(THE YEAR 1775 AND BEGINNING OF 1776.)
AN EVENTFUL YEAR; PREPARATION IN ENGLAND TO REDUCE
COLONISTS TO ABSOLUTE SUBMISSION; SELF-ASSERTED AUTHORITY
OF PARLIAMENT. 459-478
Oppressive Acts of Parliament enumerated, with the
measures of employing foreign soldiers, Indians, and
slaves; and all with the express sanction of the King,
and while Colonists professed loyalty, and asked for
nothing but the redress of grievances and restoration
of rights which they had heretofore enjoyed 459
The loyalty and effective services of the Colonists
in the English and French war, and the experience and
skill they thereby acquired in military affairs;
their superiority as marksmen 460
They desire to provide for their own defence, and
for the support of their own civil government, as
aforetime, and as is done in the provinces of the
Canadian Dominion, but this is opposed by the King and
his ministers 460
General Gage (Governor of Massachusetts, and
Commander-in-Chief of the British in America)
commences the first attack upon the Colonists, by
ordering soldiers at night to seize Colonial arms
and ammunition; sends 800 soldiers to Concord for
that purpose; driven back to Lexington with
heavy loss; loss of the Colonists 460
The affair of Concord and Lexington followed by the
Battle of Bunker's Hill; numbers engaged on both sides 460
In the Battle of Bunker's Hill, as well as the previous
conflicts, the first shot was fired by the British
soldiers upon the Colonists, who, by order and policy,
acted strictly on the defensive 461
English account of the Battle of Bunker's Hill, by the
royal historian, Dr. Andrews (in a note) 461
Lord Dunmore, Governor of Virginia, about the same
time, committed outrages upon the inhabitants of
Virginia similar to those which General Gage
committed upon the people of Massachusetts 462
Traditional and deep loyalty of the Virginians, and
their aversion to revolution, but resolved to
defend their rights 464
Lord Dunmore (by order of the Secretary of State)
assembles the Burgesses of Virginia, to deliberate
and decide upon Lord North's so-called "conciliatory
proposition" to the Colonies; the proposition
rejected; Mr. Jefferson's report upon, quoted;
an admirable document, eulogized in the strongest terms
by the Earl of Shelburne; how viewed by the French
Foreign Minister, Vergennes (in a note) 464
Lord Dunmore issues a proclamation to free the slaves;
on the night of the 20th of April sends a body of
marines to seize and carry off a quantity of gunpowder,
belonging to the Colony, stored in a magazine at
Williamsburg; excitement of the inhabitants, and
their demand for the restoration of the powder; Lord
Dunmore threatens, but is at length compelled to
return the value of the powder 465
Lord Dunmore's threat to free the slaves, and letter
to the Secretary of State, as to how, with aid "of a
small body of troops and arms," he could raise an
ample force "among the Indians and negroes and other
persons" 466
Horror and alarm in the South at Lord Dunmore's
threat to free the slaves, and preparation for
resistance (in a note) 466
Lord Dunmore (moved by his fears) leaves the
Government House, and goes on board of a ship of
war at Norfolk, almost twelve miles from
Williamsburg, the seat of government 466
The House of Burgesses remonstrate with Lord Dumnore
for leaving the seat of government; entreat him to
return, and assure him and his family of perfect
safety; but he refuses, seizes a private printing
establishment and two printers, and issues
proclamations and attempts to govern from a ship of war 467
Lord Dunmore commands the water by a small flotilla of
war vessels, and frequently landed forces to seize arms,
&c.; attempt to destroy the town of Hampton; is repelled
by the inhabitants, and volunteer rifle companies come
to their aid; the first battle in Virginia; its success
with the Virginians 467
Account of this affair, and of Lord Dunmore's policy,
by the _English Annual Register_ (in a note) 468
In consequence of Lord Dunmore's failure against the
town of Hampton, he issues a proclamation from on
board the war ship _William_, off Norfolk, declaring
martial law throughout the Colony, "requiring all persons
capable of bearing arms to repair to His Maiesty's standard,
or be considered as _traitors_;" and declaring all
indentured servants, negroes and others, appertaining
to _rebels_, who were able and willing to bear arms,
and who joined His Majesty's forces, to be free 468
Remarks of the _English Annual Register_ on this
abominable proclamation. 469
Lord Dunmore's conduct unlawful, as well as unjust and inhuman 470
The men on Lord Dunmore's fleet distressed for want of
provisions, which the inhabitants on land refused to
supply: in consequence of which the town of Norfolk
(the first commercial town in Virginia) is reduced to
ashes 471
Account of this barbarous transaction by the _English
Annual Register_ and Mr. Bancroft (in a note); remarks
upon, by the English and American press; effect of its
announcement upon the mind of Washington 472
The conduct and situation of the Governors of South
and North Carolina similar to that of Lord Dunmore
in Virginia (in a note) 472
The loyal Churchmen of Virginia, and the loyal
Presbyterians of the two Carolinas, receive the same
treatment from Dunmore, Campbell, and Martin, as the
"republican" Congregationalists did from General Gage 473
Each of the three Southern Governors betook themselves
to ships; all the Colonists treated with like severity 473
The King's speech at the meeting of Parliament, October
26th, 1775, and discussion upon it 474