USA > Massachusetts > The history of Massachusetts, from its earliest settlement to the present time > Part 14
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Regarding this scheme as a design to cheat them into compliance with a principle they hated, and thereby open the way to unlimited taxation, the people were determined to thwart it. The vessel bearing tea to Philadelphia was stopped four miles below the city, and sent back to Eng- land. A similar destination was given to the cargoes intended for New York. At Charleston, the tea was stored under custom-house care, but it was not permitted to be sold.
Massachusetts was even more daring in her
237
CARGOES OF TEA DESTROYED.
1773.]
resistance. Boston, backed by the neighbouring towns, on the arrival of the first of the tea ships, succeeded in terrifying its master into a promise of immediate departure, provided the consignees would give their consent. Committees from town meetings, petitioning and expostulating, vainly endeavoured to move their compliance. More stringent measures were threatened. Still holding to their determination, the consignees fled to the safety of the castle. A clearance was then demanded from the collector of customs. This he refused to give until the cargo was landed. Application was next made to Hutchin- son for a permit, without which no vessel would be allowed to leave the harbour. He, too, re- fused. Meanwhile, a second and a third vessel had arrived. Finding their comparatively peace- able efforts for the removal of the tea to avail but little, the people decided upon, its destruc- tion. Disguising themselves as Mohawk Indians, a party of some fifty men marched down to the wharf and boarded the ships. It was about dusk on the evening of the 16th of December, 1773. A town meeting had just broken up. Its mem- bers, still agitated by the stirring eloquence of Quincy, had followed to the wharf, where they now remained silent and anxious spectators of the scene. For two hours they lingered, until, with a single exulting shout, the Indians com- pleted their labour. Two hundred and forty
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HISTORY OF MASSACHUSETTS. [1774.
chests of tea had been broken open, and their contents thrown into the waters of the Atlantic.
Great was the indignation of the ministry when they received intelligence of the fate of the tea. The destiny of their American power was there foreshadowed. But they would not yield without a struggle. A bill for closing the port of Boston and removing the seat of govern- ment to Salem, was immediately passed in parliament. Another, virtually annulling the colonial charter, followed. To insure the en- forcement of these and other odious measures, General Gage, now commander-in-chief of the army in North America, was appointed governor, in the place of Hutchinson, whom, for the pre- sent, it was determined to recall. An addition of four regiments was also made to the troops already in the castle.
While the ministry were thus employed, Hut- chinson had been contending, for the last time, with his old enemies of the general court. In February, 1774, the subject of the justices' salaries was again brought before the legislature. Of the five judges, Oliver, the chief, alone re- fused to receive his pay from the province instead of the crown. Thwarted in an attempt to pro- cure his removal, the house exhibited articles of impeachment against him; but before they could be fully acted upon, Hutchinson, after announc- ing his recall, prorogued the cour
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1774.]
NATIONAL CONGRESS PROPOSED. -
Soon after, intelligence was received of the passage of the port bill. Assembling in town meeting on the 13th of May, the people of Bos- ton took the new measure into grave and solemn consideration. Appealing to God and to the world, they proclaimed its injustice and cruelty. In order to enforce its repeal, resolutions were adopted and ordered to be transmitted to the other colonies, inviting them to renew their non- importation agreements as to all British goods. While the meeting was thus employed, Gage had landed in the town, with scarcely a welcome, and with none of the usual marks of public joy.
Copies of the port bill were despatched to all parts of the colonies.
Fierce was the flame that
arose. Meetings were everywhere held, re- sponding to that of Boston. The assembly of Connecticut recommended a National Congress. The house of burgesses of Virginia appointed the first of June, on which the Act went into operation, as a day of fasting, humiliation, and prayer. Being immediately afterward dissolved, they met privately and recommended a National Congress. In the other colonies, also, this idea was broached and encouraged. By the Massa- chusetts general court, which presently met at Salem, the expediency of such a congress was declared, and Thomas Cushing, John and Samuel Adams, Robert Treat Paine, and James Bowdoin, appointed delegates. The congress was to meet
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HISTORY OF MASSACHUSETTS. [1774.
at Philadelphia on the first of September. To defray the expenses of the delegates, five hun- dred pounds were to be raised by the several towns and districts in the province. Having disposed of this business, they recommended the adoption of non-importation and non-consumption agreements, which, notwithstanding the efforts of Gage, were afterward put into operation throughout the colony. On the very day in which this recommendation was made, Gage, already incensed by an address of the assembly, reflecting severely on his two immediate prede- cessors, sent the provincial secretary to proclaim a dissolution. Finding the doors locked, and being denied admittance, the secretary read the governor's proclamation on the stairs. Thus ended the last provincial assembly of Massa- chusetts.
Meanwhile, the port bill was working with injurious effect. Though liberal contributions were raised for her in the different colonies, Boston, now cut off from commerce-the main dependence of her twenty thousand inhabitants -suffered in the extreme. The people of Salem, Marblehead, and other seaport towns, nobly refusing to rise upon the ruins of their neigh- bour, addressed themselves to Gage, and, in the glowing language of generous feeling, besought his influence in mitigating or removing the dis- tress to which Boston was subjected. To the
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HOSTILE PREPARATIONS.
1774.]
merchants of that city they offered the use of their stores, wharves, and even their personal services, free of all charge.
The dawn of American independence was at hand. Already, a contest seemed inevitable. Gage was determined and active. + He issued proclamations against sedition, concentrated six regiments in Boston, fortified the Neck, seized the provincial military stores at Cambridge and Charlestown, and in every way evidenced his fear of outbreak. The colonists, on the other hand, were not idle. The country was alive
" Minute-men" were with warlike preparation. Arms were cleaned, training on every green. ammunition prepared, and military stores col- lected. Town meetings and county conventions -held in every town and village-aroused, sus- tained, and guided the spirit of resistance. Gage's seizure of the powder at Charlestown had created intense excitement, and large num- bers of people assembled in arms at Cambridge. With difficulty they were persuaded from making an immediate attack upon the troops. Soon after, further evidence was given of the inflamed state of public feeling. It having been rumoured that the British fleet were firing upon Boston, in less than twenty-four hours nearly thirty thousand militia were in arms, marching to the relief of their beleaguered capital., Only on
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HISTORY OF MASSACHUSETTS.
- [1774.
discovering the falsity of the rumour would they disperse.
1
By the late parliamentary law, the councillors and judges derived their appointments from the crown. In August, Gage received a list of thirty-six councillors thus appointed. Of these, the greater part were sworn in; but the popular hatred soon became so violent against them, that many were terrified into resigning. The new judges fared no better. Juries would not serve under them ; and, in some places, their sittings were broken up.
On the 6th of September, a large convention assembled at Milton, in Suffolk county, to which Boston belonged, and passed a series of spirited resolutions and recommendations ; among others, that no obedience was due to any of the recent Acts of Parliament; and that the councillors under the new law, who did not immediately re- sign, were to be treated as obstinate and incor- rigible enemies of their country. The people were also exhorted to perfect themselves in military exercises; and the tax-collectors re- quested not to pay over any money in their hands until the province was « placed on a con- stitutional foundation," or until the provincial congress, which they had recommended, should otherwise order. These resolutions were for- warded to the National Congress, then in session at Philadelphia.
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CONGRESS AT SALEM.
1774.1
That body, composed of delegates from twelve provinces, during a long and anxious session of fifty-two days, prepared a declaration of rights, a petition to the king, a memorial to the people of England, and an address to the inhabitants of Canada. One of their first public acts was the adoption of a series of resolutions expressive of their genuine sympathy for their fellow- countrymen of Massachusetts. Approving of their late proceedings, they encouraged them to persevere, firmly but temperately, in the line of conduct proposed by the convention at Mil- ton ; and resolved that the whole continent ought to extend them its cordial support in resisting the recent tyrannical abrogation of their ancient and approved charter. These resolutions were sent to Gage, accompanying a high-toned but judicious letter, in which they remonstrated against his arbitrary exercise of military rule, which could only drive the people to desperation; and concluded with an earnest entreaty that he would discontinue the fortifications in Boston.
Meanwhile, Gage had called a session of the house of representatives, to meet at Salem carly in October. Events changing his determination, however, he countermanded this call. Elections were, nevertheless, held, and on the 11th of October, the new members met at Salem. Hav- ing waited a day for some one to administer the usual oaths, and nobody appearing, they resolved
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HISTORY OF MASSACHUSETTS. [1775.
themselves into a provincial congress, chose Hancock for president, and adjourned to Con- cord. Having drawn up a memorial to Gage, declaring that until the military preparations in Boston were discontinued, he need not hope for satisfaction among the people, they ad- journed to Cambridge, whence a committee was sent to the governor with their memorial. Gage, in answering, said that his preparations were justified by a regard for his own safety, and concluded by calling upon them to desist from their proceedings, which were illegal. The congress, however, in defiance of punishments threatened, continued in session until toward the close of November, when they temporarily adjourned. During their session, they appointed a Committee of Safety, at the head of which was Hancock, with power to call out the militia ; the militia were authorized to elect their company and regimental officers; and, at the same time, Ward and Pomeroy, the latter of whom had been a colonel in the French and Indian war, were commissioned as generals. Military stores were ordered to be procured, toward which twenty thousand pounds were appropriated; and the tax-collectors were called upon to pay over their funds to the newly-appointed provincial treasurer. Meeting again in February, 1775, prompt mea- sures were taken to arm and equip the militia. Magazines of provisions and military stores were
1775.]
TROOPS SENT TO LEXINGTON.
245
established. Having prepared an address to the people, and appointed a day of fasting and prayer, the congress again adjourned for a short interval.
Matters were now approaching a crisis. On Sunday, the 26th of February, 1775, Gage sent a detachment of one hundred and fifty regulars to seize a quantity of cannon deposited at Salem. They were obliged to return, however, empty- handed, the cannon being nowhere to be found. In the search for them, they barely avoided a contest with a party of the militia.
Not long after this affair, the Massachusetts Congress re-assembled. While yet in session intelligence of the most exciting character was received. On the evening of the 18th of April, Gage despatched a force of some eight hundred men, under the command of Colonel Smith and Major Pitcairn, to seize and destroy a quantity of military stores which he had been informed were collected at Concord, some twenty miles from Boston. It was reported that the expedi- tion had also in view the arrest of Hancock and Adams. Every precaution was taken to prevent an alarm, but to no purpose ; the firing of guns and ringing of bells heralded their swift and silent advance. About sunrise on the morning of the nineteenth, the detachment arrived at Lexington. On a green not far from the road, a small party of minute-men were drawn up.
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HISTORY OF MASSACHUSETTS. [1775.
Pitcairn, who was at the head of the British column, riding toward the militia, called out- "Disperse, you rebels ; throw down your arms, and disperse !" His order was not promptly obeyed. Some scattering shots were then fired by the British troops, who, immediately after, with a loud shout, poured in a regular volley, by which eight of the provincials were killed. Dispersing, they returned the fire, which had been entirely unprovoked.
Having thus routed the few provincials at Lexington, the detachment marched on to Con- cord, which they entered unresisted, and de- stroyed the stores they found there. At their approach, however, a few minute-men, as- sembled on the green, had retired across a bridge back of the town. This bridge was placed under the guard of three companies of British light infantry. The provincials, from the hill where they were posted, seeing several fires in the town, which they thought were from burning houses, now came down to the bridge and made a peaceable attempt to cross. Pulling up a few planks, the guard retired to the Concord side of the river; and the minute-men still ad- vancing, they sent in a volley, by which two of the provincials were, killed. Immediately the fire was returned, and, with a loss of several men, the regulars fled to the main body in town. A retreat was now ordered and hastily begun.
247
RETREAT FROM CONCORD.
1775.]
There was good cause. The whole country was alive with their exasperated and determined foes ; who, hurrying in from all sides, now poured in upon the British troops from behind houses, trees, fences, and every place affording cover, an irregular but continued and deadly fire. Worn down with heat, and retiring in a disorderly man- ner, the detachment at length arrived at Lex- ington, where, fortunately for their safety, they were met by a supporting column of nine hundred men and two pieces of cannon, under the charge of Lord Percy.
Breathing a little, the whole party now fell back toward Boston. As soon as the retreat was resumed, the provincials renewed their fire, which was kept up with increasing vigour during the rest of the march. About sunset, utterly exhausted with their march of thirty-five miles, the regulars arrived at Charlestown. Encamp- ing that night on Bunker Hill, the next morning they crossed over to Boston.
During this engagement, in which from eight to sixteen hundred of their best troops contended with an irregular force of provincials, at no one time exceeding five hundred men, the British lost a grand total of two hundred and seventy- three in killed, wounded, and missing. Of the provincials, fifty were killed and thirty-eight wounded.
Immediately on receiving this intelligence, the
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HISTORY OF MASSACHUSETTS. [1775.
Congress of Massachusetts voted to raise thir- teen thousand six hundred men, which it was hoped the other New England colonies would augment to thirty thousand. An artillery regi- ment was authorized, at the head of which Grid- ley, an old engineer officer, was placed. A captain-generalship was given to Ward, and Thomas was made a lieutenant-general. To provide for the expenses of the new recruits, paper currency to the amount of £100,000 was ordered to be issued. An account of the recent battle was then drawn up, accompanied with depositions to show that the regulars were the aggressors, and despatched to England. With it was a brief but spirited address to the people of Great Britain, in which, still professing loyalty to the king, hardly as they had been used, the colonists yet avowed their determination not to submit to the tyranny of an evil ministry ; and, appealing to the justice of Heaven, expressed their resolution " to die or be free."
I
249
RESISTANCE EXCITED.
1775.]
CHAPTER XVIII.
Reception by the colonies of the battle of Lexington-Boston invested by the provincials-Green commissioned by Rhode Island-Putnam appointed to command the Connecticut troops-Stark arrives with reinforcements from New Hamp- shire-Meeting of the continental congress-Capture of Ticonderoga and Crown Point by Allen and Warner-Gage proclaims martial law-Intrenchments thrown up on Breed's Hill-Movements of the British-Battle of Breed's or Bunker Hill-Death of Warren-Washington appointed commander- in-chief-His arrival in camp before Boston-Siege of Boston -Provincial government organized-Falmouth bombarded and burned-Privateering encouraged by the general court -Reassembling of the continental congress-The army re- organized-Patriotic conduct of Colonel Whitcombe-Gage recalled-Howe appointed commander-in-chief of the Eng- lish forces-Washington prepares to assault Boston-The town adandoned by the enemy.
THE tidings of the battle of Lexington flew with wonderful rapidity from colony to colony, and every where excited the most determined spirit of resistance to ministerial oppression. Flushed with a success almost unparalleled in military history, the provincials lost all fear, and were confident of final victory in the contest which had been forced upon them. Armies were created as if by magic. Two days after the battle, Boston was invested by a volunteer force of twenty thousand men. Rhode Island imme- diately voted an army of observation fifteen
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HISTORY OF MASSACHUSETTS. [1775.
hundred strong, to command which Nathaniel Green, a young ironmaster, already in the field before Boston, was commissioned. Six thousand men were voted by Connecticut, four thousand of which were to aid their brethren in Massa- chusetts. General Putnam, a veteran of sixty winters, accustomed to the storms of battle, was placed at their head. New Hampshire called for three regiments, two of which were already under the command of the adventurous Stark, in the investing army around Boston. In the middle and southern colonies a no less active spirit prevailed, and every thing betokened an earnest struggle.
The Continental Congress, which met in May, at once entered actively into business. Denying any present design of independence, they resolved that war was already com- menced by Great Britain, and measures were taken for the speedy organization of an army for the defence of the " United Colonies." De- claring the compact between the crown and the people of Massachusetts dissolved, they recom- mended the inhabitants of that province to form a new government according to the powers con- tained in their original charter.
Meanwhile, an adventurous party, under the direction of Ethan Allen and Seth Warner, had surprised and captured the fortresses of Ticonde- roga and Crown Point, along with which a large
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1775.] MARTIAL LAW PROCLAIMED.
quantity of valuable and much needed military stores fell into their hands. Boston was still under close investment, and Gage began to feel its effects. The want of fresh provisions was a se- rious inconvenience ; to remedy which, foraging parties were sent out upon some of the small islands in the bay, but on every occasion the in- habitants beat them off, at times with consider- able loss. Beyond these skirmishes, for a period of nearly two months both the besieged and the besiegers were apparently idle. Gage, however, had been receiving constant accession to his garrison, while the Americans were occupied in drilling their brave but untrained recruits.
With a force now augmented to some ten thousand of the best troops in the British service, Gage proclaimed martial law as a pre- lude to more vigorous action against the refrac- tory colonists. Pardon, however, was offered to all who would immediately lay down their arms and return to their allegiance, Samuel Adams and John Hancock only excepted, "whose crimes were of that nature which condign punishment" alone could expiate.
This proclamation aroused the activity of the Americans, now some sixteen thousand in num- ber, under the command of John Whitcombe and Dr. Joseph Warren, who had been commis- sioned as first and second major-generals of the Massachusetts forces. Hitherto Charlestown had
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HISTORY OF MASSACHUSETTS. [1775.
been neglected by both parties. Whether they should act on the offensive or defensive, the Americans viewed its possession as important. Accordingly, on the night of the 16th of June, pursuant to previous orders, Colonel Prescott, with about fifteen hundred men, set out to occupy Bunker Hill, a considerable height just within the peninsula of Charlestown. Prescott, through some mistake, passed on to Breed's Hill, high and large like the other, but much nearer Boston, where, by daylight, his party had thrown up a small but formidable redoubt. When the morning mists broke away, the guns of the Lively, British man-of-war, summoned the town, the camp, and the fleet to witness a sight that seemed but little less than a prodigy-so silently and expeditiously had the American en- trenchments arose. Immediately a heavy can- nonade was opened upon the provincials. With the coolness of veterans they continued their toil, extorting admiration even from their ene- mies. By noon they had thrown up a breast- work, extending from the redoubt down toward the northern foot of the hill. As the eminence thus partially fortified might command Boston, Gage determined to dislodge the Americans. For this purpose two thousand picked men, led by Generals Howe and Pigot, crossed over in boats to Moreton's Point, where, forming under cover of the guns of the fleet, they remained
.
253
BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL.
1775.]
until additional troops had swelled their number to nearly three thousand.
Meanwhile Stark, with the two New Hamp- shire regiments, arrived on the ground. Taking a position to the left, and in the rear of the yet unfinished breastwork, he secured an imperfect cover for his men behind some post and rail fences, set up in parallel lines a few feet apart, the space between which was filled in with new- mown hay. With this addition, the American force was probably twenty-three hundred in number. Many of these, especially those upon whom the brunt of the battle afterward fell, had been labouring all night in the entrenchments. Two field-pieces were their only artillery.
As thus the two armies prepared for a deadly struggle, thousands of anxious spectators had gathered upon the neighbouring heights, and the roofs and steeples of Boston. Over all was the calm and unclouded sky of June. About three o'clock in the afternoon, from ships and batteries, a furious cannonade broke upon the American lines. Covered by this cannonade, the British slowly advanced, halting, at times, to deliver their fire. Not till the enemy had well-nigh reached the redoubt, did the provincials show signs of life. Then, deliberate in their aim, and with the certainty of tried marksmen, they sent volley after volley into the British ranks with deadly effect. The enemy wavered, broke and fled.
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HISTORY OF MASSACHUSETTS. [1775.
While their officers rallied them for a fresh at- tack, Charlestown was set on fire by order of Gage. Built mostly of wood, it was soon wrapped in flames, which gave additional horror to the scene, as the British line a second time moved slowly forward. Met again by that quick and fatal succession of volleys, they again fled, confused and disheartened. A third time, forced by the swords of their officers, and en- couraged by Clinton, who now made his appear- ance, the regulars advanced. A few pieces of artillery had gained a position to rake the breast- work; the Americans had expended their ammu- nition ; and now, attacked on three sides, they were driven from the redoubt at the point of the bayonet. Meanwhile, the English light-infantry were pressing Stark, who, however, stood un- shaken till the redoubt was lost. Clubbing their muskets, the provincials reluctantly fell back in a body, and effected a safe retreat over Charlestown Neck. Some few fell by the cannonade to which they were here exposed; a cannonade so terrible, apparently, that troops sent to reinforce them had not ventured to pass through it. The Bri- tish attempted no pursuit. Advancing as far as Bunker Hill, from which the battle derives its present name, they there entrenched. Prospect Hill, immediately in front, was occupied by the Americans.
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