The Battle of Lexington--The War of the Revolution Begun--Fort
Ticonderoga Taken--Second Continental Congress--George Washington
Appointed Commander-in-chief--Battle of Bunker Hill--Last Appeal to King
George--The King Hires Hessian Mercenaries--The Americans Invade
Canada--General Montgomery Killed--General Howe Evacuates Boston--North
Carolina Tories Routed at Moore's Creek Bridge--The Declaration of
Independence--The British Move on New York--Battle at Brooklyn--Howe
Occupies New York City--General Charles Lee Fails to Support Washington
--Lee Captured--Washington's Victory at Trenton--The Marquis De Lafayette
Arrives.
General Gage, military governor of Massachusetts, received orders in
April, 1775, to arrest John Hancock and Samuel Adams and send them to
England to be tried for treason. The two patriots were at the house of a
friend in Lexington when Gage, on the evening of April 18, sent eight
hundred British soldiers from Boston to seize military stores at Concord,
and to arrest Adams and Hancock at Lexington. Paul Revere, a patriotic
engraver, rode far in advance of the troops to warn the people of their
coming. When the soldiers reached Lexington at sunrise they were
confronted by armed yeomanry drawn up in battle array. The British fired,
killing seven men. The War of the Revolution was begun. From near and far
the farmers hastened to attack the troops. Every wall concealed an enemy
of the British; from behind trees and fences a deadly fire was poured
into their ranks. Their track was blazed with dead and wounded, as they
hurried back from Concord, disappointed in the objects of their mission.
Gage heard of the rising, and hurried reinforcements to the assistance of
his decimated and almost fugitive soldiery, and with a loss of nearly
three hundred men they re-entered Boston. From all parts of
Massachusetts, from Connecticut, New Hampshire and Rhode Island, the
provincials hastened to face the invaders, and an army of sixteen
thousand men of all sorts, conditions and colors, but most of them hardy
New Englander farmers, besieged Governor Gage in Boston. Joseph Warren,
John Stark, Israel Putnam and Benedict Arnold were among the leaders of
the patriot forces. Ethan Allen, chief of the "Green Mountain Boys,"
demanded and obtained the surrender of Fort Ticonderoga "by the authority
of the Great Jehovah and the Continental Congress" (May 10) and Seth
Warner captured Crown Point two days later.
The second Continental Congress met at Philadelphia the same day that
Fort Ticonderoga was taken. The Congress chose for its president John
Hancock, whom the British government wanted to try for treason, assumed
direction of the troops encamped at Cambridge, and called upon Virginia
and the middle colonies for recruits. George Washington was appointed to
command the American forces.
* * *
The battle of Bunker Hill proved to the British that the skill and
courage which had been displayed with signal success against the French
could be used with equal effect against British troops. General Gage had
determined to seize and fortify points in the neighborhood of Boston in
order to strengthen his hold upon the city, and to enable him to resist a
siege. This purpose of the British commander becoming known to the
Massachusetts Committee of Safety, the Committee ordered Colonel William
Prescott, with one thousand men, including a company of artillery with
two field-pieces, to occupy and fortify Bunker Hill. The force ascended
Breed's Hill, much nearer Boston, on the evening of June 16. They worked
all night under the direction of an engineer named Gridley, and in the
morning the British on their vessels in the Charles River were surprised
to see on a hill which had been bare the previous day a redoubt about
eight rods square, flanked on the right by a breastwork which extended in
a northerly direction to some marshy land, and which commanded both the
city and the shipping. The guns of the fleet were quickly turned on the
bold provincials, and the roar of cannon awoke the citizens of Boston to
behold a conflict in which they had the deepest interest. The Americans
continued to work under the shower of shot and shell, strengthening their
fortifications for the desperate struggle they felt was at hand. General
Artemas Ward, who commanded the colonial army, was not as prompt as he
ought to have been in sending reinforcements to Breed's Hill, but at
length Stark's New Hampshire regiment and Colonel Reed's regiment were
permitted to join the men in the redoubt. The British sent 3000 of their
best troops to carry the works by assault. Thousands of the people of
Boston and neighborhood, many of whom had fathers, sons, brothers and
husbands in the patriot lines, looked from hill and housetop and balcony
as the regulars marched steadily to the attack. At the redoubt all was
silent, although the British ships and a battery on Copp's Hill hurled
shots at the Americans. Nearer and nearer marched the British. They were
almost close enough for the final charge, when suddenly at the word
"Fire!"--up sprang 1500 Americans and poured a storm of bullets into the
advancing enemy. Down went the British platoons as before the scythe of
death. Whole companies were swept away. The survivors could not stand
before the deadly hail, and back they fell to the shore. Some shots had
been fired at the British from houses in Charlestown, and General Gage
gave orders to fire that place. The British advanced again, the flames
from the burning town adding to the terror of the scene. Again the
hurricane of bullets drove them back to the shore. Strengthened by fresh
troops the British marched up a third time to the hillside now scattered
with their dying and their dead. British artillery planted as near as
possible to the Americans swept the redoubt and the patriots, their
ammunition failing at this critical time, were obliged to give way before
the overwhelming charge of the grenadiers. The Americans escaped in good
order across Charlestown Neck, losing General Joseph Warren, who fell
when leaving the redoubt. Colonel Prescott was in command throughout the
engagement, although both General Warren and General Israel Putnam had
taken a gallant part in the battle, but without any command. The fight
lasted about two hours, and the British lost 1054 killed and wounded out
of about 3000 troops engaged, and the provincials lost 450 killed and
wounded. The British ministry looked on the result as virtually a defeat
for their troops.
* * *
Washington reached Cambridge on the second of July. He found the spirit
of the troops admirable, but their discipline wretched, and the leaders
divided by dissension in regard to the commands. He labored assiduously
and successfully to bring order out of comparative chaos. The Congress
made another effort to prevent a conflict with Great Britain by sending a
respectful statement of America's case in a petition to the King. He
refused to receive it, and issued a proclamation calling for troops to
put down the rebellion in America. King George showed how little he
regarded humanity in dealing with his revolted subjects by appealing to
semi-barbarous Russia for troops to use against the colonists. The
Empress Catharine refused to sell her people for such a purpose, and the
British monarch then turned to the petty princes of Germany, where he
bought 20,000 soldiers like so many cattle for the American war. As many
of these were from Hesse Cassel, they were known as Hessians. It being
now evident that a peaceable arrangement, short of abject surrender,
could not be hoped for, the Continental Congress prepared to push the war
with vigor, and if possible to secure a union of all British America
against the enemy of American liberty.
* * *
The invasion of Canada in the latter part of 1775 by American expeditions
under command of General Richard Montgomery and Colonel Benedict Arnold,
was prompted by expectation that the French inhabitants of that region
would gladly espouse the cause of the colonists, for whom they had shown
sympathy when the people Of Boston were in distress on account of the
closing of their port. Only a few Canadians rallied to the American
standard; the majority remained indifferent. Montgomery captured
Montreal, but in the attack on Quebec he was slain, and Arnold wounded in
the leg, and the Americans were defeated with a loss of about four
hundred killed, wounded and prisoners. The death of Montgomery was a
severe blow to the American cause. He was one of the ablest commanders in
the service at a time when the colonists were much in need of practiced
military men, and even in England he was held in high regard. "Curse on
his virtues," said Lord North; "they've undone his country."
* * *
In March, 1776, General William Howe evacuated Boston and sailed to
Halifax, taking with him a number of refugees. Howe busied himself in
Halifax in fitting out a powerful expedition for the capture of New York,
where the people had taken up with enthusiasm the cause of the colonies.
Late in April General Washington moved to New York and prepared to defend
that city. Meantime Lord Dunmore, royal governor of Virginia, after
endeavoring to excite an insurrection of the slaves, had been conducting
a predatory and incendiary warfare against the colony, until driven away
by the militia, when he sailed off in a fleet loaded with plunder. In
North Carolina, where an association of patriots had declared for
independence at Mecklenburg as early as May, 1775, a severe battle
occurred at Moore's Creek Bridge, February 26, 1776, between the
patriots, led by Colonel James Moore, and the loyalists or Tories, many
of whom had fought for the Young Pretender in Scotland, but were now
equally devoted to the House of Hanover. The Tories were completely
routed, and the plans of the British to make North Carolina a centre of
royalist operations were disconcerted.
* * *
The Declaration of Independence was now inevitable. Many of the
colonists, including a large proportion of the well-to-do, were unwilling
to throw off allegiance to the crown, and these were known as Tories and
punished as traitors whenever they gave active expression to their
sentiments. The majority of the people, however, were for complete
separation from England, and were ready to support that determination
with their lives. Richard Henry Lee, of Virginia, made a motion in the
Continental Congress, June 7, 1776, "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." John Adams, of Massachusetts, seconded the motion,
and a committee was appointed to prepare a Declaration of Independence.
Thomas Jefferson, of Virginia, was the author of the Declaration, which,
after warm debate, was adopted by the unanimous vote of the thirteen
colonies July 4, 1776. On the same day the news arrived that the British
commander, Sir Henry Clinton, had been repulsed in an attempt to enter
Charleston harbor. North and south the United States were free from the
enemy, and although it was but the lull before the storm, the Americans
had thus a precious opportunity to put down malcontents and to gather
strength for the coming struggle.
* * *
The British formed a plan to cut the Union in two by capturing New York,
and establishing a chain of British posts from Manhattan to Canada. While
General Carleton operated against the Americans from the Canadian
frontier a large British fleet, commanded by Admiral Richard Howe,
arrived in the harbor of New York, carrying an army of 25,000 men, led by
his brother, General William Howe. The Americans had but 9000 men to
defend Brooklyn Heights against the overwhelming force with which Howe
attacked their position. The patriot troops, especially the Marylanders,
fought gallantly, but were driven back by superior numbers. Great credit
is due to Washington for his skill and success in saving the greater part
of the army by timely withdrawal across the East River to New York. Howe
occupied the city of New York a few days later, Washington retreating
slowly, and fighting the British at every favorable opportunity.
It was at the time of Washington's retirement from New York that Nathan
Hale, a young American captain, was put to death as a spy by the British.
Hale volunteered to seek some information desired by the American
commander-in-chief, and was betrayed, within the British lines, by a Tory
who recognized him. He was treated most brutally by the British
Provost-Marshal Cunningham, being denied the attendance of a clergyman
and the use of a Bible. Letters which Hale wrote to his mother and other
dear ones were torn up by the provost-marshal in the victim's presence.
Hale was hanged September 22, 1776. His last words were "I only regret
that I have but one life to lose for my country." These words appear on
the base of the statue erected to his memory in the City Hall Park, New
York.
General Howe concluded to move on Philadelphia, and his object becoming
known to Washington, the latter directed General Charles Lee, who was in
command of about 7000 men at Northcastle, on the east side of the Hudson,
to join him at Hackensack on the west side, so that the whole force of
the Americans could be used to oppose Howe. Lee disregarded these orders,
thereby making it necessary for Washington to retreat into Pennsylvania.
Lee then led his own troops to Norristown, where he was captured by the
British outside of his own lines while taking his ease at a tavern. Lee
was an English adventurer of loud pretensions, probably not lacking in
courage, but wholly mercenary and unprincipled. That so worthless and
dangerous a person should have been trusted with high command in the
American army is explained by the dearth of military leaders at the
opening of the war. The capture of Lee was fortunate for the Americans,
as he was succeeded by General John Sullivan, an excellent officer, who
at once led his troops to the assistance of Washington. Thus reinforced
the commander-in-chief was enabled to strike a blow at the British which
revived the drooping spirits of the patriots.
* * *
The battle of Trenton would not have been so memorable but for the
dejected condition of the patriot cause at the time it was fought, and
the evidence which it gave to England and the world at large of General
Washington's prudent daring and military genius. At twilight on Christmas
night, 1776, General Washington prepared to pass the Delaware with 2000
men to attack 1500 of the enemy, chiefly Hessians, who were stationed
under the Hessian Colonel Rall at Trenton. It was a dark and bitter
night, and the Delaware was covered with floating ice. Boats had been
hastily procured, and with much difficulty against the swift current the
troops were borne across. A storm of sleet and snow added to the hardship
of crossing, and not until four o'clock in the morning did the little
army stand on the opposite bank. The Americans advanced in two columns,
one led by General Washington, the other by General Sullivan. The Germans
had spent Christmas in carousing, and although it was full daylight when
the Americans reached Trenton, they were not discovered until they were
already on the Hessian pickets. Colonel Rall, aroused from slumber,
quickly put his men in fighting order. The battle was quick and sharp.
Colonel Rall fell mortally wounded; and the main body of his troops,
attempting to retreat, were captured. Some British light horse and
infantry escaped, but all the Hessians, their standards, cannon and
small-arms, fell into the hands of the Americans. The victory gave new
vigor to the friends of independence, depressed the Tories, and
astonished the British, who had looked upon the war as virtually over.
General Howe was afraid to march upon Philadelphia, lest Washington
should cut off his supplies, and for five months longer the invaders
remained in the vicinity of New York. The patriots were further
encouraged by the arrival in April, 1777, of the Marquis de Lafayette, of
General Kalb, known as Baron de Kalb, and other foreign military officers
of real merit and sincere devotion to the American cause. These offered
their services to the Congress, and received commissions in the
Continental army.