joined them to assume command of their force. As Ethan Allen refused
to give it up, the two patriots headed the force together. They
came upon the fort so unexpectedly that, at the cry of "Surrender!"
the British commander sprang out of bed and rushed to the door,
defiantly asking, "By what authority?" "In the name of the great
Jehovah and the Continental Congress!" thundered Ethan Allen. The
British officer was forced to yield, although he knew the Green
Mountain Boys could have no such orders, for the Second Continental
Congress was to assemble only the next day. The taking of
Ticonderoga, and of Crown Point on the morrow, proved a great help
to the Revolutionary cause, for the patriots thus secured, cannon
and powder which they were to need before long.
Traveling rapidly from place to place, the news of the battle of
Lexington soon spread all through the colonies. The congressional
delegates, therefore, left their homes to meet in Philadelphia,
knowing there was a great piece of work before them. One of them,
George Washington, felt it so keenly that before starting he wrote
to his brother: "It is my full intention to devote my life and
fortune to the cause we are engaged in, if needful."
It was well that he was so ready to serve his country, for it was
sorely in need of help. Congress no sooner assembled, with Hancock
for president, than it began to govern the country, and called for
an army of fifteen thousand men. Adams then arose, saying he would
like to propose as general a gentleman from Virginia, whose "skill
and experience as an officer, independent fortune, great talents,
and universal character will command the approval of all America."
George Washington, who had expected nothing of the sort, and who was
as modest as he was good, fled from the room when he heard this. But
every one voted for him, and when he was called back he reluctantly
accepted the charge given him, saying: "I beg it may be remembered
by every gentleman in this room that I this day declare, with the
utmost sincerity, I do not think myself equal to the command I am
honored with." But he then went on to say that he would do his best,
and refused all pay for his services, asking only that Congress
should pay his expenses, of which he would keep an exact account.
Washington wrote to his wife, at Mount Vernon: "I should enjoy
more real happiness in one month with you at home than I have the
most distant prospect of finding abroad, if my stay were seven
times seven years." But as he always did his duty promptly and
cheerfully, he immediately set out on horseback for Boston, where
the continental troops were rapidly assembling.
The British, in the meantime, had withdrawn once more into Boston,
which they duly fortified by earthworks across the Neck. Here they
were soon joined by new troops; for Generals Howe, Bur-goyne´,
and Clinton had been sent from England to put down the rebellion.
On first hearing that the British soldiers were kept in Boston by
ill-equipped and badly trained Americans, one of these officers
cried: "What! can ten thousand Yankee Doodles shut up five thousand
soldiers of the king? Only let us get in there, and we'll soon find
elbow room!" But, as you will see, they did not find this an easy
task.
The Americans, learning that the British were planning to fortify
Bunker Hill and Breeds Hill, back of Charlestown, determined to
prevent their doing so, if possible, by occupying those places
first. Twelve hundred men were therefore put under command of
Colonel Pres´cott, and, after a solemn prayer, they noiselessly
crept up Breeds Hill in the darkness, and began to throw up
earthworks.
As the patriots toiled silently on, they heard from time to time
the British sentinels cry out, "All's well!" But when the sun rose,
the British found that all was not well, for the Americans were
intrenched on Breeds Hill. Still, thinking it would be an easy
matter to dislodge the patriots, they joyfully prepared for the
battle. The Americans did not quail when British bullets began to
rain around them, for their leader, seeing their dismay when the
first man fell, encouraged them by walking along the top of his
breastwork as coolly as if there were no danger at all.
General Gage, perceiving him through his telescope, asked a
Bostonian who he was, and whether he would fight. The Bostonian
proudly answered that the man's name was William Prescott, and
added: "Fight? Yes, yes! you may depend upon him to do that to the
very last drop of blood in his veins." In the meantime, Prescott
charged his men, who had few rounds of ammunition, not to fire until
he bade them, or until they could see the whites of the enemies'
eyes.
[Illustration: Battle of Bunker Hill.]
This order was so manfully obeyed that when the redcoats climbed
the hill they fell in swaths before the patriots' rifles. Twice
the British fell back dismayed before this deadly fire, and twice
their officers bravely rallied them and led them back. But Prescott
kept up the courage of his men until, seeing that they had no more
bullets, he bade them retreat, using their guns as clubs, since they
had no bayonets. The gallant Warren, who had gone into this fight
saying, "Sweet and fitting it is to die for one's country," fell on
the very spot where Bunker Hill Monument how stands; and Prescott
bravely covered the retreat of his men, being the last to leave the
works.
[Illustration: Bunker Hill Monument.]
In this battle, which is called the "battle of Bunker Hill," the
British drove the patriots away, but at the cost of so many lives
that when the news reached Europe a French statesman said: "Two more
such victories, and England will have no army left in America."
Not only did many British soldiers perish, but as the Americans
discovered that the only cause of their defeat on this occasion was
lack of ammunition, they looked forward to the next battle without
fear.
All felt, as Ward said, that "We shall finally come off victorious,
and triumph over the enemies of freedom and America." This belief,
however, was not shared in England, although Franklin proved that
it had cost the mother country three million pounds and many men to
kill about three hundred and fifty Yankees. He added that in the
meantime so many children had been born in our country that, at that
rate, it would be impossible to find men and money enough to conquer
the whole territory.
LXIV. THE BOSTON BOYS.
The news of the battle of Bunker Hill, and of Howe's setting fire to
Charlestown during the struggle, was sent without delay to Congress.
The messenger who bore it met Washington on his way to Cambridge to
take command of the army. The general in chief eagerly asked how the
Americans had behaved, and when he heard that they had stood their
ground bravely, he fervently cried: "The liberties of the country
are safe!"
[Illustration: The Cambridge Elm.]
The messenger then continued on his way, and when the news reached
Congress there was great excitement. The patriots felt that the
fight could now end only when their rights were assured; and
Franklin wrote to some friends in England: "England has lost her
colonies forever."
Riding on, Washington quickly reached Cambridge, where he made his
headquarters in the house later occupied by the famous American
poet Longfellow. In the beginning of July, 1775, standing under the
Cambridge Elm, Washington took command of the continental army,
composed of about fifteen thousand men of every age and size. They
were armed with hunting rifles, knives, swords, or pitchforks; most
of them had no idea of military drill or discipline, and all were in
need of arms, ammunition, uniforms, and food.
It was impossible to fight without three of these things; so
while the patriots brought food for the soldiers, Washington
bestirred himself to secure arms and ammunition, begging Congress
to supply hunting shirts, so that his army might present a more
orderly appearance. To prevent the enemy from discovering, through
spies, that he had less than half a pound of powder for each man,
Washington had a number of barrels filled with sand. A little powder
was put on top of each, and they were stored away and guarded as
carefully as if there were the greatest danger of their exploding at
any minute.
While waiting for the artillery which Ethan Allen had secured at
Ticonderoga to be brought across country on ox sleds, Washington
and his aids drilled their ungainly troops. But the patriots were
independent and hard to manage. It is said that when a corporal once
bade a private get a pail of water, the latter coolly answered: "I
won't. Get it yourself. I got the last pail; it is your turn now."
The officers, on the other hand, seemed afraid to lower themselves
by doing any work. Washington, hearing a corporal urge his men
to remove a log which was too heavy for them, suggested to the
corporal that in such cases it was well to lend a hand. But the man
proudly answered: "Do you realize that I am a corporal?" Feeling
that example would be better than preaching, Washington dismounted,
lent a vigorous hand to the men, and, when the log was in place,
showed them his uniform and rode off, bidding the men call for him
whenever they needed help.
[Illustration: Washington and the Corporal.]
We are told that on another occasion he found some Marblehead
fishermen and Virginia riflemen quarreling. Unable to bring them to
order in any other way, Washington, who was more than six feet tall
and very strong, strode into their midst, and, seizing the noisiest
by their collars, shook them until he brought them back to their
senses.
For eight months Washington waited and drilled, keeping the British
shut up in Boston. Here the officers tried to kill time by writing
and acting plays, and it is said that the most clever of all these
productions was a work by An´dré making fun of Washington. The
British soldiers, having nothing to do, annoyed the citizens, and so
often spoiled the children's play on the Common, that a number of
big boys finally went to General Gage to complain about it.
The British general angrily asked: "What! Have your fathers sent you
here to exhibit the rebellion they have been teaching you?" But the
boys bravely answered: "Nobody sent us. We have never injured your
troops, but they have trampled down our snow hills and broken the
ice of our skating pond. We complained, and they called us young
rebels, and told us to help ourselves if we could. We told the
captain, and he laughed at us. Yesterday our works were destroyed
for the third time, and we will bear it no longer."
The boys' spirited reply could not but appeal to General Gage, who
said to some people standing near him: "The very children draw in
a love of liberty with the air they breathe." Then, turning to the
boys, he added: "Go, my brave boys, and be assured that if my troops
trouble you again they shall be punished."
LXV. THE BRITISH LEAVE BOSTON.
While Washington was holding the British prisoners in Boston,
Congress made one more vain attempt to be on good terms with the
king. But the only answer he made to their petition was to call
for more soldiers. Finding that the English, who in many cases
thought the Americans were right, would not fight for him, he hired
seventeen thousand Hessian and other German soldiers to put down the
rebellion.
The news that the king was hiring Germans and bribing the Indians
on the frontier to make trouble, made the Americans very angry. On
the same day, they heard that the British had burned down Fal´moŭth
(Portland), in Maine, so they determined to take active measures.
Knowing that the Ca-na´di-ans under Carle´ton would soon march
southward, they sent two armies to the north. One, under
Mont-gom´er-y, passed up Lake Champlain and soon took Montreal.
The other army, although it was winter, heroically forced its way
through the Maine woods to Quebec, led by Benedict Arnold.
There Montgomery joined Arnold; but their combined forces proved
too weak to take the city. Montgomery fell in the very beginning
of the fight, and Arnold, who had behaved like a hero, was badly
wounded. Before he could recover and make a new attempt to seize
Quebec,--where much ammunition was stored,--new British troops came
and drove the American forces out of Canada.
Washington, as we have seen, was seemingly idle, only because
his troops needed drilling and he had no powder. As he did not
wish the enemy to know this, he kept the secret until many people
began to murmur because he spent the winter in Cambridge with Mrs.
Washington, without striking a blow. He had, however, been far from
idle, for, besides drilling his army, he had made many arrangements,
and provided that the American prisoners should be kindly treated
or exchanged. To do this, he wrote to General Gates, who had fought
by his side at Monongahela twenty years before, promising that the
British prisoners should receive just the same care as was given to
the Americans.
As soon as the cannons came from Ticonderoga, Washington resolved
to attack Boston, in spite of the objections of his officers.
The principal house owners there had long urged him to do so,
notwithstanding the fact that their property would suffer greatly.
One night, therefore, he bade his men secretly climb and fortify
Dor´ches-ter Heights. When the British awoke the next morning, they
saw that the American guns covered them. Rather than stand such a
deadly fire, General Howe decided to leave the town. His troops, and
about nine hundred of his friends, went on board the British vessels
in the harbor, and sailed off to Hal´i-fax.
On St. Patrick's day, 1776, Washington triumphantly entered Boston,
where his troops were received with every demonstration of great
joy. Indeed, the Bostonians were so happy that they gave Washington
a gold medal, on one side of which he is represented on horseback,
pointing to the vanishing British fleet.
But Washington did not linger there long. Suspecting that Howe's
next attempt would be to seize New York, and fearing lest he might
have gone there straight from Boston, Washington soon hurried away.
Just before he left the city, a British ship, laden with powder,
sailed into the harbor, as its captain thought the British were
still there. Its cargo was quickly seized, and provided the American
army with seven times more powder than they had been able to secure
by any other means.
About three months later a second British fleet, under Clinton,
suddenly appeared off Charleston, where it began bombarding Fort
Moultrie (moo´trī). The governor of Charleston having sent word to
the general, "Keep cool and do mischief," the fire was promptly
returned. Besides, the British were greatly dismayed to see their
cannon balls burying themselves harmlessly in the soft palmetto logs
and the big sand heaps of which the fort was composed. But the balls
from the fort crippled the British vessels so badly that they had to
sail away again without taking possession of Charleston.
In the midst of this battle, a British cannon ball cut Fort
Moultrie's flagstaff in two, and brought down the flag. The enemy
cheered loudly at this lucky shot; but a sergeant named Jasper
quickly jumped over the parapet, caught up the fallen flag, and set
it up again, notwithstanding the hail of bullets falling around him;
so that it was now the Americans' turn to raise a cheer of triumph.
In reward for his daring action, Jasper was offered the rank of
lieutenant; but as he could neither read nor write, he sadly refused
it, saying: "I am not fit for the company of officers."
LXVI. DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE.
In June, 1776, Richard Henry Lee brought into Congress a resolution
"that these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free
and independent States." This was now the opinion of the principal
men in our country, and Washington wrote: "When I took command of
the army, I abhorred the idea of independence; now I am convinced
nothing else will save us."
[Illustration:
_John Trumbull, Artist._
Signing the Declaration of Independence.]
The minds of the people having been prepared for the change by a
little pamphlet called "Common Sense," Congress appointed five men
to draw up a Declaration of Independence. These five men were Thomas
Jef´fer-son, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Roger Sherman, and
Robert Liv´ing-ston; but as the paper, with the exception of a few
words, is the work of Jefferson, he is generally called the "Father
of the Declaration of Independence."
[Illustration: Jefferson's Writing Desk.]
On July 4, 1776, this paper was adopted by Congress, after hours of
discussion. In the meantime, crowds of people were anxiously waiting
in the street in front of the old statehouse in Philadelphia to hear
the decision of the Congress. A story says that the old bell ringer
was at his post, ready to proclaim the glad news as soon as he
received the signal from a grandson stationed below But time seemed
so long to the old man that he muttered again and again: "They'll
never do it." All at once, however, a little lad darted out of the
statehouse, clapping his hands and shouting: "Ring, grandpa! Ring!"
Then the Independence Bell, which, strange to relate, bore the
inscription, "Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the
inhabitants thereof," pealed out loud and clear, announcing the
birth of the United States of America! All the other bells took up
the joyful strain, and the news, flying from place to place, was
welcomed everywhere.
John Hancock, president of Congress, was the first to sign the
Declaration of Independence, writing his name in large, plain
letters, and saying: "There; John Bull can read my name without
spectacles. Now let him double the price on my head, for this is
my defiance." Then he turned to the other members, and solemnly
added: "We must be unanimous [of one mind]; there must be no pulling
different ways; we must all hang together."
"Yes," said Franklin, quaintly: "we must all hang together, or most
assuredly we shall all hang separately."
We are told that Charles Carroll, thinking his writing looked shaky,
added the words "of Carrollton," so that the king should not be able
to make any mistake as to whose name stood there.
[Illustration: Pennsylvania Statehouse.]
Copies of the Declaration of Independence were promptly sent to
every colony, where it was solemnly read. In Pennsylvania this
reading took place in the yard in front of the statehouse, which
has ever since then been known as Independence Hall. It was there
that the Liberty Bell hung, and pealed out the happy news. When the
tidings reached New York, they were joyfully received by the army,
and the Sons of Liberty pulled down King George's leaden statue.
They later sent it to Connecticut, where patriot women broke it up
and melted it to make bullets for the army.
At the same time, fault began to be found with the name of King's
College, which had been established in New York over twenty years.
But nothing was done till after the war, when the name was changed
to Columbia College.
In the summer of 1776 Howe came into New York Bay with twenty-five
thousand men, and soon after landed on Stat´en Island. In coming to
New York, Howe was carrying out part of a great plan which had been
made to separate the southern from the New England colonies. To do
this, he was to march up the Hudson, while Carleton came south from
Canada by way of Lake Champlain.
This plan was, as you see, very cleverly laid; but it was not so
easy to carry out as the British expected. Although Carleton marched
south and won a victory over Arnold at Valcour (val-coor´) Island,
in Lake Champlain, it was at such a cost that he soon retreated in
haste, instead of pressing on.
Soon after General Howe reached New York Bay, his brother, Lord
Howe, made a proclamation offering pardon to all who would lay down
their arms and promise to obey the king. Next, he sent an officer
to the American camp, with this proclamation in a letter addressed
to "George Washington, Esq." Washington, knowing that he must
uphold the dignity of his country, rightly refused to receive any
letter addressed to him as a private citizen. He said that George
Washington, the Virginia planter, would not be at home to receive
letters until the war was over, and that the general in chief of the
American army could not receive any letters unless they bore the
proper address.
Lord Howe now sent a second missive, addressed to "George
Washington, Esq., etc., etc.;" but Washington also refused that.
Seeing that the American general would not yield, Lord Howe ever
after sent his letters properly directed, although he hated to do
so, because it seemed to acknowledge the new government.
We are told that it was sometime during Washington's sojourn in
New York that the British bribed a man to throw poison into the
general's dish of pease. But, thanks to the warning of a faithful
servant, Washington, although very fond of them, did not eat any,
and thus escaped death.
LXVII. A LADY'S WAY OF HELPING.
While Washington was in New York, Putnam had charge of the troops
on Long Island. Here General Howe suddenly came upon him with
such a large force that Putnam was beaten and forced to retreat.
Washington, who saw the battle of Long Island from a distance, is
reported to have wrung his hands, and to have cried, with tears
running down his cheeks: "My God! what brave fellows I must lose
this day!"
At nightfall, the Americans were intrenched on Brooklyn Heights,
where Howe planned to take the "nest of rebels" by siege. But,
thanks to a fog which rose over the bay, Washington cleverly and
noiselessly drew off these troops, and when the sun rose on the
second day, Howe found that the Americans were all on the other
side of the East River. Knowing that Howe would pursue him, and not
wishing to expose New York city to the enemy's cannon, Washington
began to retreat up the Hudson.
While part of the British army landed near the Battery, the rest,
under Howe himself, crossed the East River higher up, so as to cut
off the retreat of the Americans under Putnam. To prevent this,
Washington stationed troops at the landing at Kips Bay (where East
Thirty-fourth Street now ends), bidding them hold the British at bay
long enough to enable Putnam to retreat. But the Americans fled at
the first fire, although Washington tried to stop them. In his rage
and despair over their cowardice, Washington is said to have flung
his hat on the ground, and bitterly cried: "Are these the men with
whom I am to defend America?"
Still, one man could not hold an army in check; so Washington rode
northward, sending word to Putnam to hurry, and begging Mrs. Murray,
a lady living on a hill near by, to use her woman's wit to detain
the enemy. Mrs. Murray bade her servants prepare refreshments, and
when General Howe rode past her gate, she stepped out to invite him
into her house.
It was a very warm day, the house looked cool and inviting, and Howe
accepted, thinking a few moments' delay would not do any harm. But
the ladies proved so entertaining, and the food they set before the
officers so welcome, that instead of staying only a few moments,
they lingered there several hours. Finally a servant came in and
whispered something to Mrs. Murray, who, rising from her seat,
begged Howe to accompany her to see something which she thought
might interest him.
[Illustration: Hale statue]
We are told that she then led the British general to an upper
window, and pointed out Putnam's army vanishing in the dim distance.
The delay had enabled the Americans to escape to a point higher up,
where they still held Forts Lee and Washington, on either side of
the river.
While the battle of Long Island was raging, Washington, needing
information, sent Nathan Hale, a Yale graduate, into the British
ranks. This brave youth was betrayed by a former friend, and the
British, having taken him captive, condemned him to be hanged as a
spy. This was no more than the young man expected; but they cruelly
refused him a Bible or a minister to prepare for death.
We are told that even his last letters to his mother and betrothed
were torn to pieces before his eyes, as they dragged him off to the
gallows. But as the young patriot stood there, surrounded by foes,
he firmly said: "I regret only that I have but one life to lose for
my country." These noble words are carved on the pedestal of his
statue, which now stands in one of the principal squares of New York
city.
Howe and Clinton were now both in New York, where they were warmly
welcomed by a few persons who were still faithful to King George.
But as they had failed to secure the American army, they soon set
out to pursue Washington, who slowly retreated before them.