USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Boston > Celebration of the centennial anniversary of the evacuation of Boston by the British Army, March 17th, 1776 > Part 8
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The selectmen were called upon to meet the crisis, as it was under- stood that the Governor meant to require of the citizens a surrender of their arms. A town-meeting was held at Faneuil Hall, on Saturday, April 22, at which the citizens objected to give up their arms, without pledge from the Governor of security for their lives and property, and liberty to leave the town. A committee chosen at once to wait upon him and arrange matters was detained by him so long that the meeting was adjourned to the next day, Sunday, to hear the result of the conference.
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The solemn day and occasion made a solemn meeting, which was opened with prayer, by Dr. Andrew Eliot. The Hon. James Bowdoin presided and, as Chairman of the committee to confer with the Governor, re- ported in substance : -
"That the committee had represented to the Governor the uneasiness of the inhabitants at the avenues of the town being shut up, and no person admitted to come in or go out, and the fears and apprehensions they were under with respect to the behavior of the troops in case of an attack from the country, etc. To which Ilis Excellency replied, that he could not be answerable for the conduct of the troops, unless he had absolute assurance of the peaceable disposition of the inhabitants, and that none would be so satisfactory as the surrender of their arms: that upon doing this they should have liberty to remove out of town, with their effects, and have carriages to assist those that went by land; and he would desire the Admiral [Sam'l Greaves, who had succeeded Admiral Montagu on this station] to assist with his boats those who should remove by water."
He also promised to make provision that the poor should not suffer.
After some discussion at the meeting, the inhabitants, partially re- lieved, voted to comply with the proposal. They punctiliously kept their agreement, surrendering their arms, to be deposited in Faneuil Ilall or elsewhere, under the care of the selectmen. The names of the owners were severally attached to them, and it was covenanted that they should be returned at a proper time.
In the journal of the Committee of Safety, at Cambridge, April 28, 1775, is the following entry : " Mr. Henderson Inches, who left Boston this day, attended, and informed the committee that the inhabitants of Boston had agreed with the General to have liberty to leave Boston with their effects, provided that they lodged their arms with the selectmen of that town, to be by them kept during the present dispute, and that, agreeably to said agreement, the inhabitants had, on yesterday, lodged 1,778 fire-arms, 634 pistols, 973 bayonets, and 38 blunderbusses, with their selectmen."
But when the owners of the arms after the evacuation sought them, they were found to be hopelessly damaged and worthless. The Loyalists, or "Government Men," in the town, were chagrined at this covenant with rebels, and said that Gage had yielded too much, and that some arms
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had been concealed. A rigid search was made for everything in the shape of a weapon.
The inhabitants, having met the terms of their agreement, trusted that the Governor would fulfil his, but were disappointed and irritated by subsequent conditions. They had supposed that they would be free to take with them all their moveable property at their pleasure, with facilities of land and water conveyance, as promised. But the Gov- ernor at once appointed a new officer, under the title of Town Major, without a pass from whom he forbade any one to leave the town.
Great difficulties were thrown in the way of obtaining these passes. Some applicants waited days and weeks for them ; they were granted spasmodically, suspended for days and weeks, and then resumed. Some obtained them by bribes, some through tory friends. Then again very slight assistance was afforded by free boats, as the Admiral would not co-operate. All passage by carriages over the Neck was interdicted, and the aged, infirm and sick were great sufferers. But the meanest evasion of the covenant made by the Governor, and which brought his honor under a cloud, relieved only by the plea that he had the advice of his counsellors and some tory lawyers, for the construction of the term, was as to the meaning of the word effects. The lawyers said it included only, "furniture, clothes, plate and money." The inhabitants insisted that it covered "provisions, merchandise, and all working tools." A committee was appointed to remonstrate with the Governor, but he held by the advice given him, and the exiles - passing an inspection by appointed officers - had to leave their goods behind them, or win favors by bribery. These inspectors were tyrannons and abusive in their office. Three places of exit were provided and rigidly watched : the Neck, Charlestown Ferry and Long Wharf. Here men and women were searched, their bundles opened, food taken from them, and they and their effects kept out for nights in the streets till permitted to go: Not only merchandise and provisions, but even medicine, came under prohibition for removal, and an intense feeling of hostility, with the wretchedness of despair, were excited in many persons who would have inclined to be moderate, and in the distressed members of sepa- rated families, aged and infirm parents, husbands, wives and children. The warmest partisans of the royal cause in the town were charged,
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probably with good reason, with inducing Gen. Gage to break the spirit and even the letter of his agreement. The tories denounced the arrangement, by which all who were in sympathy with the rebels outside were allowed to join them, as impolitic and of pernicious tendency. Their departure would remove one of the chief securities against incendiarism and bombardment. On the day of the battle at Lexing- ton some two hundred of these tories, chiefly crown-officials and traders, had sent in their names to the General volunteering to arm in his service. The General gladly accepted the offer, and the volunteers were at once enrolled under Brigadier General Ruggles, a country tory. A panic rose in this corps on the going out of the inhabitants, and after sharply remonstrating with the General they threatened to lay down their arms and even to go out themselves. The General, after temporizing, yielded to their remonstrances, and came to the persuasion that even the presence of women and children in the town might be a security to it. Hence the restrictions put upon the carrying out of the terms of his own covenant, and the final refusal of passes.
The Committee of Safety at Cambridge, in a letter to the Selectmen of Boston, dated April 22, anticipating the contract with Gage, had approved it in these words : -
"GENTLEMEN : - The Committee of Safety being informed that Gen. Gage has proposed a treaty with the inhabitants of the town of Boston, whereby he stipulates that the women and children, with all their effects, shall have safe conduct without the garrison; and their men also, upon condition that the male inhabitants within the town shall, on their part, solenmly engage that they will not take up arms against the King's troops, within the town, should an attack be made from without, - we cannot but esteem those conditions to be just and reasonable ; and as the inhabitants are in danger of suffering from the want of provisions, which, in this time of general confusion, cannot be conveyed into the town, we are willing you shall enter into and faithfully keep the engagement afore mentioned, etc."
Of course the Provincial Congress remonstrated against the embarrass- ments put upon the removal of the people, and against the final breach of his covenant by the General.
Charlestown, though, till the battle of June 17th, nominally free from
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military control, was still immediately overawed by the British and their ships. It was gradually becoming deserted by its people, save by a few who tried to protect their property. Its poorer inhabitants were provided for in the country towns. Unfortunately, too, some of the people of Boston had been transferring goods and valuables to the . doomed town, as if for greater security. The library of Dr. Mather had been deposited there. Of course all these goods of every kind were destroyed when the British fired the town. As early as the first week in May a guard at Charlestown Neck prevented the entrance of persons or provisions without a pass.
General Gage seems to have regarded his demand for the delivery of arms as including those of all the inhabitants. He therefore issued on June 19th the following proclamation : --
"BY THE GOVERNOR. A PROCLAMATION.
"Whereas, notwithstanding the repeated Assurances of the Selectmen and others, That all the Inhabitants of the Town of Boston had, bona Fide, de- livered their Fire-Arms unto the Persons appointed to receive them, though I had Advices at the same Time of the contrary ; and whereas, I have since had full Proof that many have been perfidious in this Respect, and have seereted great Numbers :
" I Have thought fit to issue this Proclamation, to require of all Persons who have yet Fire-Arms in their possession, immediately to surrender them at the Court-House to such Persons as shall be authorized to receive them : and hereby to declare that all Persons in whose possession any Fire-Arms may hereafter be found, will be deemed Enemies to His Majesty's Government.
" Given at Boston the Nineteenth Day of June, 1775, &e., &e.
"THIO'S GAGE.
" By His Excellency's Command,
" THO'S FLUCKER, Secr'y.
"GOD Save the KING."
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The following afterwards appeared at its date : -
" NOTIFICATION.
" ALL Persons who are desirous of leaving the Town of Boston are hereby called upon to give in their Names to the Town Major forthwith.
" By Order of His Excellency the General,
" JAMES URQUHART, Town Major. " BOSTON, 24th of July, 1775."
The Provincial Congress, at Concord, April 14, recognized the pru- dence of the step by which many of the inhabitants of the town, who had been able to do so, had already left it, and provided for helping the poor to come out. On April 20, Joseph Warren, as Chairman of the Committee of Safety, addressed a respectful letter to General Gage, asking him as to the time that was to be allowed to those who wished respectively to go into or to come out of Boston, and suggesting that he remove the restriction by which he had limited the number of wagons that might be admitted at any one time to thirty. The matter of the liberation of the inhabitants was referred by the Provincial Congress to the Committee of Safety, and action by the committee was impatiently asked for on April 30th. The committee reported on the same day, accepting Gage's terms, and agreeing that those who should go into the town might take with them their effects, excepting arms and ammu- nition. It was also thoughtfully ordered that the members remaining in the country towns of families, the heads of which might be in Boston, favoring the royal side, should not be treated with any violence or indignity. Furthermore, permission and facilities were granted to all who wished to remain in Boston to send out into the country for their moveable property, excepting arms and ammunition. The ob- structions imposed by Gen. Gage continuing to prevent the egress of the inhabitants from the town, the Provincial Congress addressed a letter to Gen. Ward, at Roxbury, to do everything in his power to secure ingress and egress to all who, under the conditions, desired it. On May 9th, a committee was instructed to make " a spirited appli- cation " to Gen. Gage. The result was the following letter, sent to him by the Congress, on May 10th :
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" To His Excellency General Gage : -
" SIR, - This Congress have received frequent intelligence that their brethren, the inhabitants of the town of Boston, have to contend, in their removal therefrom, with numerous delays and embarrassments, contrary to the stipulation proposed and agreed to between Your Excelleney and the selectmen of that town.
" We think it our duty to remonstrate to Your Excellency, that, from the papers communicated to us by the said selectmen, it appeared, that the inhabitants were promised, upon surrendering their arms, that they should be permitted to leave the town, and carry with them their effects. The con- dition was immediately complied with on the part of the people ; since which, though a number of days have elapsed, but a very small proportion of the inhabitants have been allowed to take the benefit of your covenant.
" We would not affront Your Excellency by the most distant insinuation that you intended to deceive and disarm the people by a cruel act of perfidy. A regard to your own character, as well as the fatal consequences which will necessarily result from the violation of your solemn treaties, must suggest sufficient reasons to deter a gentleman of your rank and station from so injurious a design. But Your Excellency must be sensible, that a delay of justice is a denial of it, and extremely oppressive to the people now held in duress.
" This Congress, though not the original party in the treaty, have taken every step in their power to facilitate the measure, and in the whole of their conduct have endeavored to evidence a disposition to act upon the principles of humanity and good faith, and still indulge hopes that the confidence of the inhabitants of Boston, in Your Excellency's honor and faithfulness, is not mis- placed; and that, notwithstanding any disagreeable occurrences, naturally resulting from the confused state of the colony, which this Congress have discountenanced and endeavored to rectify, Your Excellency will no longer suffer your treaty with a distressed people, who ought by no means to be affected thereby, to be further violated."
The Committee of Safety, on May 17th, passed the following vote : " Whereas General Gage has not kept his agreement with the inhabitants of the town of Boston, but, notwithstanding his said agreement, has prevented, and even refused, said inhabitants, with their effects, from removing into the country ; therefore, Resolved, That it be recommended to the Congress that they rescind their resolution of the 80th ultimo, permitting the inhabitants of this colony to remove, with their effects, 16
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into the town of Boston, which resolution was founded upon said agree- ment." Accordingly, the Congress, on the twentieth of the month, re- solved as follows : "Whereas, this Congress did, on the 30th of April last, pass a resolve for permitting such inhabitants of the colony to re- move into Boston, with their effects, fire-arms and ammunition excepted, as should incline thereto, it being in consequence of Gen. Gage's promise to the inhabitants of Boston, that, upon resigning their arins and ammunition they should have liberty to remove from said town with their effects ; and whereas, but a small proportion of the said inhabitants of Boston have been hitherto permitted to leave the town, and those only to bring their clothing and household furniture, they being con- strained to leave their provisions and all their other effects ; therefore, Resolved, That Gen. Ward be and he hereby is directed to order the guards in future not to suffer any provisions or effects, excepting furni- ture and clothing, to be carried into the town of Boston, so long as the said Gen. Gage shall suffer the persons or effects of the inhabitants of said town, contrary to his plighted faith, to be restrained."
It is difficult to estimate, with much precision, the exact number of the inhabitants of Boston, of both sexes and of all ages, who removed from it under this first conditional allowance offered by the British com- mander. As we shall see, by and by, another opportunity for a further portion of the distressed people to go ont, though under still harder con- ditions, was offered, caused by the press of circumstances. The qualified privilege offered by the proclamation in April was practically impaired by so many embarrassments and caprices, that the exit of those who wished to avail themselves of it was wearily protracted all through the month of June. The alternative of going or remaining was to many but a balance of hardships and distresses. Large numbers of them, having no relatives in the country, and no kind of profitable employment or resources, felt that they would have to throw themselves on the charity of towns or individuals already heavily burdened, and looking forward to severer exactions. They must leave their dwellings and their property, which they could not remove, to all the risks of disaster, mischief, violence, and of wanton riots of a military occupancy. To set against these were the steadily increasing scarcity and exorbitant prices of fuel and pro- visions, loss of means of living through trade or labor, fearful risks
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from pestilential disease, the hateful presence of a foreign army, and the constant peril of assaults from the patriots outside.
There were supposed to have been about 17,000 inhabitants in Boston when hostilities began at Lexington, and it was estimated that nearly or quite 12,000 had gone out by the end of June. More were yet, as above intimated, to go out in the autumn. There were several cases in which one member of a family concluded to remain to look after house, property, shop or store, while the other members went into the country. Then the long months of separation, with all the varied calamities and apprehensions, keeping them at a fever heat, and with the extremest difficulty of communicating by letters, which were opened on both sides of the lines, were further aggravations of misery. The General com- pelled the selectmen to remain in the town, but they had scarce anything beyond sanitary functions, and a partial oversight of the poor. Town meetings of the citizens of Boston were held in Watertown. Records of these and of the doings of the selectmen are preserved in the City Clerk's office, but they are exceedingly meagre. Those of the meetings held at Watertown are largely occupied with provisions for the oration on " the horrid massaere," and with thanks to the orators. The Pro- vineial Congress did all that was in its power by recommendations to provide, in the country towns, for the reception in each of a certain number of exiles who had no private resources, and fixed on a weekly allowance to be paid for their support by the selectmen of such towns, or by their Committees of Correspondence. A spirit of mutual depend- ence and harmony, and a determination to continue resistance, meeting all its consequences, were very much quickened by these intermingling's of the people from the town with those in the country.
"THE FRIENDS OF GOVERNMENT."
Boston now became simply what some of those left in it called it, " a Garrison of the King." Besides the military, it now had in it - we can scarcely say that it sheltered and protected - a motley, discordant and uncomfortable conglomeration of people. The country towns had had at the same time several persons and a few families of whom they were glad to be rid.
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TORIES IN TOWN AND COUNTRY.
These were then called Tories, afterwards Loyalists, and Refugees. Some of these received hard measure, and were treated undoubtedly with severity, cruelty, and absolute injustice ; and unwisely so, as the event proved, for ends of policy. In several of the country towns were con- spicuous citizens, professional men or merchants, of influence and high social standing, who were more or less out of sympathy with what they regarded as the rashiness, turbulence or violence of the spirit of liberty as it was then rising. They thought our grievances exaggerated ; doubt- ed if we could cope with Great Britain ; feared on burdens would be increased rather than lightened ; distrusted the hot-headedness of some whom they looked upon as demagognes ; and, with a hesitating and con- servative spirit, they counselled moderation and delay. Either from words known to have dropped from them, or from their bolder opposi- tion, or from their absence from the popular assemblies, such men came under suspicion, and were marked with distrust. The patriotic commit- tees of the towns took them in hand, went to examine them, or sum- moned them to a meeting to give an account of themselves by humiliation and avowals of sympathy with the popular cause. Some, timidly or honestly, made their peace. Others, who would not yield their convic- tions, were treated with indignity and violence, by mobs investing their dwellings, by threats of tar and feathers, aud by destruction or seizure of their property. These procedures confirmed them in their opinions and course of conduct, and stiffened their obstinacy. Many of these, being hustled about and threatened in their own towns, had already found a troubled refuge in Boston. Others had come into the neighbor- hood of the Provincial camp as if really safer there than at home among gathering minute-men and under the surveillance of committees.
With the softened spirit of a retrospective review of those days of fierce excitement, we cannot but mingle with our pity for some indi- viduals who were proscribed as enemies to their country, a regret for the severity, and sometimes gross injustice, with which they were treated. A broad distinction is to be drawn between the interested partisans of royalty engaged in profitable trade, or fawning upon the representatives
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of power, in the town, and the professional men or private citizens in the country, who were forced to affiliate with them. There were peace-loving and every way blameless gentlemen and ladies scattered over the province, who, on being roughly waited upon by a self-constituted com- mittee of "Sons of Liberty," began by simply objecting to, and then resenting, the catechising to which they were subjected. If any utterance or overt act on the part of such persons, indicating a lack of sympathy with the popular movement, could be charged against them, they were treated with great indignity, - their names being posted as enemies or traitors, their houses and goods rifled, or their dwellings befouled by the process called, "a coating of Hillsborough paint." Threats of " tar and feathers " were, however, more frequently uttered than carried out. A very humiliating method was enjoined as the con- dition of full or probationary pardon for having offended the people. The penitent must fall on his knees before his townsmen, and, expressing deep contrition, implore their forgiveness.
When Gage covenanted for the departure of the inhabitants of Boston, he asked that a letter should be written by the selectmeu, to Dr. War- ren, at Watertown, desiring leave for all such persons in the country towns, as might wish to do so, to come unmolested into Boston, with their effects. The Provincial Congress, responding to the supposed fair- ness of Gage, on April 30, as above stated, granted such permission, and stationed officers at the Neck of Boston and Charlestown to secure them free entrance. Those wretched fugitives little realized then what they had yet to endure from their exasperated countrymen, as the odium in which they were held was steadily intensified, and as their doom was confiscation, humiliation, expatriation and poverty. Often did many of them, even from their pensioned refuge in the mother-country and in its wild provinces, send back longing laments for the fields of New England. The severest language which came from the pen of Washington was in denunciation of the Tories -" those execrable parricides whose counsels and aid have deluged their country with blood." Protesting against the treatment they had received, they said to the Whigs, " You make the air resound with the cry of liberty, but subject those who differ from you to the humble condition of slaves, not permitting us to act, or even think, according to the dictates of conscience." The only reply they received
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was, " The majority in a free goverment must bear rule. There is an immense majority for liberty. You take your side - for failure or tri- umph." From the opening of the struggle the crown promised to all Tories security and compensation.
LADY FRANKLAND. -
Among those persons living in the country, whose sympathies led them to seek the protection of the British General by availing themselves of the privileges granted by Congress of removing into Boston, was a lady whose career had such elements of romantic interest as to prompt a special reference, in this connection, to her individual experience.
The most Incrative crown office in Boston in the years preceding the outbreak of strife was that of the Collector of the Customs. Though the salary attached to it was but £100, the perquisites of it made it very profitable and more desirable than that of Governor of the prov- ince. Shirley made interest for the Collectorship, but had to content himself with the office of Governor, because he had at the time a more powerful rival. This rival is known by the name of Sir Charles Henry Frankland, grandson of a danghter, the youngest and favorite child, of Oliver Cromwell. He was born' May 10, 1716, at Bengal, where his father was residing as Governor of the East India Company's factory. In 1741, in his twenty-fifth year, he was made Collector of Boston. ITis winning and engaging manners, and other personal qualities, made him a great favorite in the vice-regal society of the town, and he was a gener- ous patron of King's Chapel and its rectors, and of Harvard College. Ile had with him a natural son, a little boy bearing the name of Henry Cromwell. On an official visit which he made to Marblehead in the year 1742, his attention was drawn to the rustic beauty of a young girl of sixteen years, Agnes Surriage, a daughter of poor, but decent parents, who, with bare feet and limbs, was scrubbing the floor of the inn. . He gave her half a crown with which she might bny shoes. On a second visit, soon after, seeing her again in the same condition, he ques- tioned her about her shoes. She replied that she had bought a pair, but kept them " to wear to meeting Sundays." Seemingly engaged by her charms and the promise of what she might be made to be, Frankland, by
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