were raised; a considerable army was soon collected in the vicinity of Boston; a large body of troops arrived from Connecticut, under colonel (afterwards general) Putnam; and expeditions were sent to Ticonderoga and Crown Point, which secured those important posts 24. The provincial congress of Massachusetts, which was in session at the time of the affair at Lexington, despatched an account of the transaction to England, with depositions to prove that the British troops were the aggressors. They declared their loyalty to the crown, but protested that they would not submit to the tyranny of the British ministry. Appealing to heaven for the justice of our cause," they added, we determine to die or be free." 25. The second continental or general congress met at Philadelphia in May, and the appellation of the United Colonies was assumed. The congress recommended the observ ance of a day of humiliation, to implore the blessings of heaven on their sovereign, the king of Great Britain, and the interposition of divine aid to remove their grievances, and restore harmony between the parent state and the colonies, on constitutional terms. 26. Towards the end of May, considerable reinforcements of British troops arrived at Boston, together with generals Howe, Burgoyne, and Clinton, officers who had acquired a high reputation in the preceding war between England and France. Martial law was proclaimed; but a show of reconciliation was still held out by the offer of general Gage, in the king's name, of pardon to all such as should return to their allegiance, with the exception of two of the most active patriots in Massachusetts, John Hancock and Samuel Adams; the former of whom was chosen president of the general congress then in session. 27. It was determined by the Americans to annoy, and, if possible, to dislodge, the British forces in Boston; and for this purpose, a detachment of 1000 men, under the command of colonel Prescott, was ordered, on the 16th of June, to throw up a breast-work on Bunker Hill, in Charlestown. They prosecuted the design so silently and expeditiously, that they had nearly completed the redoubt by the return of daylight, without being discovered. Soon after the dawn, the British began to cannonade the works from their ships; and in the morning, the Americans received a reinforcement of 500 men. 28. About noon (17th of June), general Howe, at the head of 3,000 men, advanced to make an attack upon the works. The fire of the Americans was dreadful, insomuch that the whole British line recoiled, and was thrown into great disorder; but from the failure of ammunition, the Americans were obliged to retreat. The loss of the English amounted to 1,054 in killed and wounded; that of the Americans, to 453; and among their killed was the lamented major-general Warren, who hastened to the field of battle as a volunteer. While the British troops were advancing, orders were given to set fire to Charlestown; and the whole town, consisting of about 400 houses, was laid in ashes. This barbarous act, which was of no advantage to the enemy, served still further to exasperate the Americans. 29. Congress resolved on measures of defence; drew up a second petition to the king, and addresses to the people of Great Britain and of Canada, setting forth their reasons for taking up arms; and organized a continental army. It was a point of immense importance to select a suitable man for commander-in-chief. Fortunately, their choice fell upon George Washington, a member of their body from Virginia, who, in the late French war, had distinguished himself by his courage and talents. He received from nature a mind of extraordinary capacity; and was endowed with an uncommon degree of perseverance, prudence, and bravery; while the soundness of his judgment, the elevation of his character, and the purity of his motives, were calculated to inspire the highest confidence. He entered immediately upon the duties of his office; and on the 2d of July, he arrived at Cambridge, where he established his head-quarters. 30. In pursuance of a plan of guarding the frontiers by taking Canada, an expedition was sent against that province, under the command of generals Schuyler and Montgomery, but the former returning, to hold a treaty with the Indians, was prevented by sickness from again joining the army, and the chief command devolved upon the latter. Having taken Fort Chamblee and St. John's, he advanced to Montreal, which surrendered without resistance; thence he proceeded rapidly to Quebec. 31. Colonel Arnold, with about 1000 men, had been sent from Cambridge to penetrate to that city, by way of the Kennebec and the wilderness. After a march, in which he and his troops were exposed to almost incredible sufferings, he joined Montgomery before Quebec, in November. They made a desperate attempt to carry the city by assault, in which, after displaying the highest intrepidity, they were repulsed, with a loss of upwards of 400 killed and wounded, and general Mont gomery was slain. Early in the next season, the Americans entirely evacuated Canada. 32. While hostilities were thus carried on in the north, the inhabitants of Virginia, who had, from the commencement of the controversy, been in the foremost rank of opposition, were engaged in a contest with the royal governor, Lord Dunmore, whose intemperate measures advanced the cause which he attempted to overthrow. In the end, he was forced to take refuge with his family on board a man-of-war. For some time, he carried on a predatory warfare against the colonies, by landing detachments of troops from the ships, and laid the flourishing town of Norfolk in ashes; but he was finally driven from the coast. 33. In like manner the royal governors of North and South Carolina were expelled by the people; and before the end of the year 1775, all the old governments of the colonies were dissolved. Many adherents to Great Britain (styled Tories), however, remained in the country; and in some of the colonies they were numerous and powerful: part of them, being men of principle, remained quiet; others were active in their hostility, and contributed to weaken the opposition to the British arms. In October, general Gage embarked for England, and the chief command of the British forces devolved upon general Sir William Howe. 34.-(1776.)-The American army investing Boston, amounted to about 15,000 men; but it was, in a great measure, destitute of good arms, ammunition, clothing, and experienced officers; and for want of powder, and for other reasons, was rendered inactive, during the summer and autumn of 1775. In the latter part of the winter, general Washington resolved to expel the British from Boston: in order to divert their attention, a severe cannonade was commenced upon them by the Americans, on the 2d of March; and on the night of the 4th, a battery was erected, with surprising despatch, on Dorchester Heights, which was near enough for annoying them. 35. General Howe prepared to attack the works, but a storm prevented him, till they were rendered so strong, that it was deemed inexpedient. The only alternative now was to evacuate the town; which having been done, general Washington, on the 17th of March, entered triumphantly into Boston, where he was joyfully received as a deliverer, by the oppressed inhabitants. 36. The news of the battle of Bunker Hill excited astonishmeat in England. The partisans of the ministry had been accustomed to speak of the American troops in terms of the utmost contempt; but it now appeared that they were engaged in a sanguinary contest of doubtful issue; and Lord Chatham, Burke, and Fox, endeavored, but without success, to produce a change in the measures of government. The ministry determined to employ a powerful force to reduce the colonies, and obtained an act of parliament, authorizing them to take into pay 16,000 mercenaries, the troops of the Landgrave of Hesse and the Duke of Brunswick. All trade and intercourse with the colonies were prohibited; and their property on the high seas was declared to be forfeited to those who should capture it. The whole force now destined against America, amounted to about 50,000 men. 37. The controversy had hitherto been, not for independence, but for constitutional liberty. But the hostile measures of the British government produced a strong sensation in the colonies, and they soon began to think seriously of dissolving entirely their allegiance to the mother country. A great and sudden change now took place in the public mind, which was, in part, brought about by a series of papers written by Thomas Paine, and published under the signature of Common Sense, the design of which was to prove the expediency and necessity of a declaration of independence. On the 7th of June, a motion was made, in congress, by Richard Henry Lee, of Virginia, for declaring the colonies free and independent. A committee, consisting of Jefferson, Adams, Franklin, Sherman, and Livingston, was appointed to prepare a Declaration of Independence; and after a full discussion, the question was carried by a vote nearly unanimous, on the memorable 4th of July, 1776. 38. The Declaration thus concludes: "We, therefore, the representatives of the United States of America, in general congress assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the name and by the authority of the good people of these colonies, solemnly publish and declare, that these united colonies are, and of right ought to be, Free and Independent States; that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British crown, and that all political connection between them and the state of Great Britain, is, and ought to be, totally dissolved; and that, as free and independent states, they have full power to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce, and to do all other acts and things which independent states ought to do. And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.” SECTION IV. Revolutionary War continued;-Battles of Brooklyn, White Plains, Trenton, Princeton, Bennington, Brandywine, Germantown, Stillwater; Surrender at Saratoga; Battles of Monmouth, Rhode Island, Camden, Cow-Pens, Guilford, Eutaw Springs; Surrender at Yorktown ;-Independence acknowledged.-From A. D. 1776 to 1783. 1. On the 28th of July, an attack was made by Sir Peter Parker, with a naval force, on the fort on Sullivan's Island, with a design to reduce Charleston, in South Carolina. The fire was returned with great effect from the fort, which was commanded by colonel Moultrie, and the British were compelled to retreat with much damage to their ships, and with a loss of upwards of 200 men in killed and wounded. 2. Sir William Howe, after having evacuated Boston, sailed with his army to Halifax. General Washington, believing that the occupation of the important and central position of New York would be a favorite object with the British, soon removed to that city, with the principal part of his army. In June, general Howe arrived off Sandy Hook, and was soon joined by his brother, Admiral Lord Howe, with a great naval armament. The British troops on board amounted to nearly 30,000; to these general Washington could oppose only about 17,000 men, most of them without experience or discipline, and many of them weakened by sickness. 3. Lord Howe and Sir William, being both of them commissioned to settle all difficulties with the colonies, before the commencement of hostilities, the former sent a letter to general Washington, offering terms of accommodation; but the letter being addressed to George Washington, Esq., the commander declined receiving it, or any writing, unless directed to him in his proper character. A second letter was sent by general Howe, directed to George Washington, &c. &c. &c.; but the indignity was repelled. From some conversation, however, which took place, it appeared that Great Britain still held to all her lofty pretensions, merely offering pardon for the past, by way of concession. But Washington observed that |