of fourteen thousand five hundred volunteers, but they were undisciplined and insubordinate. The supplies of war were almost wholly wanting. The army was soon organized and arranged in three divisions. The right wing, under General Ward, held Roxbury; the left, commanded by General Charles Lee, rested at Prospect Hill; the centre, under the commander-in-chief, lay at Cambridge. The siege of Boston was pressed with vigor.

16. Meanwhile the king's authority was overthrown in all the colonies. Lord Dunmore, governor of Virginia, who was driven from office, proclaimed freedom to the slaves and raised a force of loyalists, but was defeated by the patriots near Norfolk.

17. The Americans looked to Canada for aid. In order to encourage the people of that province to take up arms, Generals Schuyler and Montgomery were ordered to proceed against St. John and Montreal. The former fort was reached on the 10th of September, but could not at first be taken. Afterward General Montgomery succeeded in capturing the fortress. Montreal was next invested, and on the 13th of November obliged to capitulate. 18. Montgomery next proceeded, with three hundred men, against Quebec. In the mean time, Colonel Arnold had set out with a thousand men from Cambridge, and after a march of untold hardship and suffering, had reached the St. Lawrence and climbed to the Plains of Abraham. At Point aux Trembles he was joined by Montgomery, who assumed command. The whole force did not exceed nine hundred men. Quebec was defended by greatly superior numbers. For three weeks, with his handful of troops, Montgomery besieged the town, and then staked everything on an assault.

19. Before daybreak on the 31st of December, 1775, the first division, under Montgomery, attacked the Lower Town. The second column, led by Arnold, attempted to storm the Prescott Gate. As Montgomery's men were rushing forward, a battery before them burst forth with a storm of grape-shot. At the first discharge Montgomery fell dead. The men, heartbroken at their loss, retreated to Wolfe's Cove, above the city.

20. Arnold had meanwhile fought his way into the Lower Town. While leading the charge he was severely wounded and

borne to the rear. Captain Morgan led his brave band along the narrow streets until he was overwhelmed and compelled to surrender. Arnold retired to a point three miles above the city. The small-pox broke out in the camp; Quebec was strengthened; and in the following June the Americans evacuated Canada.

RECAPITULATION.

The patriots remove their stores.-Pitcairn is sent to destroy them.-Dawes and Revere arouse the people.-The British reach Lexington.-Fire on the patriots.-Proceed to Concord.-Are attacked.-And driven back to Boston.The country is fired. The patriots gather at Cambridge.-Allen and Arnold capture Ticonderoga.-The British are reinforced.-Gage's plans.-The Americans fortify Breed's Hill.-The battle.-Excitement of the people.-The North Carolinians declare independence.-The Colonial Congress assembles.-Washington commander-in-chief.-Sketch of his life.-Organization of the army.— Royal rule is overthrown.-Struggle with Dunmore.--Expedition against Quebec.-Led by Schuyler, Montgomery, and Arnold.-Montgomery takes Montreal.-Arnold's march.-He and Montgomery unite against Quebec.-The town is invested. The assault and defeat.-Fall of Montgomery.-Canada evacuated.

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CHAPTER XXXVII.

THE WORK OF '76.

T last came the king's answer to the appeal of Congress. The petition of the colonies was rejected with contempt. By this tyrannical answer the day of independence was brought nearer. Meanwhile, General Howe had succeeded Gage in command of the British troops in Boston.

2. All winter long, the city was besieged by Washington. By the first of spring, 1776, he felt himself strong enough to risk an assault; the officers of his staff thought otherwise, and a different plan was adopted. It was resolved to seize Dorchester Heights and drive Howe out of Boston.

3. For two days the attention of the British was drawn by a fire from the American batteries. On the night of the 4th of March, a detachment set out under cover of the darkness and reached the Heights unperceived. The British noticed nothing unusual; but, when morning dawned, Howe saw at a glance that he must carry the American position or abandon the city. He accordingly ordered two thousand four hundred men to storm the Heights before nightfall.

4. Washington visited the trenches and exhorted his men. It was the anniversary of the Boston Massacre, A battle was momentarily expected; but while the British delayed, a storm arose and

rendered the harbor impassable. It continued to blow for a whole day, and the attack could not be made. Before the following morning the Americans had so strengthened their fortifications that all thoughts of an assault were abandoned. Howe found himself reduced to the extremity of giving up the capital of New England.

5. After some days there was an agreement between Washington and the British general that the latter should retire from Boston unmolested on condition that the city should not be burned. On the 17th of March, the whole British army went on board the fleet and sailed away. The American advance at once entered the city. On the 20th, Washington made a formal entry at the head of the triumphant army. The country was wild with delight. Congress ordered a gold medal to be struck in honor of Washington, victorious over the enemy.

6. In a short time, the commander-in-chief repaired with the army to New York. General Lee pressed forward with the Connecticut militia, and reached that city just in time to baffle an

attempt of Sir Henry Clinton, whose fleet arrived off Sandy Hook. Clinton next sailed southward, and was joined by Sir Peter Parker and Lord Cornwallis with two thousand five hundred men. The force of the British was deemed sufficient to capture Charleston.

7. The Carolinians, led by General Lee, rose in arms and flocked to Charleston. The city was fortified; and a fort, which commanded the entrance to the harbor, was built on Sullivan's Island. On the 4th of June, the British squadron came in sight. On the 28th, the British fleet began a bombardment of the forttress, which was commanded by Colonel Moultrie. The vessels of the fleet poured a tempest of balls upon the fort; but the walls, built of palmetto, were little injured. The flag-staff was shot away, but Sergeant Jasper leaped down from the wall, recovered the flag, and set it in its place again. As evening drew on, the British were obliged to retire with a loss of two hundred men. The loss of the garrison amounted to thirty-two. As soon as the British could repair their fleet, they set sail for New York.

8. During the summer, Washington's forces were increased to twenty-seven thousand men; but the effective force was little more than half that number. Great Britain was making the vastest preparations. By a treaty with some of the German States, seventeen thousand Hessians were hired to fight against America. Twenty-five thousand English troops were levied; and a million dollars were voted for the expenses of the war.

9. Thus far the colonists had claimed to be loyal subjects of Great Britain. Now the case seemed hopeless. The people urged the general assemblies, and the general assemblies urged Congress, to a declaration of independence. Congress responded by recommending the colonies to adopt such governments as might best conduce to the safety of the people.

10. On the 7th of June, 1776, Richard Henry Lee of Virginia offered a resolution in Congress declaring that the United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States. A long and exciting debate ensued. The final consideration of Lee's resolution was postponed until the 1st of July. On the 11th of June, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Frank

lin, Roger Sherman, and Robert R. Livingston, were appointed a committee to prepare a formal declaration.

11. On the 1st of July, the committee's report was laid before Congress. On the next day Lee's resolution was adopted. During the 3d, the formal declaration was debated with great spirit. The discussion was resumed on the 4th, and at two o'clock in the afternoon, the DECLARATION OF AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE was adopted by a unanimous vote.

12. The old bellman of the State House rang out the note of freedom to the nation. The multitudes caught the signal and answered with shouts. Everywhere the declaration was received with enthusiastic applause. At Philadelphia the king's arms were torn down and burned in the street. At Williamsburg, Charleston, and Savannah there were bonfires. At Boston the declaration was read in Faneuil Hall. At New York the populace pulled down the statue of George III. and cast it into bullets. Washington ordered the declaration to be read at the head of each brigade.

13. The leading principles of the Declaration of Independence are these: That all men are created equal; that governments are instituted for the welfare of the people; that the people have a right to alter their government; that the government of George III. had become destructive of liberty; that the king's tyranny over his American subjects was no longer endurable; and that, therefore, the United Colonies of America are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States.

14. Early in July, General Howe landed a force of nine thousand men on Staten Island. Thither Clinton came from the siege of Charleston, and Admiral Howe from England. The whole British force in the vicinity of New York amounted to thirty thousand men. Nearly half of them were Hessians. Washington's army was greatly inferior in numbers and discipline.

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15. Lord Howe had been instructed to try conciliatory measures with the Americans. First, he sent to the American camp despatch directed to George Washington, Esquire. Washington refused to receive a communication which did not recognize his official position. Howe then sent another message, addressed to George Washington, etc., etc., etc.; and the bearer insisted that