The memorial history of Boston : including Suffolk County, Massachusetts, 1630-1880, Vol. III, Part 13

Author: Jewett, Clarence F; Winsor, Justin, 1831-1897
Publication date: 1880-1881
Publisher: Boston : J.R. Osgood
Number of Pages: 770

USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Boston > The memorial history of Boston : including Suffolk County, Massachusetts, 1630-1880, Vol. III > Part 13

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His own subordinates accuse him of inaction. Lord Percy writes to his father in May: "The rebels have lately amused themselves with burn- ing the houses on an island just under the admiral's nose ; and a schooner, with four carriage-guns and some swivels, which he sent to drive them off, unfortunately got ashore, and the rebels burned her." This was at Hog Island. Putnam led in the affair, and won in it the reputation which helped him in the assignment of commissions the next month.2

1 [Thomas, a little later, deceived the British General by marching and remarching his troops along a course which could be observed by the British outposts, to give the appearance of a larger force than he had. - ED.]

2 [See Frothingham's Siege of Boston, p. 109; Sumner's East Boston, p. 351 ; N. E. Hist. and Geneal. Reg., April, 1857, p. 137 ; Lives of Put- nam ; Force's Archives, etc. The affair happened May 27, 1775. It was during this month that

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PANORAMIC VIEW FROM BEACON HILL, 1775 .

THE SIEGE OF BOSTON.

The truth is that until May 25 Gage's force was less than four thousand men. Of the columns engaged on the nineteenth he had lost two hundred and four, - one in nine, - a very large proportion. He had nothing to march out for, for the best success would be to come back again. He withdrew from Marshfield his one outlying detachment, and acted in the spirit of this despatch, which he had already sent home : -

"The Regiments are now composed of small numbers, and Irregulars will be necessary in this country, many of which, of one sort or other, I conceive may be raised here. Nothing that is said at present can palliate. Conciliating, moderation, reasoning, is over ; nothing can be done but by forcible means. 'T'ho' the people are not held in high estimation by the Troops, yet they are numerous, worked up to a Fury, and not a Boston rabble, but the Farmers and the Freeholders of the country. A check anywhere will be fatal, and the first stroke will decide a great deal. We should therefore be strong, and proceed on a good foundation before anything decisive is tried." 1

As the summer advanced, Gage and Howe fortified the town carefully. In the Charles River they had a floating battery of six cannon; and on Fox Hill (now levelled), within the present Public Garden, at the bottom of the Common, cannon were mounted, which commanded the passes of the Neck. There was an entrenchment where the monument now stands on the Common. Upon the hill toward Cambridge, now partly levelled and known as Louisburg Square and Mount Vernon, a mortar battery played upon Cambridge. This position was considered so safe that boys and other idlers, even women, stood by the gunners to mark the shots.2 On Copp's

Gage's boats patrolled the mouth of the Charles to give notice of " fire-stages " which the Pro- vincials were preparing to send down to burn his ships. - ED.]

1 MS. in English State-Papers.

" [ The works occupied by the besieged on the Common may be more particularly described as follows ; but some of them were not built till after the battle at Charlestown : -

A small zigzag earthwork, for infantry de- fence, opposite a point on Beacon Street, half- way between Spruce and Charles streets, then the upland margin.

A small redoubt on Fox Hill, as in the text.

An carthwork where Charles and Boylston streets now meet, - then at the marsh-edge, - probably for infantry defence.

A long redoubt, occupying the space between Pleasant Street, on its curve, and the water, and commanding a wharf, which was just south of the spot where now the Emancipation Group stands.

Crowning the bluff above the marsh, and at the point of the present junction of Boylston and Carver streets, there was a bastioned re- doubt ; and another of a square shape on the hill where the monument now stands, some light

breastworks being thrown up between them on the edge of the marsh.

These were the provisions which the British General had made to resist any attempt by Wash- ington to attack with boats. They are shown in Page's map, as are also the carthworks along the ridge to the north of Beacon Street. First, an oblong redoubt on the summit, back of the State House, which is shown in the panoramic view given. in this chapter, in heliotype. Second, a redoubt facing the Common, not far from the junction of Walnut and Chestnut streets Third, a larger redoubt, crossing Chestnut Street near Spruce and Willow, facing the water. Fourth, an open breastwork by the shore, be- tween Pinckney and Mount Vernon Streets, just above Charles Up to Christmas, notwith- standing the severe cannonade which the Brit- ish had often maintained, only twelve persons had been killed in Roxbury, and seven on the Cambridge side.

The accompanying heliotype shows The four sections of a water-color panoramic view from Beacon Hill, thus inscribed :-

" A view of the country round Boston, taken from Beacon hill, shewing the lines, Intrench- ments, Redouts, etc. of the Rebels ; also the

THE MEMORIAL HISTORY OF BOSTON.

Hill, at the North End, was a battery of six pieces of cannon, which com- manded the river and Charlestown shore. There were two flèches where Blackstone Square and Franklin Square are, from each of which a piece of artillery commanded the road.1 Nor could there now be a better memorial of the war than to restore them in those pretty grounds, and mount there two old cannon from the many trophies of the war. Ncarer Boston morc extensive works protected the Neck; and near Dover Street was a gate- way and other defences, of which the only memorial now is in the name of Fort Avenue, - an insignificant alley-way.2

On May 8, on an alarm that Gage was going to march out, the minute- men from the towns around Boston rallicd at command, and the British Firael Putnam General could see what he would meet if he needed any lesson. On the thirteenth, General Putnam marched a little army of two thousand three

hundred men through Charlestown to the ferry and back, " which very much astonished them." The affair at Hog Island, already referred to, was one of several raids, following an order of the provincial executive that all live stock should be removed from the islands. And in two only of tlicse affairs Gage lost two thousand sheep, "from under the admiral's nosc," as Percy says. He little foresaw how much he would be needing fresh provisions.3 Before a year was over, his government was shipping from England to Bos- ton living oxen, pigs, and sheep to feed the army, only one cargo of which

Lines and Redouts of his Majesties Troops. N. B. - These views were taken by L' Wil- liams of the R. W. Fuziliers,* and copied from a Scetch of the original drawn by L' Woodd of the same Regiment. The original drawings are now in the possession of the King."

Mr. J. Carson Brevoort, of Brooklyn, who gave this view to the Historical Society, in De- cember, 1859, says he purchased it of Charles Welford, about 1858. Mr. Brevoorl says, in a letter to the Editor : " It was the custom to send from the foreign and plantation office all that might be of interest to the map-makers, and I suppose that it found its way there among such matter."-ED.] Faden was the King's engraver. At a sale of his effects about forty years since, many such maps and drawings came to light. A collection of one hundred, once belonging to Nathan Ilale, is now in the Congressional Li- brary at Washington.

* The Welsh Fusiliers were one of the most famous regiments in the garrison Donkin, in his Military Collec- tions, p. 133, tells of the "privilegeous honor" enjoyed by them " nf passing in review preceded by a Goat with gilded horns : " and on March 1 (St. David's Day), in Boston, in 1775, "the animal gave such a spriog from the floor that he dropped his rider upon the table" of the banqueting officers, " and theo, bouncing over their heads, ran to the barracks with all his trappings, to the no small joy of the garrison and populace."

1 _Brown's house, which figures largely in the accounts, stood on the westerly side of Washington Street, a little south of Blackstone Square ; and was occupied by the British as an advanced post, when Majors Tupper and Crane, with a party of volunteers, attacked it, July 8, and, driving off the occupants, burned the build- ings. - ED.]

2 MS. notes of Hon. James T. Austin. |In March, 1860, workmen in digging for a drain opposite Williams Market laid bare a consider- able section of the foundations of the old de- fences. The plan of the Neck lines by Mifflin, and of the Peninsula, by Trumbull, which are shown in the accompanying heliotype, are de- scribed with other plans in the Introduction to the present volume. The views of the British lines on the Neck, looking out and in, given also in heliotype in this chapter, follow some engraved representations published to accom- pany a series of coast charts by DesBarres. - ED.]

8 Gage in his despatches was always blaming Graves, the admiral, who was at length removed before the end of the year. In King George's note to North, ordering the removal, he said he thought the admiral's removal as necessary as that of "the mild general," - his name for Gage.

Besten , the durisinding Countries + Posts the americas freef

COL. TRUMBULL'S PLAN. 1775.

10 Z

MIFFLIN'S PLAN OF THE BRITISH FORTIFICATIONS ON BOSTON NECK.

SIEGE OF BOSTON. 1775-76.

( Hier of the"funny levarde' Sophistic, taken from the advanced works on . Boston red.

" Front- Form of the Sun' taken from the advanced The mar Roxas to.

THE SIEGE OF BOSTON.

ever arrived. "The English channel is white with sheep which have been thrown overboard," says a contemporary account.

The narratives of the time show the exuberant enthusiasm of recruits, to whom war is a novelty. A party at Noddle's Island captured a barge be-

Boston the 1 of May 175. Jam Graves

longing to a man-of-war. They carried it to Cambridge in triumph; and on June 5 took it to Roxbury in a cart, with the sails up and three men in it. " It was marched round the meeting-house while the engineer fired the cannon for joy." On the next day Generals Thomas and Heath went to lay out a place at Dorchester Point, with a view to entrenchments.

Through these sixty days, between the battles of Lexington and Bunker Hill, there appear to have been occasional passages in and out of the town ; but care was in all cases taken that no military or other stores should pass. On May 25 Gage received large reinforcements. The Government also sent him three generals,-Howe, Clinton, and Burgoyne,1 who all came in the "Cerberus." The wags called them the three " bow-wows." Gage was now bet- ter fitted for aggressive movements. On June 12, he issued his celebrated proclamation, greatly ridiculed at the time, in which he offered pardon to all but Samuel Adams and John Hancock.

Stanton

Of course he saw the importance of securing Dorchester Heights and Charlestown, quite as distinctly as did the Patriot leaders. Burgoyne says that it was agreed that they should land at the Point and occupy Dor- chester Heights on Sun-

Burgoyne.

day, June 18. Before that time the American troops had more than once been called out by alarms in this direction. The provincial executive were apprised of this plan, and in consequence selected the night of June 16, to fortify Bunker

1 [There is a contemporary engraving of Burgoyne in the Political Magazine, December, 1780 .- ED.]

VOL. III. - 11.

THE MEMORIAL HISTORY OF BOSTON.

Hill on the northern side of the harbor. At their order General Ward sent a detachment from Cambridge, which reached Bunker Hill about ten at Nos Trescoll night. It consisted of Prescott's, Frye's, and Bridge's regiments, under Colonel Prescott,1 and a party of Connecticut men under Cap- tain Knowlton. It was a moonlight night, and clear. On the top of Bunker Hill they were only a mile from the Eng- - lish battery on Copp's Hill. Prescott called the field-officers together and showed them his orders. At that late moment they were in doubt whether to fortify the summit Rich Gridley where they were, or to proceed less than half a mile nearer Bos- ton to Breed's Farm, where the hill fell off suddenly toward the south, and where they could better annoy the English shipping, and more readily command the town. The consulta- tion took much time, but at last the bolder course was adopted, under pres- sure of Gridley,2 the engineer officer, who said he must work somewhere. The determination is now justified by the highest military authority.8 Had

I [Here is a token of preparation :-

" MAJOR BARBER, - Please to deliver to Cap- tain Densmore 350 rounds and 30 flints. " WM. PRESCOTT, COL !. L

" June 16, 1775."

The original is in Mellen Chamberlain's man- uscript collection. The tradition is that the lead pipes of Christ Church, Cambridge, were melted or pounded into slugs at this time. - ED.]

[The best account of Richard Gridley, of Louisburg fame, is contained in an oration by D. T. V. Huntoon delivered at Canton, Massachu- sctts, in 1877. He was the son of Richard Grid- ley, a brother of Jeremy Gridley (see Mr. Morse's

chapter on the "Bench and Bar " in Vol. IV.), and was born Jan. 3, 1710-11. Gridley played a distinguished part at Louisburg, and in the later campaigns against the French. He had removed from Boston to Canton about 1773 .- ED.]

3 [Various contemporary maps-of the battle are noted in the Introduction to this volume. The annexed plan indicates the position of the redoubt and the breastwork in relation to the present Monument Square and the monument, following a plan given by T. W. Davis in the Bunker Hill Monument Asso. Proc. 1875. - ED.]

Monument

Concord

St.

REQUEST

Monument

Bunker Hill

High

Lexington

Square.

THE SIEGE OF BOSTON.

the higher hill only been fortified, the English troops, to attack it, could have been formed without molestation under cover of the lower hill. Short- time shells, such as would now be dropped on such a party, were not then used.

Fairly at work on Breed's farm, Gridley laid out his redoubt skilfully. It measured eight rods on the longest side, which fronted Charlestown; the other sides were shorter. A breastwork ran about a hundred yards toward the north, to a marshy spot which was relied on as a sufficient check against troops. From midnight till eleven o'clock in the morning the men worked . steadily, and the intrenching-tools were then sent back to Putnam, who per- severed through the day in the true military policy of fortifying the upper summit also. Once and again through the night men went down to the water's edge, and could hear the " All's well" of the watch on the English vessels. It was after daybreak when Linzee, the commander of the " Falcon " which lay in the stream, opened his fire on it, and waked the sleeping town.1 Gridley returned Linzec's fire from his wretched field-pieces. Gage soon ordered Linzee to cease firing, and, having conferred with his associates, determined to attack the works before they should be strengthened.2 With a bold resolution,-of which there is more than one instance among British commanders in the beginning of wars, -Gage made the fatal de- cision, in spite of Clinton's remonstrance, to attack these works in front.3 With his naval force, by which he could have commanded Charlestown Neck, he could, perhaps, have cut off the American party without the loss of a man.

1 Captain Linzee was the grandfather of the wife of William H. Prescott the historian, who was the grandson of Colonel Prescott. The two swords worn by these two officers on that morning were bequeathed by Mr. Prescott to the Massachusetts Historical Society, and have long been peacefully crossed in its Library, as they were earlier in his. [They are represented in the frontispiece of this volume. See Tick- nor's Life of W. H. Prescott, and Dr. William l'rescott's Prescott Memorial, 1870. -- ED.]

2 [Colonel Prescott, observing Gage's dispo- sition, despatched Major John Brooks to head- quarters for reinforcements, and he reached General Ward about ten o'clock.

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There is a portrait of Governor Brooks, with a sketch of his life, in Drake's Cincinnati Society. See also N'. E Hist. and Geneal. Reg. July, 1865. ED.1

8 [Gage having overruled the decision of a majority of his council to attack in the rear, and

bound to hazard an attack in front, which he deemed more military and prudent, issued the order, a fac-simile of which may be found on the next page. This fac-simile follows the entry in an orderly book, preserved in the cabinet of the Mass. Historical Society, entitled Lieutenant and Adjutant Waller's orderly-book, commencing at Boston, the 22d May, and ending the twenty-sixth day of January, 1776; a folio parchment-bound MS. which really begins " Plymouth [England], March 25, 1775, on board the 'Betsy' transport," with "rules and directions to be observed on board the transport for Boston." Then follow "General Gage's and Major Pitcairn's orders, Boston Camp." A new section begins : " June 18 [1775]. Charles Town Hill, Gen' Howe's or- ders;" and the next day the following : "General orders, Head Quarters, Boston, June 19, 1775- The Commander-in-chief returns his most grate- ful thanks to Major Gen1. Iowe for the extraordi- nary exertion of his military abilities on the 17th inst. He returns his thanks also to Maj .- Gen. Clinton and Brig .- Gen. Pigot for the share they look in the success of the day ; as well as to Lieut .- Cols. Nisbet, Abercrombie, Gunning, and Clark ; Majors Butler, Williams, Bruce, Tupper, Spend- love, Smelt, and Mitchel ; and the rest of the officers and soldiers who, by remarkable ef-

THE MEMORIAL HISTORY OF BOSTON.

General Howe was entrusted with the enterprise. With two thousand men he crossed at noon to Moulton's Point, embraced within the present Navy Yard.1 As soon as the boats could cross a second time, General Pigot, his second in command, moved slowly to the left, throwing out strong flanking parties upon the redoubt. Up to this time his men had been under the cover of the bold hill at Moulton's Point. While Howe waited for his second party, he had reconnoitred the position so far as to

forts of courage and gallantry, overcame every doubt and strong-hold on the Heights of Charles disadvantage and drove the rebels from their re- Town and gained a complete victory." The same Cunt morning Groups . Juni 17: 10 (Pacho.

"The Companies of the 35 My Ong! that are Cluse , to Law as soon as the Framshorts Can get to the thang, aw to Incart-on the Ground , Marka out for Him on the Common , Captain Handfull is appointed to Get as an afitant to the Dehuty 2: mater General and is to be Stri as such, The Jen Blaut Companies of Grondin, and He In Dest Companies of Litt info Exclusive of the Regiments Patty Laws, the 5: +38 Rug to harde att hast 11 Clocks with their Army ammunition Bankely and the provisions Bound to be book' this morning, they will march by Fils to the Long thang He 52 Reg; 43? with the Remaining Combines of Gunading yte nyK to paran at the same time with the same Directions in march to the North- Batting the LT. i I Bratt; Manmuy will also In arch as above souches to The varme Batting after the tub aire Embark's , and be ready to Imbacks there a thon Ordin', the rest of the Troops will be kept in Text wife to March at an Moments Warning Web. 18y. stark.@wmt.cad 20 huiste to be lift by Back Costs for the Security of their Mitiative bouches of Any Man Who shall quit his Pants on any puternice, or shall Dare to flinous or fullage will be p Counts without Inevery

day a general order read: "A return of the killed, wounded, and missing of the different Corps in the late action of the 17th to be given in as soon as possible. The officers to be men- tioned nomanly [? nominally] in these returns." The orderly-books of Generals Gage and Howe are preserved among the Carleton papers in the Royal Institution in London ; and extracts from them, made in 1840, are in the Sparks MSS., vol. xlv. - ED.]

1 [The lower ship-house marks the beach where these troops left their boats. The rein- forcements landed in front of the present marine barracks. The "Falcon" ship of war covered the landing at the points; and the " Lively," of twenty guns and one hundred and thirty men, was anchored in front of the present Navy Yard, and covered the landings of the reinforcements. Many of the slain were buried within the dock- yard enclosure. - ED.[

SIEGE OF BOSTON, 1775-76.

THE SIEGE OF BOSTON.

see that it might be possible to move along the shore of the Mystic River, and thus attack the American entrenchiments on the rear. From the marshy point already spoken of, northward to the river, the only line of defence was what has long been ROPigot popularly called the " rail-fence," erected by Knowlton and his men, who had been sent out by Prescott to cover his left flank. They had protected themselves, in farmer fashion, by putting up a line of rail-fence parallel with one already standing, and packing the space between with new-mown hay. Howe's contempt for this unmilitary breastwork cost him dear in the end. So soon as he was reinforced he moved westward with his right wing along the river-side, while Pigot, with the left wing, attempted the breastwork and redoubt.

All along the American lines the order had been given which the officers remembered in the memoirs of Frederick's wars: "Wait till you can see the whites of their eyes."1 They were bidden, in the redoubt, to hold their fire till the English came within eight rods. Pigot's men advanced slowly, firing as they marched. Their shot passed over the heads of the Amer- icans. It must be remembered that most of the Englishmen were as new to battle as their enemies. Some eager soldiers in the American lines were disposed to reply ; but their officers even ran along the parapet and kicked up their guns. Prescott told those who could hear him, that the " red-coats" would never reach the redoubt if they would obey him. Sure enough, when the order to fire came, the issue was terrible. For a few minutes the fire was returned, but for only a few. Pigot was obliged to order a retreat. " He was staggered," says an English account at the time, " and retreated by orders." Some of his men ran even to the landing. Burgoyne's letter, written for publication,2 also says " he was staggered; " and reinforcements were sent to him.

Howe's fate with the right wing was similar; but probably his com- panies suffered more severely. They could not advance by any road, and were obliged to climb the rail-fences which parted the fields, or to break them down. Knowlton and Putnam were begging and commanding their men not to fire. A single shot, intended to draw the enemy's fire, obtained its end. Howe's companies fired like troops on parade, and fired too high. When the word was given to the Connecticut men, the well aimed shots from the rail-fence made terrible havoc; the English wavered, broke, and retreated. Many of the exultant American soldiers leaped over the fence to follow them, and had to be held back by their officers.

Prescott praised and encouraged his men. Putnam rode back to Charles- town Neck to urge on reinforcements. Men had been sent from Cam-

1 Prince Charles, when he cut through the Austrian army, in retiring from Jägendorf, gave this order to his infantry : "Silent, till you see the whites of their eyes." This was on May 22, 1745; and this order, so successful that day,

was remembered twelve years after at the battle of Prague, when the general Prussian order was, " By push of bayonets ; no firing till you see the whites of their eyes."

2 Addressed to Lord Stanley.

THE MEMORIAL HISTORY OF BOSTON.

June 17: 1775 Major Barber dit. Ihr Train bank 100 rounds of amunition

Major

Hard Colonel

bridge, who dared not cross the Neck, raked as it was by the fire of English vessels in the river.2 At Howe's command, meanwhile, Burgoyne, who was in the English battery on Copp's Hill,3 set fire to Charlestown with red-hot shot.4 Howe prob- ably supposed that the houses were cover for American soldiers. But, in fact, Prescott had few if any men to spare outside of his works.

Howe re-formed his broken lines after some pause ; sent to Boston for proper balls for his field-pieces ; 5 and, under the smoke and fire of

1 [This bit of writing represents, perhaps, the only relic like it of the battle-field. It was seemingly written hastily, with whatever might serve for a pen, on a slip of paper torn from the margin of a book, and was not long ago found among some loose papers at the State House. Joseph Ward was of Newton, was made an aid by General Heath on the day following Lexington, and at this time

Joseph Ward

was aid to General Ward; and so distinguished himself at Bunker Hill that when his conduet was subsequently reported to Wash- ington, he gave him a pair of pistols, which are now owned by Mr. D. Ward A portrait of him is in the possession of R. R. Bishop ; anci a miniature by Dunkelery, 1789, is owned by Mrs. Osgood of Cohasset. (Drake's Landmarks of Middlesex, p. 349.) He con- tinned to be General Ward's aid when this General commanded later in Boston, and his signatures to official documents, written under less exciting circumstances, indicate a good penman. Dr. Smith in his Hist. of Newton, p. 343, says that Ward was, in 1775, a master in one of the Boston schools, and, seeing the troops in motion on April 19, left the town for Newton, where he got a gun and hastened to Concord. On June 17 he "rode over Charles- town Neck, through a cross-fire of the enemy's batteries, to exe- cute an order for General Ward."- ED.]

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The memorial history of Boston : including Suffolk County, Massachusetts, 1630-1880, Vol. III, Part 13

Author: Jewett, Clarence F; Winsor, Justin, 1831-1897 Publication date: 1880-1881 Publisher: Boston : J.R. Osgood Number of Pages: 770

Author: Jewett, Clarence F; Winsor, Justin, 1831-1897
Publication date: 1880-1881
Publisher: Boston : J.R. Osgood
Number of Pages: 770