USA > Massachusetts > The history of Massachusetts, from its earliest settlement to the present time > Part 15
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Such a victory, for the British, was but little
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DEATH OF WARREN.
1775.]
better than defeat. Twenty-three hundred men, mostly farmers, untrained, and little used to the horrid details of battle, with a loss of only four hundred and fifty in killed, wounded, and miss- ing, had bravely confronted an army three thou- sand strong, chosen troops of the British service, and backed by the cannon of a fleet. Only when they could no longer fight, they yielded their position; one dearly gained by the victors, who lost on that momentous day ten hundred and fifty-four men, nearly one-fourth of whom were dead on the field.
Among the American slain none was more deeply lamented than General Warren, who, with Putnam, acted as a volunteer on this occa- sion. As a statesman, he was sagacious; as an orator, eloquent ; as a patriot, ardent and sincere ; and as a husband, father, and friend, beloved by the social circle in which he moved. Quitting the peaceful walks of his humane profession, he had fallen in defence of the liberties of his country, leaving an infant family, with small means of support ; for whom congress, after long · delay, and only through the warm and perseve- ring efforts of Arnold, at length made suitable provision.
Meanwhile the Continental Congress had ap- pointed George Washington commander-in-chief of the American forces. Accepting the com- mission in a modest speech, he declined any pe-
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HISTORY OF MASSACHUSETTS. [1775
cuniary reward, a desire for which, he said, could never have tempted him to accept so ardu- ous an employment at the expense of his do- mestic ease and happiness. Ward, Lee, Schuy- ler, Putnam, and Gates were commissioned as major-generals. Of these Gates and Lee had been British officers, and had served with dis- tinction ; Schuyler was from New York ; and Ward and Putnam were already in camp at Boston. Pomeroy, Heath, and Thomas, of Mas- sachusetts ; Wooster, a provincial officer in the late French war, and Spencer of Connecticut ; Greene, of Rhode Island ; Montgomery, an Irish officer, who had gained reputation at Louisburg and Quebec ; and Sullivan, a member of con- gress from New York, were appointed brigadiers. Within two weeks after the battle of Bunker Hill, Washington and Lee arrived in camp. At once entering upon the duties of his command, Washington determined upon a close and com- plete investment of Boston. An assault was not to be thought of at present. The army, ex- cellent in materials, was badly organized. Of powder, there was hardly a dozen rounds to a man. Artillery and besieging tools were scarce, and what few they had were almost worthless. Washington, therefore, separating his force of fifteen thousand men into three grand divisions, extended his line over a distance of ten miles. The right wing, commaned by Ward, resting at
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BOSTON INVESTED.
1755.]
Roxbury ; the left, under Lee, on Prospect Hill; while the centre, directed by the commander-in- chief himself, took post at Cambridge. A con- tinuous chain of small cantonments kept the communication open. Parties were also stationed along the sea-coast as a check to the British foraging parties. Thus arranged, Washington put his soldiers under constant drill, at the same time intimating to congress the necessity of a new and more efficient military organization.
Following the advice of congress, a system of government was now adopted in Massachusetts, and adhered to until the formation of a consti- tution five years afterward, wholly in accord- ance with the provisions of the old charter. A house of representatives was chosen ; and these, on the 19th of July, proceeded to the election of councillors. Adhering to former usage, the vacant offices of governor and lieu- tenant-governor were vested in the newly-elected council. While the general court was yet in session, Falmouth, now Portland, then a flourish- ing town of some five hundred houses, was bom- · barded and burned by a fleet of British cruisers, under command of one Lieutenant Mowatt. After this wanton outrage, Mowatt attempted a landing, when the unterrified inhabitants stood to their arms and he was beaten off. Previously, Mowatt had chased a vessel into Gloucester harbour, where he tried to capture her with a
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HISTORY OF MASSACHUSETTS. [1775.
party in boats. The town's-people assisting the vessel, the boats were driven back, when the Englishman commenced a fire on the town. Afterward, attempting to land, he was again foiled, losing his boats and thirty-five men. To counteract such incursions in future, the general court passed a law to authorize and encourage privateering ; at the same time providing for the equipment of two armed vessels on their own ac- count. Vessels were likewise fitted out by Wash- ington to cut off the Boston supply-ships. Cap- tain Manly, of the schooner Lee, distinguished himself in this service. Cruising in Massachu- setts Bay, perilous from storms and the presence of the enemy, he made several prizes, among which was a brig laden with mortars, heavy guns, and working tools. These, with some cannon brought by Knox from Ticonderoga, proved a welcome addition to the resources of the conti- nental army. Simultaneously a large supply of powder, taken from English vessels captured off Charleston, arrived in camp.
Congress, of which Hancock was now presi- dent, having assembled, under the style of the " Thirteen United Colonies," on the 5th of Sep- tember, it was determined to reorganize the be- sieging army. By the plan agreed upon it was to consist of twenty-six regiments, numbering in all, twenty thousand men. In selecting of- ficers, much difficulty was experienced by Wash-
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1775.] PATRIOTISM OF WHITCOMBE.
ington, upon whom this duty devolved. Jealousies and heart-burnings were created, and many men would not re-enlist until they knew with whom they were to serve. Notwithstanding these drawbacks, Washington laboured cheerfully ; and, though compelled to encounter many ex- amples of want of public spirit, he could point to others of brilliant patriotism. Particularly he spoke in approbation of the conduct of Colo- nel Asa Whitcombe, a meritorious officer, who had served in the late French war. On account of his advanced age, he had been left out of the new list of regimental officers. To give a good example to his men, who, for this supposed slight, refused to enlist again, the gallant veteran took the gun of a private. Struck with this patriotic forgetfulness of self, one of the other colonels, with a nobleness that likewise pleased the heart of Washington, resigned his regiment in favour of Whitcombe, to whom it was immediately given.
While, during the winter, Washington laboured to perfect his army, the British remained cooped up in Boston. The ministry, perhaps dissatisfied with the result of the battle of Bunker Hill, had recalled Gage, and General Howe was now com- mander-in-chief. The troops suffered greatly. Those encamped on Bunker Hill had no other protection than their tents. Supplies sent from England seldom came safe to hand. Salted
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HISTORY OF MASSACHUSETTS. [1776.
provisions were their chief food, and for fuel they were obliged to pull down houses.
On the 4th of March, 1776, having, almost within gunshot of twenty British regiments, dis- banded one army and organized a second, Wash- ington was prepared for a more active siege. Diverting the attention of the garrison by a vigo- rous cannonade from the eminence of Cambridge nearest Boston, on the night of the 4th, which was dark and favourable for the enterprise, he despatched Thomas with some two thousand men to occupy Dorchester, or South Boston Heights, a hill commanding the town, and a considerable part of the harbour of Boston. By morning a strong redoubt was thrown up. Howe, choosing between abandoning the town or dislodging the Americans, decided upon the latter.' In expecta- tion of such an attempt, Washington had pre- pared to force four thousand men into Boston by way of Charles' River. But a violent storm having arisen, Howe delayed his intended assault till the following day, when despairing of success, he altered his mind, and determined upon an im- mediate evacuation.
After gathering up all the woollen and linen goods they could find, and wantonly destroying a large quantity of salt, molasses, and other ar- ticles, belonging to private persons, the British began to embark. Howe having threatened to set the town on fire if molested in his departure,
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BOSTON EVACUATED.
1776.]
Washington did not attempt to harass the re- treat. Eleven days were consumed in the evacu- ation, during which time nine thousand soldiers, sailors, and marines, together with fifteen hundred unfortunate loyalists, had embarked on one hun- dred and fifty vessels of various kinds.
Scarcely was the evacuation completed, when Washington triumphantly entered the town. Released from their long confinement, and from the various inconveniences and insults to which they had been subjected, the inhabitants welcomed him as a deliverer. Mutual congratulations be- tween friends and relatives detained within the British lines, and those who were kept without, were now exchanged with unusual warmth. The Massachusetts general court highly complimented Washington in an address, to which he replied with becoming modesty. Congress honoured him with a vote of thanks, and ordered a medal to be struck to commemorate his victory.
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HISTORY OF MASSACHUSETTS.
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[1776.
CHAPTER XIX.
Massachusetts during the war-Washington in New York- Capture of English transports-Invasion of Canada by Montgomery-March of Arnold through the wilderness- His appearance before Quebec-His junction with Mont- gomery-Attack on Quebec-Death of Montgomery and retreat of Arnold-Canada evacuated by the Americans- Declaration of Independence-Success of Carleton-Evacua- tion of New York-Washington's retreat across the Jerseys -Defeat of the Hessians-Skirmish at Princeton-Howe's movements-Battle of Brandywine-Of Germantown- Burgoyne descends from Canada-Battle of Bennington- Of Saratoga-Surrender of Burgoyne-Treaty with France -Philadelphia evacuated by Howe-Battle of Monmouth- Arrival of the French squadron-Newport invested-Defeat of Sullivan-Virginia harassed by the British-Georgia invaded-Conquest of South Carolina-Defeat of Gates- Hancock elected governor of Massachusetts-Movements of Greene-Battle of Guilford Court House-Cornwallis enters Virginia-Siege of Yorktown-Surrender of Cornwallis.
AFTER the evacuation of Boston by the British army under Howe, the field of active military operations was shifted from the borders of Mas- sachusetts. During the entire struggle for in- dependence, the people escaped, with a few trivial exceptions, the immediate horrors and · devastations of war. More densely settled than her sister colonies, with a militia well organized and prompt to rally against an invading force, the British, mindful of Lexington and Bunker
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1776.] NUMBER OF MEN FURNISHED.
· Hill, made no serious attempt to invade her shores. But if Massachusetts was thus exempted from the evils of invasion-if, after the two prominent battles already noticed, scarcely a skirmish was fought within her jurisdiction-it was not from any unwillingness on the part of her people to bear their full proportion of the miseries, as well as the honours and blessings, of the momentous and wearisome struggle. Patriotic, brave, and conscious that Massachu- setts had been among the foremost to disseminate the principles of liberty, many of her sons served in the continental army wherever danger to the common country called them; and on many of the important battle-fields of the Revolution, their blood was liberally shed in defence of freedom and the American Union. Of the two hundred and thirty-one thousand soldiers fur- nished to the continental ranks during the contest for independence, no less than sixty-seven thou- sand were brought into service by Massachusetts alone.
Howe's destination was Halifax. Washington, ignorant of this, leaving five regiments in Boston, hastened with the main army to New York, whither he was apprehensive the British had sailed. Not long after his departure, consider- able excitement was created by the appearance in Nantucket Roads, below the town, of a British squadron convoying a fleet of transports. The
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HISTORY OF MASSACHUSETTS. [1776.
population assembling in arms, they were soon driven off. Three other transports, uninformed of Howe's evacuation, coming into the harbour a few days afterward, were captured, and two hundred and fifty soldiers who were in them made prisoners.
While Washington was besieging Boston, Canada had been nearly won, and completely lost. In the fall of 1775, Montgomery, after reducing St. John's and Montreal, pushed down the St. Lawrence toward Quebec. In the mean time, Arnold, with eleven hundred men, includ- ing Morgan's Virginia Rifles and a company of artillery, was despatched from the camp before Boston to co-operate with Montgomery. After one of the most memorable marches on record, through the dense wilderness between the head- waters of the Kennebec and Chaudiere rivers, during which he underwent the severest toils and privations, and was abandoned by nearly half his men, Arnold, on the 5th of November, sud- denly appeared on the St. Lawrence opposite Quebec. Had he been able to cross at once, the town might have fallen into his hands. While he was detained collecting boats to make the passage, Carleton, the English commandant, prepared for a desperate defence. Arnold, still hopeful, on the night of the 13th crossed the river, and the next morning drew up his little army of scarcely five hundred on the Plains of
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RETREAT FROM CANADA.
1776.]
Abraham. The British, however, would not risk an open battle. Wanting means to conduct a siege, Arnold withdrew up the river to Point au Trembles, where he joined his forces with those of Montgomery. Thus united, the two generals had but little over one thousand effective men ; yet they determined to renew the attempt against Quebec. With a courage almost desperate, they decided on an assault. Before daylight on the morning of the 31st of December, in the midst of a driving snow-storm, the assault was made. Conducted with the utmost gallantry, it failed ; yet victory was almost within grasp. Mont- gomery fell dead at the head of his column, Arnold was severely wounded, and Morgan, fighting desperately at the head of his brave Virginians, was compelled to surrender to a superior force.
With the remnant of his troops, Arnold, re- tiring three miles up the river, maintained the siege of Quebec during the winter. In the spring of 1776, General Thomas came to his assistance with some four hundred men; but several vessels suddenly appearing with rein- forcements for the enemy, the siege was raised and the army, under the direction of Thomas, hastily fell back to Sorel. Here the small-pox broke out among the troops. Great numbers were carried off, and among the rest General Thomas. At length, meeting with disaster after
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HISTORY OF MASSACHUSETTS.
[1776
disaster, the northern army rapidly, but in good order, retreated from Canada, which again fell completely into the possession of the British.
On the 7th of June, the subject of American independence was for the first time formally introduced into Congress. At the election in May previous, the voters of Massachusetts had unanimously instructed their representatives in favour of it. On the 4th of July following, the Declaration of Independence, as drawn up by Thomas Jefferson, of Virginia, was adopted and signed by nearly every member present in Congress.
The result of the campaign of 1776 was cheer- less. Canada had been lost; and following up his advantage, Carleton had driven the northern army into Ticonderoga, capturing Crown Point and defeating Arnold in a naval engagement, by which the British won the command of Lake Champlain. In the mean time, Washington had been compelled to evacuate New York. Howe,
with twenty-four thousand well-trained troops, having gained a signal victory over Putnam on Long Island, now occupied that city. Defeat after defeat pressed upon Washington, whose entire combined army was less than twenty thousand undisciplined and frequently dissatisfied men. At length, with some three thousand tentless, blanketless, and illy clad troops, he retreated across the Jerseys, hard pushed by
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SKIRMISH AT PRINCETON.
1776.]
Cornwallis, with a force in every way superior. On the 7th of December, he took up a position on the west bank of the Delaware river opposite to Trenton, which town was immediately occu- pied by the advanced guard of Cornwallis, com- posed of about fifteen hundred Hessians. The deepest gloom now took possession of the hearts of the people; but a brilliant movement of the commander-in-chief aided greatly in restoring confidence. On Christmas night, recrossing the Delaware, then full of floating ice, nine miles above Trenton, Washington fell at daybreak the next morning upon the Hessians quartered in the town, and took two-thirds of their number prisoners with the loss of but four men, of whom two were frozen to death. Alarmed by so vi- gorous a movement, Howe despatched Cornwallis to attack Washington at Trenton. Rapidly moving up in force, the main body of the British, on the night of the 2d of January, 1777, were encamped in front of the American lines. For Washington to retreat was almost impossible, and a battle he was not prepared to risk. With masterly decision, he resolved upon the bold plan of attacking Cornwallis's rear, which was at Princeton. The expedient was tried, and it
Three regiments, composing the succeeded.
English rear guard, were met near Princeton and put to flight, with a severe loss in killed and wounded, and three hundred taken prisoners.
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HISTORY OF MASSACHUSETTS.
[1777.
Cornwallis immediately fell back to Brunswick, while Washington went into winter quarters at Morristown.
In the campaign of 1777, two movements occupied the attention of the British. Howe, setting out by sea from New York, after several vain attempts to baffle the penetration of Wash- ington, finally made a landing at the head of Chesapeake Bay, from whence he directed his march toward Philadelphia. Defeating Wash- ington at Brandywine, and surprising Wayne at Paoli, the British forces entered Philadelphia on the 25th of September. Howe having encamped the bulk of his troops at Germantown, Washing- ton determined to attack them at that place. An attempt to follow out this determination, though opening with every prospect of success, resulted in his disastrous defeat, with the loss of more than a thousand men. Retiring up the Schuylkill, Washington established his winter quarters at Valley Forge, some twenty miles from Philadelphia.
Meanwhile, the more important movement of the British-Burgoyne's attempt to open a com- munication between Canada and New York, thus forming a cordon, with the assistance of the British fleet, around the New England colonies -had been signally frustrated by Gates. Leav- ing Canada with an admirable army of eight thousand men, Burgoyne easily possessed him-
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1778.] THE CONCILIATORY BILLS.
self of Ticonderoga. Twelve hundred men forming the rear of the retreating garrison, were attacked and dispersed. Following up his suc- cesses, Burgoyne was soon in command of Lake George. The defeat of Baum by Stark at Ben- nington, which was the first check to his career of victory, revived the sinking spirits of the Americans. Burgoyne's Indian allies and Cana- dian troops now began to desert him. Finally, de- feated and hemmed in on all sides, with his ranks thinning daily, and his provisions and supplies failing, and hopeless of succour, on the 17th of October he surrendered to Gates. By this im- portant victory, five thousand six hundred men, together with a large quantity of arms, artillery, and other military stores, fell into the hands of the Americans.
Previous to any military operations of import- ance in the campaign of 1778, copies of the conciliatory bills brought into parliament by Lord North, were received in America. By these bills, the primary question in dispute-the right of parliament to tax the colonies-was virtually relinquished ; and a proposition offered for a treaty to renew the allegiance of the colo- nies to the crown.
Ever since the commencement of hostilities, the American commissioners in Paris had been vainly endeavouring to procure the assistance of France. Immediately on learning that the con-
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HISTORY OF MASSACHUSETTS.
[1778.
ciliatory bills were likely to receive the sanction of parliament, Vergennes, the French minister, expressed to the commissioners the desire of France to treat with America. Accordingly, two treaties were drawn up-one of friendship and commerce, the other of defensive alliance. By these treaties, which were speedily ratified by Congress, the whole effect of the conciliatory bills, whatever it might have been, was neutral- ized. The determination of the Americans to win their independence remained intact.
France was now to enter into the contest. Fearful of being blockaded by a French fleet, Howe thought it best to evacuate Philadelphia. Going himself by sea to New York, he left Clinton to lead the army across the Jerseys. Washington immediately started in pursuit of Clinton. Coming up with him at Monmouth, a sharp action began, but it was broken off with- out any decided advantage to either party, by
the approach of darkness. During the night, the British quietly retreated to the highlands of Nevisink, where they took up a strong posi- tion, and were soon afterward transported by Howe's fleet to New York.
Washington crossing the Hudson, encamped at White Plains. Having been notified of the arrival of Count D'Estaing with a French fleet consisting of twelve ships of the line and four frigates, on board which were four thousand
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RETREAT OF SULLIVAN.
1778.]
soldiers, Washington prepared for a movement, in co-operation with D'Estaing, against New York. Compelled to abandon this design, he turned his attention toward Newport, which was now occupied by six thousand British troops
under Pigot. Sullivan, to whom the demonstra- tion against Newport was intrusted, speedily collected five thousand New England militia, to ' which were added continentals sufficient to swell his army to double that number. Every thing
was prepared for the attack, with the most san- guine expectations of success. But D'Estaing, who was to co-operate with the land forces, had put to sea in search of the fleet of Admiral Lord Howe. At the moment the two navies were about to engage, a terrible storm arose, separat- ing the combatants, and so badly damaging the fleet of D'Estaing that he notified Sullivan, who, in the mean time, had crossed to the island and advanced to within two miles of Newport, that it was absolutely necessary for him to go into Bos- ton for repairs. Reluctantly Sullivan abandoned · his works and slowly retired, fighting with the British to the head of the island, whence he effected a safe retreat to the main land. The year closed without any other military operations of importance. In November, there were appre- hensions of an attack upon Boston. But the British fleet under Admiral Byron, which gave cause for this alarm, was dispersed by a storm,
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HISTORY OF MASSACHUSETTS. [1779.
and one of the vessels wrecked on Cape Cod. Washington soon after went into winter quarters at Middlebrook, his left wing resting at Danbury, in Connecticut, and his right at Elizabethtown, New Jersey.
Despairing of subjugating the northern colo- nies, upon whose shores they found it impossible to gain more than an occasional foothold, which it required all their efforts to keep, the British, in 1779, directed their endeavours against the south. During the year, a marauding expedi- tion was fitted out against Virginia. Beyond ravaging the sea-coast towns, by which a large amount of private and public property was de- stroyed, little of importance was effected. An invasion of Georgia was more successful. Sa- vannah, and, soon after, the whole province, fell into the hands of the enemy. Lincoln, in co- operation with D'Estaing, subsequently attempted to retake Savannah, but failed with a heavy loss. Meanwhile, Massachusetts had despatched an expedition to dislodge the British from a fort they had erected and garrisoned on the Penob- scot. This, too, was defeated, with a loss of nineteen vessels, large and small, composing the naval portion of the expedition.
Early in the succeeding year, Sir Henry Clinton vigorously pushed the conquest of South Carolina. On the 7th of April, he appeared before Charleston with some seven thousand
1779.]
FRENCH FLEET IN NEWPORT. 273
troops. After an obstinate resistance of more than a month, finding further attempts to hold the town useless, Lincoln, who had charge of the defence, capitulated, the garrison to be treated as prisoners of war. Following up this victory, Clinton soon overran the entire province, making a complete conquest. Re-establishing the royal government, and leaving Cornwallis to keep possession, he returned to New York. Gates, presently appointed by Congress to com- mand the army in the South, was signally de- feated during the following August by the British under Rawdon and Cornwallis at Camden. His army was entirely broken up. This disaster led to his removal from command, and Greene, who was named his successor, toward the close of the year, while Cornwallis was preparing for the invasion of North Carolina, made his appearance in the American camp at Charlotte.
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