USA > New York > The natural, statistical, and civil history of the state of New-York, v. 3 > Part 10
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They published an address to the American people, which is replete with serious and contemplative argument .. In this paper
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the several causes which had led to the existing state of things were set out at large, in order to convince them that their liber- ties would be destroyed, and the security of their property and persons annihilated by submission to the pretensions of Great Britain. They stated the measures that had been adopted, and after having declared their confidence, that the mode of resistance which had been recommended, would prove effica- cious if persisted in, they concluded with saying, " your own salvation, and that of your posterity, now depends upon your- selves. You have already shown that you entertain a proper sense of the blessings you are striving to retain. Against the temporary inconveniences you may suffer from a stoppage of trade, you will weigh in the opposite balance, the endless mise- ries you and your descendants must endure from an established arbitrary power. You will not forget the honour of your coun- try, that must, from your behaviour, take its title in the estima- tion of the world, to glory or to shame ; and you will, with the deepest attention, reflect, that if the peaceable mode of opposi- tion, recommended by us, be broken and rendered ineffectual, as your cruel and haughty ministerial enemies, from a contemp- tuous opinion of your firmness, insolently predict will be the case, you must inevitably be reduced to choose, either a more dangerous contest, or a final, ruinous and infamous submis- sion.
" Motives thus cogent, arising from the emergency of your unhappy condition, must excite your utmost diligence and zcal to give all possible strength and energy to the pacific measures calculated for your relief. But we think ourselves bound in duty to observe to you, that the schemes agitated against the colonies have been so conducted, as to render it prudent that you should extend your views to- mournful events, and be in all respects prepared for every contingency. Above all things, we earnestly entreat you, with devotion of spirit, penitence of heart, and amendment of life, to humble yourselves, and implore the favour of Almighty God; and we fervently be- seech His divine goodness to take you into his gracious proter- tion."
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This address was also drawn by John Jay, Esquire, and Messrs. Livingston and Lee. 1
Letters were addressed to the people of Canada, and to the colonies of Georgia, Nova Scotia, St. Johns, &c. inviting then to unite with their brethren in the common cause of British America. .
Having finished the business before them, and recommended that another Congress should be held at Philadelphia, on the tenth day of May, 1775, they dissolved.
' The proceedings of Congress were read throughout America with enthusiastic admiration.
The people in general made great efforts to arm and disci- pline themselves. Independent companies were every where formed, and the whole face of the country exhibited the appear- ance of an approaching war.
Soon after the entrance of General Gage into his govern- ment, two regiments of foot, with a detachment of artillery and cannon, arrived at Boston, and encamped within the pe- ninsula. They were gradually reinforced by several regiments from Ireland, and from different parts of the continent. The dissatisfaction was increased by placing a guard on Boston neck.
A report was spread, that a regiment stationed on the neck had cut off the communication of the town with the country, in order to starve it into submission. On hearing this, the inha- bitants of the adjacent county of Worcester assembled in arms, and dispatched two messengers to inquire into the fact. 1
With the laws relative to the province, Governor Gage re- ceived a list of thirty-two new counsellors, twenty-four of whom, a sufficient number to carry on the business of the government, accepted the office, and entered on its duties.
All those who accepted offices under the new system were denounced. The new judges were every where prevented from acting.
In the present state of the public affairs, General Gage deem- · ed it necessary, for the security of his troops, to fortify Boston neck.
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The time for the general muster of the militia approached ; and the governor, feeling apprehensive of an attack, seized upon the ammunition and stores which were in the provincial arsenal at Cambridge, and had them removed to Boston. He also seized upon the powder in the magazines at Charlestown and some other places. !
This measure excited a great ferment. The people assem- bled in great numbers, and were with difficulty dissuaded from marching to Boston, and demanding a re-delivery. Not long afterwards the fort at Portsmouth in New Hampshire was taken by a body of Provincials, and the powder it contained transported to a place of safety. A similar measure was adopt- ed in Rhode Island.
About the same time, a report reached Connecticut, that the ships and troops had attacked the town of Boston. Several thousand men immediately assembled in arms, and commenced · their march for Boston.
General Gage had, before the general ferment had risen to its present height, issued writs for the election of members to a general assembly, to meet in October. He had afterwards countermanded these writs, but his countermand was not at- tended to. The elections were held, and delegates were elect- ed. These assembled, and voted themselves a provincial con- gress, and proceeded to business. They drew up a plan for the defence of the province, provided magazines, ammunition, and stores for twelve thousand militia, and enrolled a number of minute-men.
In Great Britain a new Parliament was assembled, and the King, in his speech, informed then, " that a most daring spirit of resistance and disobedience still prevailed in Massachusetts, and had broken forth in fresh violences of a very criminal na- ture, &c.
The addresses proposed re-echoed the sentiments of the speech, and the amendments offered, were rejected in both houses by very large majorities. Yet the business respecting America was not promptly entered into. The friends of conciliation wailed themselves of this delay, to bring forward propositions VOL. II.
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which might restore harmony to the different parts of the eu- pire.
1775 .- Lord Chatham, taking into view the future course of events, demonstrated to the house the impossibility of subju- gating America, and urged the immediate removal of the troops from Boston. He also brought forward a bill for set- tling the troubles in America, but it was rejected.
The next day after its rejection, Lord North moved, in the house of commons, an address to his Majesty, in which it was declared, that they find that a rebellion actually exists in the province of Massachusetts. In the course of the debate, a General Grant declared, that at the head of five regiments he would undertake to traverse the whole country, and drive the inhabitants from one end of the continent to the other. The address was carried.
Lord North soon after moved a bill for restraining the com- merce of the New England provinces, and prohibiting them from carrying on the fisheries on the banks of Newfoundland.
While this bill was pending, and only vengeance was breath- ed by the supporters of the present system, his lordship, to the astonishiment of the house, suddenly moved, what he termed, his conciliatory proposition. Its amount was, that Parliament i would forbear to tax any colony which would tax itself in such a sum as would be satisfactory. The house, however, would not pass it, before the administration gave it such an explanation as to satisfy the house, that it was in maintenance of their right to tax the colonies. It, however, on reaching America, met with no better success than the other odious and oppressive laws already passed.
After the passage of the bill for restraining the trade of New England, information was received, that the inhabitants of the middle and southern colonies were supporting their northern brethren in every measure of opposition. In consequence of this intelligence, a second bill was brought in for im- posing similar restrictions on the colonies of New-Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, South Carolina, and De- laware.
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In the course of the session the house of commons refused to hear a petition offered by Mr. Burke, from the assembly of New-York, because it was suggested by the minister, that it contained claims incompatible with the supremacy of Parlia- ment. This haughty rejection tended to convince the people of New-York, that there was no medium between resistance and absolute submission.
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See Williams' History of Vermont, Colonial Laws, Marshall's Life of Wash- ington, &c.
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CHAPTER IV.
The delegates of the continental Congress convene in the city of New-York-General Gage detaches Colonel Smith with troops to destroy the stores at Concord-Battle of Lexington -Troops levied in Massachusetts-Ticonderoga and Crout Point taken-Congress publish a manifesto-General Houc arrives with troops at Boston-Battle of Bunker's Hill- Washington appointed to the chief command of the American armics-He repairs to the army near Boston-The Americans · invest Boston-Proceedings in New-York-The British com- pelled to leave Boston-The Americans invade Canada, and reduce St. Johns and Montreal-Montgomery marches upon Quebec-Arnold proceeds through the wilderness, by the rivers Kennebeck and Chaudier, and joins Montgomery before Que- bec-Investment of Quebec- Death of Montgomery, and re- pulse of the Americans in attempting to storm Quebec.
IN the mean time, delegates for the ensuing Congress were chosen. In New- York a convention was chosen for the sole purpose of electing members to represent that colony in Con- gress.
In New England an expectation of hostilities was daily anti- cipated, but the people had determined to repel, not to com- mence.
A quantity of military stores had been collected at, Concord, eighteen miles from Boston ; on the evening of the eighteenth of April, 1775, General Gage detached Colonel Smith and Major Pitcairn, with nine hundred men, to destroy them. About five in the morning of the nineteenth they reached Lex- ington, where they found seventy militia men, belonging to that town, drawn up on the parade and under arms.
Major Pitcairn, who led the van, galloped up, calling out. " disperse, rebels-throw down your arms, and disperse."
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The soldiers, at the same time, ran up buzzaing, several guns were fired first, which were immediately followed by a gene- ral discharge, and the firing was continued as long as any of the militia appeared. Eight men were killed and several Bounded.
Colonel Smith then proceeded to Concord, while the detach- ment were employed in destroying the stores ; some minute- meu and militia, who had assembled, approached a bridge, as if to pass it in the character of travellers. They were fired on, and two killed. The fire was returned, and a skirmish ensued, in which Colonel Smith was worsted and compelled to retreat, with some loss. The country was now generally alarmed, and the people rushed from every quarter to the scene of action. The King's troops were attacked on all sides. Skirmish after skirmish ensued, and they were driven from post to post, into Lexington. General Gage, apprehending the expedition to be not entirely without hazard, dispatched Lord Percy, with six- teen companies of foot, a corps of marines, and two pieces of cannon, to support Colonel Smith. This seasonable reinforce- ment reached Lexington about the time of the arrival of the retreating party, otherwise the whole would have been destroy- cd. The action abated until the enemy resumed their retreat, when it was again renewed, and an irregular but very galling fire was kept on the flanks front and rear, from stone fences, until the enemy arrived, about sunset, on the common of Charlestown. .
In this action the loss of the British in killed, wounded, and prisoners, was two hundred and seventy-three men, while that of the Provincials did not exceed ninety. This was the com- mencement of a long and bloody war.
The provincial congress, immediately on the news of this battle, passed a vote for raising thirteen thousand six hundred men in Massachusetts, to be commanded by General Ward, and for calling on New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Con- .necticut, for their respective quotas of troops, so as to complete an army of thirty thousand men.
The neighbouring colonies hastened to furnish the ruribe:
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of men required ; and in the mean time, such numbers volun- tarily assembled, that many were dismissed for want of arms, &c. The King's troops were now blocked up in the peninsula of Boston.
On receiving intelligence of the battle of Lexington, the people of the colony of New-York took up arms, but there was considerable opposition at first from the royal party.
About the same time, that active spirit, which at the com- mencement of hostilities, seemed in so remarkable a degree to have pervaded New England, manifested itself in an expedition of considerable merit.
The possession of Ticonderoga and Crown Point, and the command of lakes Champlain and George, were deemed ob- jects of great importance. Deane, Wooster and Parsons form- ed the bold design of seizing these fortresses by surprise. They, therefore, left Connecticut with about forty men, and proceeded towards Bennington, where, meeting with Colonel Ethan Allen, they proposed to him to raise the men which would be required to aid them in its execution.
Colonel Allen entered into their views, and engaged to meet them with the requisite number of men at Castleton in Vermont, whither they were to repair. At this place about two hundred and seventy men assembled, who were joined by Colonel Ar- nold. This officer had come with the same intent, and was authorized by the committee of safety of Massachusetts to raise four hundred men.
Colonels Allen and Arnold proceeded from thence to Lake Champlain, opposite Ticonderoga, in the night of May ninth. They embarked with eighty-three men, crossed the lake, landed without being discovered, and entered the fort, which they took by surprise. The garrison consisted of forty-four men, one lieutenant, and one captain.
Colonel Seth Warner was then detached to take Crown Point, where a sergeant and twelve men were stationed. This service was immediately executed.
The military stores found at these places were of considera- . ble "value to the Americans. The pass at Skeensborough
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(White Hall) was seized at the same time by a party of volun- teers from Connecticut. 1
To complete the expedition, it was necessary to obtain the command of Lake Champlain, which could only be effected by taking a sloop of war at St. Johns. Arnold, to effect this, manned a schooner, and sailed to St. Johns, and surprised the sloop.
Thus, a few individuals, without the loss of a man, captured Ticonderoga and Crown Point.
The intelligence of the capture of these forts was commu- nicated to Congress, then just assembled in Philadelphia.
Congress, among other things, proceeded to organize the higher departments of the army. Bills of credit, to the amount of three millions of dollars, were emitted for the purpose of de- fraying the expenses of the war, and the twelve confederated colonies were pledged for their redemption.
Articles of war, for the government of the continental army were formed, though as yet, the troops were raised under the authority of the states, without even a requisition from Con- gress, except in a few instances.
A declaration, in the form of a manifesto, was published to the army, in orders, and to the people from the pulpit. After detailing the causes of their opposition to the mother country, with energy, the manifesto exclaims, " but why should we enu- merate our injuries in detail ? by one statute it is declared that Parliament can of right make laws to bind us in all cases what- soever. What is to defend us against so enormous, so unlimit- ed a power ? not a single man of those who assume it is chosen by us, or is subject to our control or influence ; but on the con- trary, they are, all of them, exempt from the operation of such laws, and an American revenue, if not diverted from the ostensi- Lle purposes for which it is raised, would actually lighten their own burdens in proportion as they increase ours. We saw the misery to which such despotism would reduce us. We have, for ten years, incessantly and ineffectually besieged the throne as suppliants ; we reasoned, we remonstrated with Parliament, in the mildest and most decent language.
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" We are reduced to the alternative of choosing an uncondi. tional submission to the tyranny of irritated ministers, or resis. tance by force-the latter is our choice -- we have counted the cost of this contest, and find nothing so dreadful as voluntary slavery. Honour, justice and humanity forbid us tamely to surrender that freedom we received from our gallant ancestors. and which our innocent posterity have a right to receive from us. We cannot endure the infamy and guilt of resigning suc- ceeding generations to that wretchedness which inevitably awaits them, if we basely entail hereditary bondage upon them.
" Our cause is just-our union is perfect-our internal resour- ces are great, and if necessary, foreign assistance is undoubt- edly attainable-we gratefully acknowledge, as signal instances of the Divine favour towards us, that his Providence would not. permit us to be called into this severe controversy, until we were grown up to our present strength, had been previously ex- ercised in warlike operation, and possessed of the means of de- fending ourselves. With hearts fortified with these animating reflections, we most solemnly, before God and the world, de- clare, that exerting the utmost energy of those powers, which our beneficent Creator hath most graciously bestowed on us, the arms we have been compelled, by our enemies to assume, we will in defiance of every hazard, with unabating firmness . and perseverance, employ for the preservation of our liberties, being with one mind, resolved to die frecmen, rather than to live slaves.
" Lest this declaration should disquiet the minds of our friends and fellow-subjects, in any part of the empire, we as- sure them that we mean not to dissolve that union which has so long and so happily subsisted between us, and which we sincere- ly wish to see restored. Necessity has not yet driven us into that desperate measure, or induced us to excite any other nation to war against them. We have not raised armies with ambi- tious designs of separating from Great Britain, and establish- ing independent states. We fight not for glory or for conquest. We exhibit to mankind the remarkable spectacle of a people
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attacked by unprovoked enemies without any imputation, or even suspicion of offence. They boast of their privileges and civilization, and yet proffer no milder conditions than servitude or death.
" In our own native land, in defence of the freedom, that is our birth-right, and which we ever enjoyed until the late viola- tion of it-for the protection of our property, acquired solely by the honest industry of our forefathers and ourselves, against violence actually offered, we have taken up arms. We shall lay them down when hostilities shall cease on the part of the aggressors, and all danger of their being renewed shall be removed, and not before."
During these transactions, Generals Howe, Burgoyne and Clinton, with a reinforcement of troops, arrived at Boston ; soon after which General Gage published a proclamation, de- claring martial law to be in force, and offering pardon to those who would lay down their arms and submit to the King, with the exception of Samuel Adams and John Hancock.
This proclamation served only to increase the activity of the Americans.
The provincial congress recommended the occupation of Bunker's Hill, which commands Charlestown. In pursuance of this, one thousand men were detached under Colonel Pres- cot to take possession, but by some mistake, Breed's Hill, situ- ated next to Boston, was marked out instead of Bunker's Hill.
Colonel Prescot proceeded by night to Breed's Hill, and commenced works of defence. As soon as light had discover- ed them to the enemy, a heavy cannonade was opened from the ships in the river near by. The Provincials, however, continu- ed their labour.
As this eminence overlooks Boston, General Gage deemed it necessary to drive them from it. To effect this object, he sent Major-general Howe, and Brigadier-general Pigot, with twen- ty companies of infantry and grenadiers, and some companies of artillery. They debarked the troops at Morton's Point, where they formed ; but perceiving that the Americans wait- ed for them, they remained on the ground until a reinforcement, 17)2. 11F.
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which General Howe had applied for, arrived. During this in- terval the American Generals Warren and Pommeroy arrived with a reinforcement.
On being joined by the reinforcement, General Howe ad. vanced slowly, under cover of a very heavy discharge of can- non from the ships. While he was advancing he gave orders to burn Charlestown. In a few minutes the whole village, con- taining about five hundred houses, was enveloped in flames.
The scene of action was in full view of the heights of Bos- ton and of its vicinity.
The Americans allowed the enemy to approach within one hundred yards of their works, when they poured upon them so deadly a fire that the British line was totally broken, and fell back with precipitation towards the landing place. Here they were rallied and brought up to a second charge, but were again driven back. General Howe formed them, and with great dif- ficulty, led them a third time up to the works. The ammuni- tion of the Americans being now nearly expended, their fire began to slacken, and the enemy, availing themselves of this circumstance, entered with fixed bayonets and carried them. The Americans immediately retreated over Charlestown neck, and took a new position.
In this affair, the force employed by the British general, amounted to three thousand men. Their killed and wounded exceeded ten hundred and fifty men, while the loss of the Ame- ricans was only four hundred and fifty. In this action, Gen- cral Warren, the commander of the Americans, was killed.
The colonial force, engaged in this action, was stated through the country at fifteen hundred ; by some, it has been supposed to have amounted to four thousand. 1
Although the ground was lost, the Americans claimed the victory.
The enemy, in consequence of the great loss sustained in . the battle, did not attempt further offensive operations, but contended themselves with seizing and fortifying Bunker's Hill, which secured to them the peninsula of Charlestown. Here' they were as closely blockaded as they were in Boston,
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On the fifteenth day of June, 1775, the American Congress appointed George Washington, Esq., then a delegate and member of that body, general and commander-jn-chief of the armies of the United Colonies. They also, at the same time, appointed Artemas Ward, of Massachusetts, who commanded the forces before Boston ; Colonel Lee, Philip Schuyler of New-York, and Israel Putnam of Connecticut, Major-generals, and Horatio Gates, Adjutant-general.
General Washington prepared, without delay, to enter upon the dutes of his station, and having passed a few days in New- York, where General Schuyler commanded, and where several important arrangments were to be made, he proceeded to Cam- bridge, the head quarters of the American army.
The first moments after his arrival in camp, were employed in reconnoitering the enemy, and examining the strength and situation of the American forces.
The main body of the British army, under the command of General Howe, was intrenching itself on Bunker's Hill, about a mile from Charlestown, and about half a mile in ad- vance of the works which had been thrown up by the Ameri- cans on Breed's Hill. Three floating batteries lay in Mystic river, near the camp, and a twenty gun-ship below the ferry, between Boston and Charlestown. There was, also, on the Boston side of the water, on Cope's Hill, a strong battery. The other division of the British army was deeply intrenched on Roxbury neck. These two divisions secured the only ave- nues leading from the country into the two peninsulas of Bos- ton and Charlestown.
The American army lay on both sides of Charles river. Its right occupied the high grounds about Roxbury, from whence it extended towards Dorchester, and its left was covered by Mystic or Medford river.
Intrenchments were raised on Winter and Prospect Hills. A strong intrenchment was also made at Sewel's Farm.
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