than five rounds a man for their small arins, without any fupply for their great guns.

fition

fition to the Colonies. It was not to have been imagined, that by fuch an act of negligence Great Britain should provide her revolted fubjects with the means of becoming formidable. In times lefs courteous than the prefent, fo fagrant a breach of duty, productive of fuch confequences, would have occafioned a rigorous parliamentary enquiry to have pursued the delinquents.

The endeavours to furnish the army with fresh provifions and neceffaries during the severity of a North American winter, were equally fruftrated, by the injudicious manner in which they were exerted; for though 5000 oxen and 14,000 sheep, with a vaft number of hogs, were put on board transports, with vegetables of all kinds, and in vaft abundance*; 10,000 butts of beer diftributed among this fleet, and 5000 chaldron of coals, yet the fleet failed fo late in the feafon, and was fo buffetted by adverse winds, that moft of the live stock perished in the voyage, and many of the transports were forced on the American coaft and taken.

The two houses of parliament assembled on the 26th of October, 1775. The fpeech from the throne fpoke of the revolt, hoftility, and rebellion of America; of certain perfons in the Colonies having raised troops, collected a naval force, feized the public revenue, and affumed to themselves legislative, executive, and judicial powers, which they exercised in the most arbitrary manner over the perfons and properties of their fellow-fubjects. It spoke of the difpofition of parliament during the last feffion, as wishing rather to reclaim than to fubdue. His Majefty expreffed his

The charge of vegetables, cafks, and vinegar, amounted to upwards of 20,000l. Hay, oats, and beans for a fingle regiment of cavalry amounted to nearly as much.

anxiety

anxiety to prevent, if it had been poffible, the effufion of the blood of his fubjects, and the calamities which are infeparable from a state of war, ftill hoping that his people in America would have difcerned the traiterous views of their leaders, and have been convinced, that to be a fubject of Great Britain, with all its confequences, is to be the freeft member of any civil fociety in the known world. It spoke of friendly offers which had been made of foreign affiftance, and of having sent to Gibraltar and Port Mahon, Hanoverian troops to replace fuch British regiments as should be drawn from thence for the American fervice. It spoke of burdens which muft be inevitably laid on the people in confequence of this rebellion, and of the pacific difpofition of European powers.

The manner in which the addrefs was carried in both houfes, fhewed that miniftry ftill poffeffed a vast majority, although fome individuals had deferted their ftandard; the Duke of Grafton, in this day's debate, went over from the cause of adminiftration, together with a very eloquent and able prelate *. A proteft, figned by nineteen peers, was entered in the journals against the addrefs, which was, as ufual, expreffive of the most entire concurrence in the fentiments and conduct described in the speech.

Soon after, the Duke of Grafton refigned the privy seal, which was delivered to the Earl of Dartmouth, and Lord George Germaine fucceeded the Earl in the fecretaryfhip for the American department. This nobleman, defcended from the noble race of Sackville, Dukes of Dorfet, and uncle to the present Duke, had fupported the ftamp act under Mr. Grenville's administration, and now exerted his abilities to enforce American taxation. His perfon tall

Dr. Hinchcliffe,

and

and dignified, added force to a manly elocution: his harrangues were rather argumentative than florid: without reforting to the artificial graces of oratory, he addressed the judgment; conftantly confining himself to the fubject under debate, he was concife; and as he never rose to speak but upon a weighty queftion, he was heard with attention, and spoke with effect. By him the operations of the war are supposed to have been generally planned, and to him their fuperintendency was principally intrufted.

The Earl of Rochford retired, and was fucceeded by Lord Weymouth in his office of fecretary of ftate for the Southern department, who had continued out of administration fince the negotiation with Spain refpecting Falkland's iflands. The young Lord Lyttelton, who had feverely reprobated the measures of administration on the first day of the feffion, was appointed a privy counsellor, and chief juftice in Eyre, beyond Trent. Government hereby gained the two moft florid and ready fpeakers in the Houfe of Peers; an effential acquifition when fuch arduous enterprizes were to be undertaken.

The number of men to be employed in the fea and land fervice for the year 1776, bespoke great defigns; 28,000 feamen, including marines, and 55,000 men for the land service were voted *. The fending foreign troops, without the authority of parliament, to Gibraltar and Minorca, was

* Franklin, writing to a friend fays, "Britain, at the expence of three millions, has killed 150 Yankees this campaign, which is 20,000l. a head: and at Bunker's Hill fhe gained a mile of ground, half of which the loft again, by our taking poft on Ploughed Hill. During the fame Time 60,000 children have been born in America ; from these data may eafily be calculated the time and expence neceffary to kill us all, and conquer the whole territory.-Political, Miscellaneous, and Philofophical Pieces, page 365.

a measure