unconquerable longing to revisit their homes. Notwithstanding the great exertions of General Washington, no more than half the estimated number had been enlisted at the close of the year.

The people and the troops, supposing the army to be stronger than it was, expressed great dissatisfaction at the inactivity of the commander-in-chief, which some imputed to dishonourable motives. An attack upon Boston was loudly demanded. Washington three times proposed it to a council of war; but in every instance the decision was unanimous against it. At the last time, however, the council recommended that the town should be more closely invested. On the evening of the fourth of March, 1776, the attention of the enemy being diverted, by a brisk cannonade, to a different quarter, a party of troops, under the command of General Thomas, took possession, in silence, of Dorchester heights, and with almost incredible industry, erected before morning, a line of fortications which commanded the harbour and the town.

The view of these works, raised like an exhalation from the earth, excited the astonishment of General Howe, who, on the resignation of General Gage, had been appointed commander-in-chief. He saw that he must immediately dislodge the Americans or evacuate the town. The next day he ordered 3000 men to embark in boats, and proceeded, by way of Castle Island, to attack the works on the heights. A furious storm dispersed them; the fortifications, in the mean time, were

rendered too strong to be forced; and General Howe was compelled to seek safety in an immediate departure from Boston.

Of the determination of the enemy to evacuate the town, General Washington was soon apprized. The event being certain, he did not wish by an attack to hasten it, as the fortifications at New York, to which place he presumed they would repair, were not in sufficient forwardness to protect it. The embarkation was made on the 17th of March; a few days after the whole fleet set sail, and the American army hastened, by divisions, to New York.

The acquisition of this important town occa sioned great and general rejoicing. The thanks of congress were voted to General Washington and his troops, for their wise and spirited conduct, and a medal of gold was ordered to be struck in commemoration of the event. The British fleet, instead of conveying the troops to New York, steered for Halifax, having on board a large number of tories and their baggage.

CHAPTER XVII.

EXPEDITION AGAINST CANADA.

Ir has been already stated, that two expeditions were despatched against Canada. The command of that, which was to proceed by way of lake

Champlain, was given to General Schuyler of New York. The number of troops to be employed was fixed at three thousand, and they were to be drawn from New York and New England. Governor Carleton, gaining intelligence of the project, despatched about eight hundred men to strengthen the works at St. Johns, on the river Sorel, a position commanding the usual entrance into Canada.

Brigadier General Montgomery, a young officer of brilliant talents, and ambitious of glory, was ordered to proceed in advance, with the troops then in readiness, and attack this important position before it had been made too strong to be taken. When commencing his career, the glory and fate of Wolfe were present to his thoughts, and to his wife his parting words were, "You shall never blush for your Montgomery." General Schuyler soon followed, and on arriving at Isle Aux Noix, in the vicinity of the British works, he addressed a proclamation to the Canadians, exhorting them to join their brethren in the cause of freedom, and declaring that the American army came as friends of the inhabitants, and as enemies only of the British garrisons.

The fortification at St. Johns being found stronger than was anticipated, General Schuyler returned to Albany to hasten the departure of the remaining troops, artillery, and munitions of war. He was prevented, by a severe illness, from again joining the army, and the chief command devolved upon Montgomery. On receiving a reinforcement, he invested St. Johns: but being yet almost des

titute of battering cannon and of powder, he made no progress in the siege. And the soldiers, carrying with them into the field that attachment to liberty and equality which gave birth to the contest, displayed such utter aversion to discipline and subordination as increased, in a great degree, his difficulties and vexations.

Colonel Allen, the hero of Ticonderoga, had a command under Montgomery. Having been despatched, with Major Brown, into the interior of Canada, he was, on his return, persuaded by the latter to undertake the rash project of attacking Montreal. He divided his detachment, consisting of less than three hundred men, into two parties, intending to assail the city at opposite points. Major Brown was prevented from executing his part of the enterprise. Colonel Allen and his small party, opposed by the whole force of the enemy under Governor Carleton, fought with desperate valour. Many were killed; the survivors, overpowered by numbers, were compelled to surrender. The governor, viewing Allen, not as the intrepid soldier, but as a factious rebel, loaded him with irons and sent him to England for trial.

On the 18th of October, a fortunate event brightened the prospects of the Americans. Fort Chamblee, situated several miles north of St.Johns, was supposed to be beyond their reach, and was but slightly guarded. A detachment under Majors Brown and Livingston, attacking it unexpectedly, gained possession of it with little loss. Several pieces of cannon, and 120 barrels of pow

der, were the fruits of the victory. The Americans, encouraged by success, immediately, in defiance of the continual fire of the enemy, erected a battery near fort St. Johns, and made preparations for a severe cannonade, and an assault, if necessary.

At this juncture, Montgomery received intelligence of an action between Governor Carleton and a body of Green Mountain boys commanded by Colonel Warner. The former, elated by his victory over Allen, collected about eight hundred regulars, militia and Indians, with the view of raising the siege of St. Johns. In full confidence of success they left Montreal, embarked in boats, and proceeded towards the southern shore of the St. Lawrence. In the bushes at the water's edge, Colonel Warner, having received information of their purpose, concealed three hundred men, who, when the enemy approached the shore, poured upon them a fire so unexpected and destructive, that the flotilla returned, in confusion, to Montreal.

On the first of November, Montgomery commenced a heavy cannonade of the enemy's works, which was continued through the day. In the evening, he sent to the British commander, by one of Governor Carleton's men, who had been made prisoner by Colonel Warner, intelligence of the governor's defeat, and demanded the surrender of the fort; it was accordingly surrendered, and the next morning entered by the American troops.

Montgomery hastened to Montreal, and, at the same time, despatched down the Sorel, the mouth of which is below that city, a naval force