this resolve they were animated by the sympathy and charities of their neighbors. Provisions were sent in from the towns in the vicinity; and the people of Marblehead generously offered the merchants of Boston the use of their harbor, wharves and warehouses, with their personal assistance in unlading their goods, free of all expense. The flame of patriotism was kept alive by letters and addresses from town meetings and conventions in various parts of the country, and the spirit of resistance against British encroachments waxed stronger than ever.

Meantime, General Gage, the commander-in-chief of the British forces in North America, had been appointed governor of Massachusetts, and arrived at Boston, with a reinforcement of troops, on the 13th of May, 1774. His first proceeding was to involve himself in an altercation with the legislative body, and his next to dissolve them. The committee of correspondence at Boston drew up a declaration, which they entitled a solemn league and covenant, wherein the subscribers bound themselves, in the most solemn manner, to suspend all commercial intercourse with Great Britain, from the last day of the ensuing month of August, until the Boston port bill and other unpopular laws were repealed, and the colony of Massachusetts fully restored to all its rights. They also bound themselves not to consume or purchase any goods whatsoever which arrived after the specified time.

This covenant, accompanied with a letter from the committee at Boston, was widely circulated, and the people not only in New England, but in the other provinces, entered into this new league with the greatest zeal. What was somewhat remarkable is, that similar agreements had been entered into about the same time in various parts of the continent, and without any previous concert with one another. The title of a solemn league and covenant greatly alarmed General Gage and the friends of the ministry in all parts of the British dominions; its name and tendency were ominous. It brought to the remembrance of the king and ministers the times when the people of England and Scotland entered into a solemn league and covenant for the defence of their legal rights, -a proceeding which had always been remembered by men of arbitrary principles with horror. Gage issued a proclamation on the 29th of June, which showed how much he was alarmed. He styled the league an unlawful, hostile and treacherous combination, destructive of the lawful authority of the British parliament, and of the peace, good order and safety of the community. All persons were warned against incurring the penalties due to such aggravated and dangerous offences; and all magistrates were

MILITARY PREPARATIONS OF THE COLONISTS.

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charged to apprehend and secure for trial such as should have any share in it.

Meantime, the southern colonies began also to arm and train their militia. As soon as advice was received of a proclamation issued in England to prevent the exportation of arms and ammu. nition to America, measures were taken to procure these articles. For this purpose powder-mills were erected in various quarters. Encouragement was given in all the colonies to the manufacture of arms of every sort. Great difficulties attended these first essays; and the supply of powder, both from home manufacture and from importation, was for a long time scanty and precarious. But such was the resolution and zeal of the colonists, that they ardently persisted in their undertakings, and success ultimately followed their endeavors. Gage now issued another proclamation against the provincial congress of Massachusetts, which had just convened; but it did not produce the smallest effect upon that assembly, nor in the conduct of the people, who paid an implicit obedience to its determinations.

From the natural advantages of its situation and the works thrown up on the neck, Boston had already become a strong-hold. It was also, at the pleasure of the governor, capable of being made a secure prison for the inhabitants, who would thereby become hostages for the province at large. The Bostonians saw the danger, and several schemes were projected to avert it. One of the boldest of these was to burn the town and retire into the country; but neither this daring enterprise, nor any other decisive proceeding, was ultimately determined on. At Rhode Island, the people seized and carried away all the ordnance belonging to the crown in that colony. The assembly of the province also passed resolutions for the procuring of arms and military stores, and for training and arming the inhabitants. The province of New Hampshire, which had hitherto shown a moderate temper, and had behaved with more respect to the British government than the other provinces of New England, as soon as they heard of the resolutions of Rhode Island, and received a copy of the royal proclamation, pursued the same plan. A body of men assembled in arms, and marched to the attack of Fort William and Mary, at Portsmouth, remarkable only for being the object of the first military operation in New Hampshire. This fort was taken December 13th, and supplied them with a quantity of powder. No other act of hostility or violence happened during the winter of 1774; but a firm determination of resistance was universally spread, and increased every day. The arrival of the king's speech and the

addresses of the new parliament added to the flame that was already kindled.

The king's speech, in the opinion of the colonists, cut off all hopes of reconciliation, and made them strain every nerve to provide against the storm they saw gathering against them. It is very remarkable that all the public acts and declarations, which, in England, were recommended as the means of pacifying the colonists, by intimidating them, constantly operated in a different manner. The secretary of state for the American department issued a circular letter forbidding, in the king's name, the election of deputies for the ensuing general congress. In spite of this, the elections took place, unobstructed, throughout the country.

CHAPTER LVII.

Delusion of the British ministry.-The Americans declared rebels.-Battle of Lexington.-Siege of Boston.-Battle of Bunker Hill.--Proceedings of Congress.-Washington appointed commander-in-chief-Treachery of Gage towards the Bostonians.-Capture of Ticonderoga and Crown Point by the provincials.-Lord Dunmore abandons the government of Virginia.

THE year 1775, an epoch forever memorable in American history, had now arrived. The British government showed no disposition to relax its coercive measures. The colonists exhibited no symptoms of a submissive spirit, and it was evident that a hostile collision must soon take place. What added to the infatuation of the British ministry was the belief, then prevalent in that country, that the Americans were cowards, and would never dare to oppose the British arms in case of extremities. This notion had been encouraged by the rhodomontade of many of the officers of the royal army who had served in America, and who

had not the penetration to discover, under the homely manners of the American yeomanry, any signs of military spirit. Under this delusion, it was confidently believed in England, that an army of five thousand men could march through the country from one

end to the other. Matters were therefore carried, in the cabinet and parliament, with a high hand and an arrogant tone. At the close of the past year, the king had delivered an address to parliament, full of the most bitter denunciations against the colony of Massachusetts, and avowing a determination to suppress all attempts in favor of American liberty. The parliament concurred in these sentiments by a large majority. The more sagacious among the British statesmen, however, saw the storm coming, and made the most strenuous endeavors to check the rash and precipitate measures of the ministry. The venerable Earl of Chatham left his retirement, and again entered the House of Lords, where his powerful eloquence was exerted in an attempt to dissuade his countrymen from the design of subduing the colonists by force of

He recommended conciliatory measures, and in particular the immediate removal of the troops from Boston. His remonstrances, however, had not the slightest effect. Equally unavailing was the petition of congress to the king, which Dr. Franklin and others now laid before parliament, with a request to be heard in its support. The petition was rejected by a large majority. The lords and commons then passed an address to the king, declaring the people of Massachusetts rebels; and the next day a more decisive blow was struck by the ministers, in procuring the passage of an act restricting the trade of the New England colonies, and depriving them of the Newfoundland fishery.

The Bostonians, in the meantime, in spite of their suffering condition, avoided every kind of outrage. Massachusetts had successfully engaged the other colonies to make common cause with her. A new provincial congress met in February, and published a resolution advising the people to furnish themselves with arms, and make every preparation to resist the invading armies which were expected from Britain for the destruction of the colonies. In all parts of Massachusetts the inhabitants obeyed these hints. Arms and powder were manufactured and stored in various places, military bands organized, and the proceedings in every quarter gave "dreadful note of preparation." These things did not escape the notice of General Gage. On the 26th of February, having learned that a quantity of military stores had been collected at Salem, he despatched one hundred and forty soldiers in a transport from the castle, to seize them. They landed at Marblehead, and took up their march for Salem. Not finding the stores there, they proceeded to Danvers, but were stopped at a draw-bridge, where a body of thirty or forty militia were drawn up. After some parley and an attempt to pass, the troops returned to Boston without effecting their object.