hill, (rising up abruptly from the surrounding land to a considerable height,) which completely sheltered them. In the morning, when the darkness was dissipated, the surprise and alarm of the enemy were extreme; the golden dreams of conquest and of fame flitted away like the "baseless fabrics of a vision," and they stood aghast, as if MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN, had been written in characters of fire on the Heights of Dorchester. "No alternative remained now for the besieged," says Stedman, writing for the British, "but to dislodge the provincials from their new works, or evacuate the town. To succeed in the former was impossible, for the British troops must have ascended an almost perpendicular eminence, on the top of which the Americans had prepared hogsheads, chained together in great numbers, and filled with stones, to roll down upon them as they marched up: a curious provision, by which whole columns would have been swept off at once. species of preparation will exemplify, in a striking manner, that fertility of genius in expedients, which strongly characterized the Americans during the war. This would effectually have destroyed all order, and have broken the ranks." This Admiral Howe, after examining the works, declared that, if the Americans were not dislodged from their position, his vessels could no longer remain in safety in the harbour. The city itself might be converted into a heap of ruins by the provincials. General Howe, brother of the admiral, and successor to General Gage, had at one time concluded to attack the colonists. He ordered ladders to be prepared to scale the walls, but the ebb of the tide and the tempestuous winds defeated his object, while, in the mean time, the Americans erected a third redoubt, and Washington aroused his soldiers to be ready to take Boston, either during the battle or immediately after the defeat of the enemy, before they could recover from the confusion. The British now began to calculate the cost of victory, even if successful. They had not yet forgotten Bunker's Hill, which was less elevated, and the works less perfect. But if the enemy found insurmountable obstacles staring them in the face, discouraging the attempt to dislodge the provincials, while the destruction of their ships and even their own imprisonment formed unwelcome ideas in their haughty minds, a retreat in the face of the enemy under the cannon's mouth, controlled by exasperated men, promised no auspicious departure. "Now," said a man fou and unco happy,' holding on to a post on the edge of a Philadelphia wharf, on a cold winter night, " if I hold on I shall perish with the cold; if I let go I shall be drowned in the river." The situation of this man thus illustrates the condition of Howe and his army. In this awkward dilemma, Howe assembled some of the selectmen of Boston, and told them that the city being no longer of any use to the king, he was resolved to abandon it, if Washington did not oppose it. He represented to them all the horrors of a battle within the walls of the city; and, at the same time, pointed to the combustible materials ready to fire the city in case he was molested. With this intelligence he sent them to Washington, and Washington sent Howe to -Halifax! or at least allowed him to depart. The Americans remained quiet, and the English began to retreat. Boston now presented a melancholy appearance; about 1500 loyalists, with their families, hastened to gather up their most valuable effects, and abandon their homes; fathers are carrying loads on their backs; mothers, almost frantic with grief and despair, drag their little whiteheads through the streets towards the ships that are to take them from their homes and their country, under the most gloomy circumstances. Frightful tumults, arising from quarrels and fights for the beasts of burden and carts, to remove furniture, disturb the streets. The soldiers force the doors to rob the houses and shops, and wantonly destroy what they cannot carry away. Adverse winds detained the enemy for some time, but on the 17th of March they embarked, and, in vessels overladen with men and baggage, but scant in provisions, they set sail for Halifax, situated in a sterile country, as their only resort, not being in a condition to land forcibly in any part of the colonies. They left behind, at Boston and at Castle Island, 250 pieces of cannon, half of which were serviceable, 4 thirteen and a half inch mortars (to fire bombs withal), 2500 chaldrons of sea-coal, 25,000 bushels of wheat, 2300 bushels of barley, 600 bushels of oats, 100 jars of oil, and 150 horses.-Très apropos. As the rear-guard of the enemy were leaving the city, Washington entered it on the other side with colours (now striped with thirteen lists) floating proudly over his army, drums beating, and all the forms of victory and triumph. The people, relieved from the outrages to which they had been exposed for sixteen months by a rude and insolent soldiery, as well as from hunger and cold, received Washington with every demonstration of joy and gratitude, so richly merited by their deliverer. "Beside him, Justice trims her scale, And Freedom's songs arise; And Fame before him flies. In silent sadness, weeping, lay Their tresses bound with mantle gray, Their prayers were heard; and all rejoin Y CHAPTER VII. Plan of the British Government to subdue the Colonies-Fleet sent from Ireland -War in North Carolina-Defeat of Macdonald-Siege of Charleston, South Carolina-Defeat of the British Fleet-Resolution to declare the Colonies free and independent States-Lee's Speech-Declaration of Independence-Its Effects on the American People. SOME of the former governors of the colonies, burning with revenge, or actuated by a natural desire to regain their former power, argued the British government into the belief, that if the mother country would provide a respectable force to cooperate with the loyalists, they would at once rally under their banners; but that, at present, they were restrained from taking an active part against the Americans. Extremely credulous (a weakness of human nature) in everything that flattered their pride and vanity, the ministers resolved to aim an overwhelming blow at the southern provinces. From these they would take the middle and northern colonies in flank; while the front and rear of these colonies would be assailed from the sea and from Canada. By such an infallible plan, they expected soon to reduce the Americans to submission. But they were most egregiously mistaken, as men, who calculate too much upon the infallibility of poor, blundering, fallible bipeds, have ever been, since man had a being. This character we give of man in comparison with God, to whom, alone, belongs the attribute of infallibility. The fleet sent from Ireland, in command of Lord Cornwallis, under the convoy of Sir Peter Parker, to co-operate with the loyalists, first in North Carolina; then with those of South Carolina; retarded by storms and contrary winds, arrived at Cape Fear, in North Carolina, on the 3d of May, after a voyage of nearly three months. Here they joined General Clinton, who, at the head of a considerable corps, had quitted Boston in December, and having been unable to execute his design of attacking Virginia, he now, from seniority, took the command in chief. Governor Martin, who had taken refuge on board of the vessels of the king, calculating upon a timely assistance from England, erected the royal standard in North Carolina, summoning the loyalists to rally around it in defence of the country and against rebels. He named Colonel Macdonald, Captain-General of all the levies, a man warmly attached to the royal cause. They assembled at Cross Creek, where their numbers increased daily, until they assumed rather a threatening appearance. The patriots, however, were not idle. The provincial Assembly despatched all the militia in preparation against them, and caused others to be assembled from every part of the colony. The patriots were commanded by General Moore, with whom Macdonald attempted to negotiate. Moore had the address to prolong the negotiation until his forces, increasing daily, became superior to those of his adversary, when a regular chase ensued, and Macdonald, in his marches, interposed forests, rivers, &c., between himself and his pursuers, to baffle them in their attempt to cut off his retreat. After a chase of 80 miles, Macdonald arrived at Moore's Creek, 16 miles from Wilmington, where he expected to join Governor Martin and General Clinton, who had already arrived at Cape Fear. The patriots, in close pursuit, not only prevented the junction, but compelled him to fight: his troops were soon seized with a panic, and ran away from their general, who was made prisoner, with many other loyalists. This untimely movement ruined the royal cause in North Carolina; and as the trade carried on from Charleston, South Carolina, was the source from which the provincials derived |