USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Concord > History of the siege of Boston, and of the battles of Lexington, Concord, and Bunker Hill. Also an account of the Bunker Hill Monument. With illustrative documents > Part 10
USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Boston > History of the siege of Boston, and of the battles of Lexington, Concord, and Bunker Hill. Also an account of the Bunker Hill Monument. With illustrative documents > Part 10
USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Lexington > History of the siege of Boston, and of the battles of Lexington, Concord, and Bunker Hill. Also an account of the Bunker Hill Monument. With illustrative documents > Part 10
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The committee of safety and the general officers had an arduous task, to keep so large a body of men together, and to provide for them ; and until there were regular enlistments, there was, unavoidably, much confusion. General Heath continued to issue orders until the arrival of General Ward, in the afternoon of April 20, who then took the command. Other general officers were early on the ground. At the first council of war (April 20) there were present, Generals Ward, Heath, and Whitcomb; Colonels Bridge, Frye, James Pres-
1 Journals of Provincial Congress, p. 518. 2 Ib., p. 254. 3 Stiles, in his Ms. Diary, writes that, on Friday, April 21, an American army of 20,000 men was assembled.
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THE SIEGE OF BOSTON.
cott, William Prescott, Bullard, and Barrett; and Lieutenant- colonels Spaulding, Nixon, Whitney, Mansfield, and Wheelock. On this day Colonel William Prescott was ordered to the command of a guard of five companies, - two of which were posted on Charlestown road, one towards Phipps' Farm, one toward Menotomy, (West Cambridge,) and the remainder at other points. On the next day the guards were posted in the same manner ; but Colonels Prescott, Learned, and Warner, were ordered to march their regiments to Roxbury, to join General Thomas.1
The army was soon joined by General Israel Putnam, and Colonels John Stark and Paul Dudley Sergeant, who rendered valuable service in this trying season. On the 22d, Colonel Stark was ordered to march to Chelsea, with three hundred men, to defend the inhabitants. No public character had more influence than Dr. Warren. He was judicious, as well as zealous and energetic. "He did wonders," Dr. Eliot writes, "in preserving order among the troops." At this time the orderly books indicate the difficulty of maintaining dis- cipline. The alarm of the people was still great. Many of the inhabitants of Cambridge had left their homes; and a general order of the 22d threatened punishment to any soldier who should injure property. At this time many of the regi- ments were at Walthanı and Watertown. On the 26th, they were ordered to march forward to Cambridge. On the 27th, Mr. Huntington, of Connecticut, writes, that General Ward was in Roxbury, and General Putnam commanded in Cam- bridge, "with too much business on their hands." At this tinie Colonel Stark was in Medford. In a short time each colony made separate provision for its troops, - enlisting men, establishing their pay, supplying them with provisions, and appointing and commissioning their officers.2
Before this, however, could be done, many of the minute- men, after a few days' continuance before Boston, returned home, - some to look after their private affairs, and others to make permanent arrangements to join the army. This left some of the avenues into the country but slightly guarded. Gordon writes, that "during the interval between their return
1 Ward's Orderly Book. 2 Mass. Archives ; Orderly Books.
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THE INHABITANTS OF BOSTON.
and the provincials' resorting afresh to the place of rendez- vous, the land entrance into and out of the town, by the Neck, was next to unguarded. Not more than between six and seven hundred men, under Colonel Robinson, of Dorchester, were engaged in defending so important a pass, for several days together. For nine days and nights the colonel never shifted his clothes, nor lay down to sleep; as he had the whole duty upon him, even down to the adjutant, and as there was no officer of the day to assist. The officers, in general, had left the camp, in order to raise the wanted num- ber of men. The colonel was obliged, therefore, for the time mentioned, to patrol the guards every night, which gave him a round of nine miles to traverse." 1
The inhabitants of Boston, by the order of General Gage, were now cut off from intercourse with the country, and con- sequently were suddenly deprived of their customary supplies of provisions, fuel, and necessaries of life. 'This exposed them to great distress. Civil war, in all its complicated horrors, was at their doors, -- the sundering of social ties, the burning of peaceful homes, the butchery of kindred and friends, - and all was uncertainty respecting their own fate. It was amidst such scenes, when the metropolis was surrounded by multi- tudes of armed men, exasperated to the last degree by the recent destruction and massacre, that General Gage requested an interview with the selectmen. He did not feel safe in his position. He was apprehensive that the people without would attack the town, that the inhabitants within would join them, and that this combination would prove too much for his troops. He represented to the selectmen that such an attack might result in unhappy consequences to the town; but that he would do no violence to it, provided the inhabitants would con- duct peaceably. An understanding to this effect was entered
1 Gordon's History, I., 349. General Ward wrote, April 24, 1775, to the Provincial Congress, as follows : "Gentlemen, - My situation is such, that if I have not enlisting orders immediately, I shall be left all alone. It is impossible to keep the men here, except something be done. 1 therefore pray that the plan may be completed, and handed to me this morning, that you, gentlemen of the Congress, issue orders for enlisting men. I am, gen- tlernen, yours, &c., A. WARD."
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THE SIEGE OF BOSTON.
into between the general and the selectmen. A town-meet- ing was held on the 22d of April, at which Hon. James Bowdoin presided, when the arrangement was confirmed by a vote of the citizens. After instructing a committee to con- fer with General Gage in relation to opening a communication with the country, the meeting adjourned to the next day, Sunday, at ten o'clock.
The meeting was held, according to the adjournment, on Sunday, when the committee reported that General Gage, after a long conference, agreed : "That upon the inhabitants in general lodging their arms in Faneuil Hall, or any other convenient place, under the care of the selectmen, marked with the names of the respective owners, that all such inhab- itants as are inclined might depart from the town, with their families and effects, and those who remain might depend on his protection; and that the arms aforesaid, at a suitable time, would be returned to the owners." The town voted to accept these proposals. A committee waited upon the general with the vote, who, in addition, promised to request the admiral to lend his boats to facilitate the removal ; and to allow carriages to pass and repass for this purpose. He likewise promised that the poor should not suffer from want of provisions, and requested that a letter might be written to Dr. Warren, to the effect : "That those persons in the country who might incline to remove into Boston with their effects, might have liberty to do so without molestation." The town voted unanimously to accede to these conditions, and to request the inhabitants to deposit their arms promptly with the selectmen.'
1 Proceedings of the Town of Boston. This arrangement was made with the sanction and advice of the committee of safety. It sent the following letter to the inhabitants : Cambridge, April 22, 1775. Gentlemen, - The committee of safety being informed that General 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, solemnly 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 reason- able ; and as the inhabitants are in danger from suffering from want of pro- visions, which, in this time of general confusion, cannot be conveyed into the
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95
REMOVAL FROM BOSTON.
This arrangement, which appears to have been as earnestly desired by the British commander as it was by the distressed inhabitants, was carried out, for a short time, in good faith. On the 27th of April the people delivered to the selectmen 1778 fire-arms, 634 pistols, 973 bayonets, and 3S blunder- busses ; and on the same day it was announced in a town- meeting, that General Gage had given permission to the inhabitants to remove out of town, with their effects, either by land or by water ; and applications for passes were to be made to General Robertson. Accordingly, thousands applied for passes, and hundreds immediately removed to the country, taking with them their valuable effects.1 The Provincial Congress met the liberality of General Gage with appropriate measures : they resolved (April 30) that any inhabitants inclining to go into Boston should be permitted to do so; and officers to give them permits were stationed at the Sign of the Sun, in Charlestown, (at the Neck,) and at Mr. Greaton's house, in Roxbury. The number unable to bear the expense of removal, and of supporting themselves, was estimated at five thousand ; and the Congress ordered that the several towns should provide for them, according to their popula- tion, - delicately resolving that such inhabitants should not, in future, be considered as the poor of the several towns.
But this removal became so general as to alarm the Tories, and to give uneasiness to the British commander. The for- mer were prompt in this crisis to manifest their loyalty. On the day of the battle about two hundred, merchants and traders, sent their names in to General Gage, and offered to arm as volunteers in his service. The offer was thankfully accepted. The corps was enrolled under General Ruggles, and was immediately put on duty. This treaty, however,
town, we are willing you shall enter into and faithfully keep the engagement aforementioned, said to be required of you, and to remove yourselves, and your women, children, and effects, as soon as may be. We are, &c.
1 I have one of the original passes given by General Gage. It shows that everything but arms and ammunition was allowed to pass : - Boston, April, 1775. Permit -, together with - family, consisting of - persons, and - effects, to pass - between sunrise and sunset. By order of his Excellency the Governor. No arms nor ammunition is allowed to pass.
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SIEGE OF BOSTON.
caused great excitement among them. They remonstrated against the bad policy of the measure. They explained the "pernicious tendency of such an indulgence." They regarded the presence of the inhabitants as necessary to save the town from assault and from conflagration. For several days no answer was given by General Gage. They then threatened to lay down their arms, and to leave the town. The impor- tunity of interest or fear proved too strong for a treaty obli- gation with "rebels." This agreement, on various pretexts, was shamefully violated. Obstructions were thrown in the way of a removal. " All merchandise was forbid," says a letter, May 21; " after a while all provisions were forbid ; and now all merchandise, provisions, and medicine. Guards were appointed to examine all trunks, boxes, beds, and everything else to be carried out." None but the patriots, the Tories alleged, would be in favor of removing; and when they had removed, and had carried their property away, the town would be set on fire; merchandise carried out would strength- en the rebels in their resistance, and hence this ought to be retained. At length passes were refused; and many who obtained them were obliged to leave their property, which deprived them of their accustomed resources for living. Be- sides, in a variety of instances, the passports were so framed that families were cruelly divided; wives were separated from their husbands, children from their parents, and the aged and sick from their relations and friends, who wished to attend and comfort them. The general was very averse to allow women and children to leave Boston, as he thought they con- tributed to its safety, and prevented his being attacked. Num- bers of the poor and the helpless - some infected with the small-pox - were sent out. It was in vain that the select- men, the inhabitants, and the Provincial Congress, remon- strated against this bad faith on the part of the British commander. It occasioned severe and just denunciations in the documents of the time.1
1 Proceedings of Town of Boston ; Mass. Com. Safety ; Journals of the time ; Gordon's History, I., 354. It will be seen that the idea of burning the town is referred by General Howe in his speech to his army before the Bunker Hill battle. A letter from Boston, dated April 23, says : - " On
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STATE OF CHARLESTOWN.
The distresses of the inhabitants of Charlestown also were great. The British troops, on the 20th of April, crossed over the ferry to Boston. But the peculiar situation of the town, added to the threats of the British commander, created the belief that its fate was sealed. Hence the greater part of its inhabitants removed out of it with their effects. A guard was stationed at the Neck, and no one was allowed, without a pass,1 to go into it. So deserted had it become, that early in June a peti- tion to the Provincial Congress represented that there remained but few, who, by their extreme poverty, were wholly unable to do anything toward removing themselves from the "extreme hazardous situation" they were in, and that it was "truly deplorable." After reminding the Congress that their distress flowed from the same causes as that of their brethren of Bos- ton, the petitioners requested that the same disposition might be made of the poor, by sending them to the interior towns. This, accordingly, was done. Charlestown, in a short time, was nearly deserted. A few of its citizens went into it to look after their effects, or to plant their gardens, or to mow their grass ; but so general was the belief that it would be
Wednesday last about two hundred merchants and traders, friends to govern- ment, sent in their names to the general, offering to take up arms as volun- teers at his service, which he thankfully accepted of. Everything here is in great confusion. We hourly expect an attack." A British paper, Septem- ber 14, says of the removal : - " The bad policy of the measure excited great commotions among the gentlemen volunteers, under the command of General Ruggles. They explained to the general the pernicious tendency of such an indulgence ; and not receiving a distinct answer for some days, they threatened to lay down their arms, and leave the town. This spirited exer- tion of the volunteers at last compelled the general to detain all the effects and merchandise of the rebel emigrants, except their household furniture."
May 12. - The inhabitants of Boston are permitted to come out, but very slow ; numbers are not permitted to come out on any terms. The distress of the inhabitants, on account of provisions, is shocking indeed. - Newspaper. 1 May 6. - General Orders. - That the commanding officer of the guard at Charlestown permit no person to go into Charlestown with any provisions whatever, with or without a pass.
May 13. - Ordered, That Captain Isaac Foster be permitted to carry pro- visions into Charlestown, for the benefit only of such persons as have moved out of Boston, and are going into the country, and our friends in said town. - Ward's Orderly Book.
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SIEGE OF BOSTON.
destroyed,' that, on the 17th of June, not more than one or two hundred remained, out of a population of between two and three thousand.
In the mean time the several colonies, with noble despatch, adopted measures for the general defence. In Massachusetts, the Provincial Congress assembled at Concord, April 22, and on the next day, Sunday, resolved that an army of thirty thousand was necessary for the defence of the country. It resolved to raise, as the proportion of this colony, thirteen thousand six hundred troops. In the plan for its organization, fifty-nine men were to form a company, and ten companies a regiment ; and to promote rapid enlistments, those who raised companies or regiments were promised commissions to com- mand them. Artemas Ward was appointed commander-in- chief; John Thonias, lieutenant-general; and Richard Gridley, the chief engineer. Congress took measures - April 30 - to raise a train of artillery, but it was not fully organized when the battle of Bunker Hill took place. Indeed, so slowly did the work of general organization go on, that General Ward, in a letter to Congress, May 19, stated, that to save the coun- try, "it was absolutely necessary that the regiments be imme- diately settled, the officers commissioned, and the soldiers mustered." Even his own commission had not been issued. On this day Congress adopted the form of one for the com- mander, and passed orders relative to the ranks of the regi- ments and the officers. The settlement of the ranks of the officers, however, was referred to a future time. It also revised the powers of the committee of safety, and clothed
1 A midshipman on board of the Nautilus man-of-war, then lying at Bos- ton, about May, 1775, writes : " My situation here is not very pleasant, for I am stationed in an open boat, at the mouth of Charles River, to watch the Americans, who are busily employed in making fire-stages, to send down the stream to burn our ships. I have command of six men, and a six-pounder is fixed to the bow of our boat, which we are to fire to alarm the camp and fleet, as soon as we observe the fire-stages. The inhabitants of Boston are delivering up their arms, and leaving the town. The Somerset, of 74 guns, lays between Boston and Charlestown, which are only separated by a chan- nel about a mile broad, and our ship lays about half a mile above her ; and if she sees a particular signal hung out, she is to fire on Charlestown." - Re- membrancer, vol. I., 111.
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ACTION OF NEW HAMPSHIRE.
this body with full authority to direct the movements of the army. The work of organization then went on more rapidly, though it was far from being complete when the battle of Bunker Hill was fought.1
The New Hampshire troops were peculiarly situated. They assembled at Medford, where the field officers, April 26, held a meeting, and advised the men to enlist in the service of the Massachusetts colony. They also recommended Colonel John Stark to take the charge of them until the Provincial Congress of New Hampshire should act .? This was accordingly done. The New Hampshire Congress, May 20, voted to raise two thousand men, adopted those that had already enlisted, and voted that " the establishment of officers and soldiers should be the same as in the Massachusetts Bay."3 They were organized into three regiments, and placed (May 23) under the command of Nathaniel Folsom, with the rank of briga- dier-general. Two regiments were organized previous to the battle of Bunker Hill, under Colonels John Stark and James Reed. On the 2d of June, General Folsom ordered Colonel Reed to collect his companies, - part of which were at Med- ford, under Colonel Stark, - and "put himself under the com- mand of General Ward, until further order." On the 13th of June, by order of Ward, this regiment, fully officered, took post at Charlestown Neck.4 Colonel Enoch Poor was ap- pointed to command the third regiment, which, however, did not arrive at the camp until after June 17. Nor did General Folsom arrive at Cambridge until June 20.
1 Journals of Provincial Congress ; Mass. Archives. The committee of safety, elected May 18, were : - John Hancock, Joseph Warren, Benjamin Church, Benjamin White, Joseph Palmer, Richard Devens, Abraham Wat- son, John Pigeon, Azor Orne, Benjamin Greenleaf, Nathan Cushing, Samuel Holten, Enoch Freeman. On the next day Congress enlarged the powers of this committee. They had authority to call out the militia, to nominate offi- cers to the Congress, to commission them, and to direct the operations of the army.
2 Mass. Archives, where are the records of this meeting. 3 Journals of New Hampshire Provincial Congress. 4 Reed's letter, Ms., in New Hamp- shire Archives. Difficulties occurred in organizing the regiments. On the 31st of May, Colonel Stark was ordered to repair to Exeter, to receive the orders of the Congress. After General Folsom was appointed, Stark refused, for a short time, to obey his orders. 9
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SIEGE OF BOSTON.
Connecticut was so prompt in its action, that, a few days after the nineteenth of April, it had but few towns not repre- sented in the army. A large portion of these minute-men soon returned to their homes. That colony voted, April 26, to raise six thousand men, and organized them into six regiments, of ten companies each, - one hundred men con- stituting a company. Joseph Spencer, with the rank of brigadier-general, was the senior officer in command,1 who arrived with one regiment early in May, and took post at Roxbury .? Captain John Chester's fine company formed part of it. Another regiment, commanded by Israel Putnam, with the rank of brigadier-general, was stationed at Cambridge. The sixth regiment was under Colonel Samuel Holden Par- sons; two companies of which -his own and Chapman's - were ordered, June 7, to the camp, and subsequently, one other, Captain Coit's; the remainder of it being stationed, until after the battle of Bunker Hill, at New London.3 The disposition of these troops was directed by a "committee of war," which supplied them with ammunition and provisions.
The Rhode Island Assembly, April 25, voted to raise fifteen hundred men, to constitute "an army of observation," and ordered it to "join and cooperate with the forces of the neigh- boring colonies."4 This force was organized into three regiments, of eight companies each, under Colonels Varnum, Hitchcock, and Church, and placed under the command of Nathaniel Greene, with the rank of brigadier-general.5 One of the companies was a train of artillery, and had the col- ony's field-pieces. General Greene, on arriving at the camp, Jamaica Plains, found his command in great disorder ; and it was only by his judicious labors, and great personal influence, that it was kept together.6 In the rules and regulations for the government of this force, it is called " The Rhode Island
' Hinman's War of the Revolution, p. 547. 2 Trumbull's Memoirs. 3 Rec- ords of the Council of War. A company is also named, under Captain Perit. The general officers were also captains. Thus General Putnam was brig- adier-general, colonel of a regiment, and captain of a company.
" The act is in Force's Archives, vol. II., p. 390. 5 Proceedings of Rhode Island Assembly. 6 General Greene's letter, June 2. "Several companies had clubbed their muskets, in order to return home." Colonel Varnum's regiment had not, June 2, arrived in camp.
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ORGANIZATION OF THE ARMY.
army." They provide that "all public stores, taken in the enemy's camp or magazines," should be " secured for the use of the colony of Rhode Island."' It was not until June 28 that this colony passed an act putting its troops under the orders of the general of the combined army.2
The official returns of the army, until the arrival of Gen- eral Washington, are so defective and inaccurate, that it is impossible to ascertain, with precision, its numbers. The "grand American army," 3 as it is called in the newspapers, consisted of about sixteen thousand men. Massachusetts fur- nished about 11,500, Connecticut 2300, New Hampshire 1200, Rhode Island 1000. It was so peculiarly constituted, each colony having its own establishment, supplying its troops with provisions4 and ammunition, and directing their disposition, that its only element of uniformity was the common purpose that called it together. General Ward was authorized to com- mand only the Massachusetts and New Hampshire forces, though the orders of the day were copied by all the troops; and a voluntary obedience, it is stated, was yielded to him by the whole army, as the commander-in-chief. Nor was it until after the experience of the battle of Bunker Hill, that the committee of war of Connecticut, to remedy the evils of the want of "a due subordination," and " of a general and com- mander-in-chief," instructed Generals Spencer and Putnam to yield obedience to General Ward, and advised the colonies of Rhode Island and New Hampshire to do the same respecting
1 Article XXVIII. 2 The preamble reads, -- " Whereas, it is absolutely necessary, for the well-governing and exerting the force of an army, that the same should be under the direction of a commander-in-chief."
3 We have the pleasure to inform the public that the grand American army is nearly completed. Great numbers of the Connecticut, New Hamp- shire, and Rhode Island troops are arrived ; among the latter is a fine com- pany of artillery, with four excellent field-pieces. - Essex Gazette, June 8.
4 Connecticut Assembly. Force's Archives, vol. 11., 418. The New Hampshire regiments were first enlisted under the authority of Massachu- setts. Hence a general order of April 27 directs : " That the Hampshire troops be supplied with provisions in the same manner, by Mr. Commissary Pigeon, as the Massachusetts troops are supplied, until further orders." - Ward's Orderly Book. On the 8th of June, the New Hampshire commit- tee of safety authorized large purchases for the troops. -- Mss.
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