USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Cambridge > History of Massachusetts from July 1775, when general Washington took command of the American Army at Cambridge, to the year 1789, (inclusive) when federal government was established under the present constitution, Vol 2 > Part 5
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vacated and null. New judges of courts of com- mon pleas and justices of the peace were now appointed ; the oath formerly taken by public officers was dispensed with, and another provided and required, which expressed allegiance only to the existing authority of the Province. Judges were appointed for the Superior Court of Judica- ture in November, being John Adams, William Cushing, N. P. Sargent, William Reed, and Ro- bert T. Paine. Sargent, Reed and Paine de- clined ; and Jedidiah Foster and James Sullivan, were appointed in their stead, a few months after.
Vessels were sent during the autumn to the West Indies by individual adventurers, with the en- couragement of the legislature, for the purpose of obtaining a supply of gun-powder. The American army was long deficient in this necessary article, to a most alarming degree. It was not to be obtained to any large amount in any part of the United Co- lonies. The people were prohibited by the Ge- neral Court, from firing at birds, or other game, or at marks, and for sport, under a heavy penalty. As yet, the plan projected sometime before of having powder mills, had not been completed. The object was not relinquished ; but it required time to obtain the desired fruits of their labours.
The General Assembly of Massachusetts appli- ed to the Continental Congress, in October, for a reimbursement of a part of the great expenses in- curred by the province for the common welfare, after the battle of Lexington. The colony had paid 10,000l. for provisions and necessary military articles for its troops, during the period which elapsed from April 19th, to the first of August. The wages due to the Massachusetts troops for
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the same period, being from 9,000 to 12,000 the greater part of that time, amounted to upwards of 65,000l. Their clothing, to 16,000l; and one hundred and seventy barrels of powder had been purchased and distributed through the towns on the sea coast exposed to the enemy, and who had requested the means of self defence. The colo- ny had 2,000 men in their service, the greater part of the season, at different stations on the At- lantic shores, as the people were constantly ex- posed to plunder, and it was wished to prevent the British from collecting supplies for the army in Boston. A large amount was advanced for these purposes : and the public treasury of the colony was also frequently drawn upon, to supply the wants of the unfortunate inhabitants of Bos- ton, who were obliged to leave their homes and all their property, and to depend upon the contri- butions of the country for immediate support. Their services and zeal in the cause of liberty were justly appreciated ; and their distressed con- dition deeply commiserated. The Continental Congress advanced to Massachusetts, at this time, the sum of 133,0001.
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CHAPTER III.
Views of the Colonies September 1775 ... Expedition to Quebec by way of Kennebec ... Unsuccessful ... Armed Vessels ... British ships cap- tured ... Captain Manly ... Treachery ... Church ... Militia called out ... Colonel Knox brings cannon from Tyconderoga ... Resolve of Representatives justifying a resort to arms . .. Meditated attack on Bos- ton ... Dorchester heights fortified ... Conduct of Washington ap- proved by Congress . . . Militia organized ... Nantucket ... Suspension of civil suits ... Refugees ... Regiment raised for Quebec.
ALTHOUGH the people of Massachusetts and of the other colonies had now become exasperated by the arbitrary plans of the British ministry, and the resort to force, to carry their plans of oppres- sion into execution; and although they were de- termined to defend, to the utmost, the constitu- tional liberties of the country, they had not yet given up all hope of reconciliation with the pa- rent state : They had not yet absolutely resolved upon Independence. They had some belief that administration would retract of its despotic pur- poses of coercion ; that public opinion in England would be in their favour; and that the determi- nation already manifested to defend themselves by force, would induce the British government to change its infatuated councils, and to listen to the claims of justice and humanity. It was not their pur- pose to yield, or to relax in their efforts ; but they were still willing to supplicate for redress, and to de- sist from all opposition upon sufficient assurance of
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the restoration of their ancient charter rights. They were not desirous of separation; nor could they but foresee the possible and not improbable fail- ure of success in their resistance, and anticipate the punishment which awaits defeat in a civil con- test. They had indeed, resolved, deliberately resolved, never to abandon their liberties; but they were not so desirous of independence, as to refuse all offers of reconciliation, if consistent with the enjoyment of the privileges which they claim- ed as their birth-right. Public addresses and re- solutions both of the General Assembly of Massa- chusetts of the Continental Congress fully justify these remarks. They still professed to be acting on the defensive, and called themselves subjects of the crown of Great Britain. Had the plan of Pitt, and other friends of civil liberty in Parliament been adopted, of recalling the ministerial army, and repealing the late arbitrary laws, the colonies would not have urged a separation .- But the con- duct of the British government gave little hope of a reunion, indeed, upon conditions compatible with the liberties of America. It seemed to have been the opinion of the ministry for several years, that the people in the colonies were subjects of the British Empire, for the purposes of obedience, and of sub- mission under any burdens it might impose; but not entitled to all the rights and privileges of Englishmen. The colonists were too wise and too much attached to civil freedom to admit, that there existed a right to govern, without the consent of the people by their representatives, and according to the principles of the constitution. It was true, that many eminent statesmen in England, were op- posed to the claims set up by administration of an
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absolute authority over the Americans, without their being represented in parliament; and who contended that the colonial legislatures had power to a great extent, for all the purposes of self go- vernment, so their laws were not repugnant to the constitution and laws of Great Britain. But men of such just sentiments were comparatively few in the parent state; and their voice was scarcely heard in the councils of the nation. The men then in power, and in favour with the king, were re- solved that the colonies should submit " in all cases whatever," to the requisitions and laws of the Bri- tish parliament .* They had not indeed expected such a formidable opposition to their measures as appeared ; for they supposed the colonies without resources for a serious resistance to the govern- ment ; and they had been deceived by the repre- sentation, that it was only a few ambitious men who were opposed to the conduct of administra- tion.
The affair at Concord, and still more, the des- perate resolution manifested by the provincials at Charlestown to resist force by force ; and the for- mation of a continental army at Cambridge; must have convinced the British administration, that the Americans would not yield, while they had ability to resist ; and that an immense physical force was necessary to subdue them. The measures of the ministers were now, more than ever, condemned by the friends of constitutional liberty. And a few, who had not expected so much union among the colonists nor so much courage in opposition to go-
* A Petition from the General Congress of July 1775, pre- sented to the king in September, he refused even to hear.
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vernment, were in favour of allowing some of the claims preferred by them. The ministry were not prepared to yield, in any part, the authority they had assumed over the people of America ; and it was determined to augment their forces, in the hope that the colonies would be discouraged, and that some, under apprehensions of defeat and subjugation, would return to their allegiance to the parent state. Aware of this determination of the British cabinet, the colonies had no alternative presented to their choice, but servile submission, or resolute resistance.
An expedition was projected by the northern colonies in the summer of 1775, with the approba- tion of the Continental Congress, to invade Cana- da, in the expectation of meeting with the general support of the inhabitants of that province, of making an easy conquest of Montreal and Quebec, of securing the military stores in that quarter, and of guarding the settlements in the northwestern parts of New England from the ravages both of the English and Indians. This was considered an important object, at an early period. Soon after the affair at Lexington and Concord, when it was found the British would attempt to bring the co- lonies to submission by an armed force, the Pro- vincial Congress of Massachusetts adopted mea- sures to take possession of the forts on Lake Champlain, and to prevent the incursion of the Bri- tish in that quarter. The people of Connecticut, of New York, and those on the New Hampshire grants, so called, (now Vermont) agreed in the im- portance of the measure ; and united, with Arnold, Easton and Brown from Massachusetts, in an at- tack upon the British posts in that quarter. The
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success which attended the enterprize has been already mentioned. At a later period, and some time in the month of August, the Continental Con- gress was impressed with a conviction of the policy of taking possession of Canada, or of sending a force to the lake sufficient to awe the British. Ge- neral Schuyler was appointed commander in chief in that region; and the brave Montgomery was made second in command. Massachusetts furnish- ed a number of troops for the department; and colonels Easton and major Brown from Berkshire county were among the chief officers. They had acquired a high reputation for military skill and bravery in the first expedition, in May ; and it was not forfeited by any neglect or inattention, at a later season, when the American forces were in- creased and put under the command of the heroic Montgomery .* Fort Chamblee was taken by a detachment under major Brown, in October ; and a large quantity of military stores was found in the place, which was a great acquisition to the American army. Soon after this, the fortress of St. John's was captured by Montgomery; and the city of Montreal also surrendered to his victorious arms. A committee of Congress was sent to in- quire into the state of the northern army at this time ; one of whom was R. T. Paine of Massachu- setts.
Massachusetts assisted in this expedition against Canada, not only by furnishing a portion of the troops under Montgomery and Schuyler in Sep- tember and October, on lake Champlain ; but a
* Montgomery was really the chief in command ; general Schuyler was sick the greater part of the campaign.
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party of 1200 men was sent from the camp at Cambridge in the month of September, by the way of Kennebec river, to co-operate with those already at Montreal, in an attack upon Quebec, the capital of the province. These men belonged
chiefly to Massachusetts. Some, indeed, were from New Hampshire and some from Connecticut. Ar- nold of Rhode Island, lately appointed a general, who five months before, had been sent to lake Champlain by the Provincial Congress of Massa- chusetts, to act in concert with some troops from the county of Berkshire and from Connecticut, was selected to command them. They embarked at Newbury, and sailed up the Kennebec river, about fifty miles. Their baggage was conveyed in boats still higher on the river; when they forced their way through an untrodden wilderness one hundred and twenty miles farther, to the British settle- ments in the vicinity of St. Lawrence. About three hundred of the men returned from Kenne- bec, on account of the difficulty of the passage, and the scarcity of provisions. Nine hundred per- severed, amidst severe sufferings and appalling ob- stacles. Montgomery had notice of this detach- ment from Cambridge, and pushed on to Quebec, with only a few troops, expecting more would soon follow, and hoping that the inhabitants of Quebec would not make a formidable resistance to the Americans, who went to them rather as friends than as enemies. 'He was too brave and too san- guine of success to suffer any delay, by such prepa- rations as prudence might have dictated. Being joined by the party under Arnold, though the men were much fatigued, and the whole American force insufficient to justify an attack upon a place so VOL. II.
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strongly fortified as Quebec, he hesitated not to make an assault upon the city. The attempt was unsuccessful. He fell soon after the attack began ; Arnold also was wounded; and the Americans were obliged to retire from the siege as the only means of saving any part of the American troops. The only fault which could attach to the conduct of Montgomery in this unfortunate affair, was a degree of imprudence, in not waiting for a reinforcement and making more efficient preparations for the as- sault. He died gloriously in the cause of Ameri- ca, and her citizens will never forget to honour his memory with their warmest admiration. The troops from Massachusetts suffered severely in this defeat. A series of misfortunes followed in Canada ; and in the spring following the British regained most of the places which had been taken from them by the colonial army.
The citizens of Massachusetts soon perceived the advantages which would probably arise in em- ploying armed vessels on the coasts, to prevent the British in Boston from collecting provisions at any places accessible by them, and to capture the enemy's ships loaded with military articles. As the besieged army in Boston could not obtain pro- visions from the country by land, they were ob- liged to fit out small vessels, which committed depredations on the people in several towns on the' coast. Transports were also frequently ar- riving from England with provisions, men and mili- tary stores. The General Court voted to build or purchase ten vessels, and appropriated 50,000l, for the purpose. Some enterprizing individuals also, with the consent of the civil authority of the province, fitted vessels, at their own charges, to
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engage the enemy's ships. And in the following year, the Continental Congress ordered several frigates to be built for the service of the country. Some of the armed vessels belonging to Massa- chusetts were very successful in their first cruises. During the months of November and December, (1775) several large and valuable ships were cap- tured within a short distance of the harbour of Boston : and some smaller vessels which had sailed from that port to collect articles of provision, were taken, as they were returning with the fruits of their depredations. Captain Manly, in a pro- vincial brig, took three very valuable vessels bound into Boston harbour, in the course of a few weeks : one of which had a full cargo of ord- nance, fire arms, and other military stores, of which the American troops were in great need : and one loaded with various kinds of provisions, which were at once acceptable to the provincials, and a severe loss to the British. This enterpriz- ing and patriotic naval hero, with some others who engaged in similar pursuits of almost equal intrepidity, rendered important service to the colony, and to the continent. During the resi- dence of the British troops in Boston, these nauti- cal adventurers were very vigilant, and captured a great number of vessels bound to that place, which occasioned much distress to the besieged army. In several instances they discovered un- common spirit and courage ; and, on meeting a vessel of equal force, were always victorious. Captain Manly was so much dreaded by the Bri- tish, that an armed vessel of superior force was sent out from Boston to seize him. On coming out of the harbour of Plymouth, in January 1776,
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he was watched and pursued by the British ship ; and he ran his vessel, ashore near the mouth of north river in Scituate, to avoid capture. The British fired upwards of 300 guns, after he was on shore ; and sent two boats filled with men to burn the American brig. But the crew and the people in the vicinity defended her. She was removed the next day, without receiving much injury ; and was soon fitted for useful service.
In October of this year, an act of treacherous in- tercourse was discovered, in Dr. Benjamin Church, who was a member of the General Court, one of the committee of safety, and who had long been esteemed as a most zealous friend of the liberties of America; which excited much surprise and in- dignation. He was a representative from the town of Boston : and the treasonable conduct, of which he was accused, and finally convicted, was holding correspondence with a British officer in Boston, and communicating information by letters written in characters known only to each other, respecting the weakness of the American army and its deficiency in military stores. There was, indeed, no direct attempt or promise, on his part, to betray the army or to introduce spies into the American camp; but the correspondence was alto- gether unjustifiable. The manner in which it was conducted afforded proof, that his views were friendly to the British; and there was no doubt, that, had he not been detected, he would have proceeded to real acts of treason. A short time before his letter was intercepted, which gave evi- dence of his improper intercourse with the enemy, he had been into Boston, on pretence of some ur- gent family concerns ; and it was known that he
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had a private interview with general Gage .* Dr. Church was arrested by order of general Wash- ington, and kept in confinement for several weeks, until the General Court should again meet. After some time, the letter which had been intercepted, but which no one could interpret to whom it was first shown, was decyphered by the learned and reverend Dr. West of Dartmouth. A court of enquiry, instituted by general Washington, found him guilty of a criminal correspondence with the enemy ; but inflicted no punishment upon him. When the assembly was in session, he was brought before the House of Representatives ; was accus- ed and convicted of improper conduct, inconsistent with the character both of a patriot and of a member of the House; and was thereupon de- prived of his seat. He was kept in 'confinement for some time, but was afterwards released by ad- vice of the Continental Congress : when he went to the enemy at Newport, and thence to some part of the West Indies.
The general Court of Massachusetts was in session the greater part of the year, after it was organized in July. There was an adjournment of a few weeks in September, and another for a short time in November. The Executive Council was sitting the whole season, with the intermission of a
* Soon after Lexington battle, when the committee of safety were sitting in Cambridge at the house of J. Hastings, Dr. Church said he was determined to go into Boston the next day, the president, Dr. Warren, interrogated " are you serious ? they will certainly hang you, if they catch you." Church replied, " I am serious ; I am determined to go, let the consequence be what it may." He was to pretend to be after medicine for the wounded men. He went into Bos- ton, accordingly ; and visited general Gage, without restraint,
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very few days. General Washington, in his letters to the Continental Congress, bore testimony to their zeal and activity in complying with all his requests. Particularly, when calling for the militia of Massachusetts, as he had occasion to do several times in the course of December 1775, and Janu- ary and February 1776, he said, he had many proofs of the patriotism and promptitude of the assembly, and of the alacrity of the people, in ful- filling his requisitions. On one occasion, general Lee accused the Council of want of promptness in furnishing some men which had been called for; but there appeared to be no reason for the charge. When the term for which the American troops had engaged was about to expire, in the month of December, most of which at this time belonged to Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New Hampshire, and little progress was made in re- cruiting for the ensuing year, general Washington applied to the civil authority of Massachusetts for 5000 of the militia ; and the number was called in, at very short notice .* Afterwards, they were retained beyond the time for which they were first required, as a considerable number of men from New Hampshire had gone home, and the new recruits were but comparatively few. In the month of January, six other regiments of militia in Massachusetts were raised, to strengthen the army at Cambridge, under general Washington ;
* The critical situation of the American army at this time, will appear, by an extract from a letter of general Washing- ton to Congress. " It is not in the pages of history, perhaps, to furnish a case like this-To maintain a post for six months within musket shot of the enemy, without ammunition, and at the same time to disband an army and to recruit another, within that distance of 12,000 regular disciplined troops."
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for he was at this time meditating an attack upon the British in Boston, and the regular troops for the year's service amounted to scarcely 9,000. These were enlisted for the term of three months; and without them he would have had little confi- dence either for offensive or defensive operations. The companies in the particular service of the colony, stationed at various places on the sea coast, were also marched to the camp at Cam- bridge or Roxbury, by the special request of the commander in chief. Fortifications were likewise built at Cape Ann, at the expense of the province. During a great part of the winter, Massachusetts had nearly 10,000 men in military service, either as a part of the continental army, or as provincial troops, to guard and protect the sea coast.
A small party of the Americans, under major Knowlton of Connecticut, passed from Cobble Hill, across the mill dam, to Charlestown, in the month of January, and attacked the advanced guard near the western base of Bunker Hill. They made prisoners of several of the British, and set fire to the guard house ; and retired without re- ceiving any injury from the enemy.
In January '76, the Council and House of As- sembly of Massachusetts issued a proclamation, referring to the oppressive acts of the British parliament and ministry for several years before, and to the petitions and remonstrances of the people and representatives of that and of the other colonies ; in which they observe, "that in every government there must exist a supreme and sovereign power, and that such power was justly vested in the great body of the people ; that when rulers became oppressive, and attempted to
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impose unconstitutional burdens upon the people, they had a right to resist, and the rulers forfeited all just claim to exercise authority : that they had adopted all peaceable measures in the constitu- tion to obtain justice, which had been denied, and that a resort was at last had by the British go- vernment to compel submission by force, to unjust and oppressive measures, which they had felt to be their duty to themselves and to posterity to resist." "It was the will of Providence," they said," "for wise and righteous ends, that this co- lony should be singled out, by the enemies of America, as the first object, both of their envy and their revenge ; and after having been made the subject of several merciless and vindictive statutes, one of which was intended to subvert our constitution by charter, it is made the seat of war. No effectual resistance to the system of tyranny prepared for us could be made without either instant recourse to arms, or a temporary suspension of the ordinary powers of government. To the last of these evils, in hope of a speedy reconcilia- tion with Great Britain upon equitable terms, the General Congress advised us to submit. And we have seen a large and populous colony subsisting, for more than a year, in great harmony and order, under such suspension of the powers of govern- ment." They then referred to the measures adopted to establish and maintain the civil autho-
rity, and urge the people to obedience, order, industry, patriotism, and piety. "An army, they said, was raised for the protection of the liberties of the country ; but civil power was essential to the maintenance of regulated freedom, and should always be paramount to all military force."
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Colonel, afterwards General Knox, the princi- pal officer in the artillery, belonging to Massachu- setts, with the spirit and enterprise for which he was justly characterised through the whole war, engaged in an expedition of great labour and fa- tigue : but which was of important service to the American army. By order of general Washington* he went to Lake Champlain, in the month of No- vember, and conveyed to Cambridge the cannon and other military articles and stores, to a large amount, which had been taken at Tyconderoga and Crown point, the summer before, by a small party of Americans under Arnold, Allen, Easton, and Brown. The two latter officers were from the county of Berkshire in Massachusetts, and the former was employed and commissioned by the
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