COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF.
The deeds done ere this by the King's troops had made a great stir
through-out the land. The chief men of each State met in
Phil-a-del-phi-a, and sought out ways and means to help those who were
in arms, as foes of King George, and a large force of men, from
Ma-ry-land, Penn-syl-va-ni-a, and Vir-gin-i-a, were soon on hand to
march and join the troops near Bos-ton.
But who was to lead them? The choice at once fell on George
Wash-ing-ton, but he held back. He thought that Mas-sa-chu-setts'
troops might not care to be led by a man from the south; and, too,
Gen-er-al Ward, who was then at their head had the first right, for
Wash-ing-ton's rank was not so high as his.
There was much talk on this score, and in the midst of it a
Mas-sa-chu-setts man, John Ad-ams, rose and said that the man he
thought fit to lead our troops was in that room, and he came from
Vir-gin-i-a.
All knew whom he meant, and as Wash-ing-ton heard his own name he rose
from his seat and left the room.
Then votes were cast, and all were for Wash-ing-ton, and he felt that
he could not say No to such a call. He spoke his thanks in a few
words, and said that he would do the best that he could, and serve
with-out pay. He set out from Phil-a-del-phi-a June 21, 1775. With him
were Gen-er-al Lee and Gen-er-al Schuy-ler, and a troop of
light-horse, which went all the way to New York.
As soon as it was known that Wash-ing-ton was on the road, crowds ran
out to meet him, and to show their pride in him.
When he reached New York he heard of the fight at Bunk-er Hill, and
made haste to join the troops in their camp at Cam-bridge. He reached
there Ju-ly 2. The next day all the troops were drawn out in line, and
Wash-ing-ton rode out at the head of his staff till he came to a large
elm tree. Here he wheeled his horse, and drew his sword and took
charge of all our troops as their Com-mand-er-in-chief.
He found much to do, and much to bear from his own men as well as from
the red-coats. It came to his ears that our men who fell in-to the
hands of the red-coats at Bunk-er's Hill, were not well used, and he
wrote at once to Gage and asked him to be less harsh. Gage, who had
fought by his side in 1753, when both were young men, wrote back that
he thought he should have praise and not blame, since he had saved the
lives of those who were doomed to be hung.
Wash-ing-ton at first thought he would do as he was done by, but his
heart failed him, and those of the red-coats that were in the hands
of our troops were set free, if they gave their word they would not
fight for King George.
By such acts Wash-ing-ton sought to show that "A-mer-i-cans are as
mer-ci-ful as they are brave."
The camps in which Wash-ing-ton found his troops were as odd as the
men them-selves. Some of the tents were made of boards, some of
sail-cloth, or bits of both, while here and there were those made of
stone and turf, brick and brush-wood. Some were thrown up in haste and
bore no marks of care, while a few were wrought with wreaths and
twigs, and spoke well for the taste of those who made them.
The best camp of all was that of the Rhode Is-land men in charge of
Gen-er-al Na-than-i-el Greene. Here were found as good tents as the
red-coats had, and the men were well-drilled and well-dressed. Greene
was brought up on a farm. His fa-ther was a black-smith, and at times
his son worked with the plough, or took his place at the forge.
At the first note of war, Greene left the farm and in the month of
May, 1775, was in charge of all the troops of his own small state. He
went to Bos-ton, and took notes while there of all that the red-coats
did, and in this way learned much that he could put to good use. His
troops had fought at Bunk-er Hill, and there were none in the whole
force that bore them-selves so well, or made so fine a show.
Greene was six feet tall, and not quite two score years of age. He was
strong and well built, and his frank way won the heart of
Wash-ing-ton, and the two were warm friends from that time.
Wash-ing-ton now set to work to add strength to the weak parts of his
line, and to throw up fresh works round the main forts. All the live
stock had to be kept off the coast so that they would not fall in-to
the hands of the foe.
He sought to draw the red-coats out of Bos-ton, but they would not
stir. When Wash-ing-ton took charge of the troops, he thought that he
could go back to his home when the cold days came on, and spend some
time there with his wife.
But there was no chance for him to leave, so he wrote to Mrs.
Wash-ing-ton to join him in the camp. She came and staid with him till
the next spring; and this was her course all through the war.
She came in her own coach and four, with her son and his wife. The
black foot-men were drest in red and white, and the whole turn-out was
in the style in use in Vir-gin-i-a at that day.
Wash-ing-ton had his rooms in the Crai-gie House, in Cam-bridge, and
here Mrs. Wash-ing-ton took charge and gave the place more of a
home-like air.
At that time the camp of Cam-bridge was filled with all sorts of
troops. Some had spent the most of their lives in boats, some were
brought up on farms, some came from the woods, and each group wore the
dress that pleased them best, and laughed at those who were not drest
the same.
This made sport for some time and jokes flew thick and fast.
One day some men came in-to camp drest in an odd garb, such as was
worn to hunt in. The suit was made of deer-skin, and the long shirt
had a deep fringe all round. This dress was the cause of much mirth to
men who came from the sea-shore, and were used to short coats, and
rough plain clothes.
There was snow on the ground, and when the jokes gave out, snow-balls
took their place, for a war of words is quite sure to end in blows.
Men came up to the aid of both sides. Fists were used, and all took
part in the hand-to-hand fight, and there was a great stir in the
camp.
While the fight was at its height Wash-ing-ton rode up. None of his
aides were with him. He threw the reins of his own horse in-to the
hands of the black-man who rode near, sprang from his seat, and rushed
in-to the thick of the fray. Then he seized two of the tall stout
hunts-men by the throat, and talked to them and shook them while he
held them at arm's length.
This put an end to the brawl at once, and the rest of the crowd slunk
off in haste, and left but three men on the ground: Wash-ing-ton, and
the two he held in his grasp.
As the cold days and nights came on the men grew home-sick, and longed
to be by their own fire-sides. It was right that some of them should
go, for they had served out their time, and this made the rest
lone-some and sad. Songs would not cheer them, and they paid no heed
to the words of those who sought to rouse them from these depths of
woe.
Wash-ing-ton was full of fears, which were shared by all those who
were near him in rank, yet he did not lose hope. Gen-er-al Greene
wrote, "They seem to be so sick of this way of life, and so home-sick,
that I fear a large part of our best troops will soon go home." Still
his heart did not lose hope. All would come right in time; and his
words of cheer were a great help to Wash-ing-ton at this time.
The year 1775 had been a dark one for our land, and there was no ray
of hope to light the dawn of 1776. There were but 10,000 troops to
take the field. There was a lack of arms, a lack of clothes, and a
lack of food, and these things made camp-life hard to bear, and were a
great grief to the heart of the chief. He could not sleep. Had the foe
known of their plight, they would have borne down on them and swept
them out of sight. But God took care of them.
In the first month of the year there was a stir on the Bos-ton
wharves. A large fleet of boats lay in the stream, on board of which
the red-coats swarmed, and there were two sloops-of-war filled with
guns and war-like stores.
All were in charge of Gen-er-al Howe, and Wash-ing-ton guessed what
his plans were! and felt that the time had come for him to strive to
wrest Bos-ton from the King's troops.
The out-look was bright. More troops had come to his aid, and he made
up his mind to place part of his force on Dor-ches-ter Heights, and,
if he could, draw out the foe to fight at that place. At a sign, the
troops on the Heights and at Nook's Hill were to fire at the same
time, and rake the town with balls and bomb-shells. At the same time
boats full of troops were to start from the mouth of Charles Riv-er,
and act in the rear of the red-coats. It was thought that these moves
on the part of our troops would bring on such a fight as they had had
on Breed's Hill.
On the night of March 4, our men made their way to the Heights, and
at dawn of the next day strong forts loomed up, and seemed as if they
must have been brought there at the touch of a wand.
Howe gazed on them and said, "The reb-els have done more work in one
night than my whole ar-my would have done in a month."
He must drive them from the Heights, or leave Bos-ton. While pride
urged him on, fear held him back, for he knew that his loss would be
great. But he must make a move of some sort, so he made up his mind to
send boats out that night with a force of troops in charge of Lord
Per-cy. But a storm came up from the east; the surf beat high on the
shore where the boats would have to land; and the scheme was put off
till the next day. But it stormed just as hard the next day; the rain
came down in sheets; and the boats staid where they were.
In the mean time our men kept at work on the hills on the north side
and south side, and when the storm ceased Gen-er-al Howe saw that the
forts were now so strong there would be no chance to take them.
Nor was it safe for him to stay in Bos-ton. Yet the Ad-mi-ral said
that if Howe's troops did not seize the Heights, the ships-of-war
should not stay near Bos-ton; so his lord-ship would have to leave
with what grace he could, much as it might wound his pride.
When the word went forth that the troops were to leave, strange sights
were seen in Bos-ton town and bay. For some days the red-coats went
this way and that in great haste. More than three-score-and-ten boats
were cast loose for sea, with at least 12,000 men on board of them.
While this stir took place not a shot was sent from the Heights, and
it was well that this was so, as the red-coats had laid plans to set
the town in a blaze if our troops fired one gun.
The red-coats left Bos-ton March 17, and our troops, in charge of "Old
Put"--as the brave Put-nam was called--marched in-to town in fine
style.
For some days the fleet lay off the coast of Rhode Isl-and, and it was
feared for a-while that they meant to strike a blow and win back what
they had lost. But no such thing took place, and ere long the fleet
sailed out of sight.
"Where they are bound," wrote Wash-ing-ton, "and where they next will
pitch their tents, I know not."
He thought they were on their way to New York, but such was not the
case. They had steered for Hal-i-fax, to wait there for more troops,
and for the large fleet that was to come from Eng-land.
A vote of thanks and a large gold coin with his face on one side of
it, were sent to Wash-ing-ton by the chief men of the land, as part of
his due for what he had so far done to save A-mer-i-ca from King
George's rule.
Wash-ing-ton, who thought the next move of the red-coats would be on
New York, set out for that place, and reached there A-pril 13. He went
to work at once to build forts, and to send out troops, and to make
the place as strong as it ought to be. He did not know the plans of
the foe, nor from what point they would hurl the bolts of war.
All was guess-work, but still in the midst of doubt it would not do to
be slack.
The town was put in charge of the troops, and the rules were quite
strict. Those who went in or out had to give the pass-word. "We all
live here, shut up like nuns," wrote one who was fond of a gay life,
"There's no one in town that we can go to see, and none to come and
see us."
Good times in New York were at an end. Our troops had been forced to
leave Can-a-da, and it was known that the red-coats would push their
way to New York. Forts were built on high banks up the Hud-son, and
on the isles at its mouth, and all done that could be done to check
them in their march.
In the mean time it had been thought a good plan to set a day in which
it might be shown through-out the land that A-mer-i-ca was, and, of a
right, ought to be, a free land. So in Ju-ly an Act was drawn up and
signed by the wise men who met in Phil-a-del-phi-a to frame the laws
for the new States, and there was great joy, for it was a great day.
Bells were rung. Shouts and cheers rent the air. Fires blazed, and
hearts burned, and men knelt to pray, and give thanks to God.
John Ad-ams said the Fourth of Ju-ly ought to be kept up with great
pomp through-out A-mer-i-ca,--"with shows, games, sports, guns, bells,
and bon-fires"--till the end of time.
The news did not reach New York till Ju-ly 9, and at six o'clock that
night Wash-ing-ton read the Act to his troops.
New York was wild with joy, and felt that more must be done than just
to ring bells and light fires.
In Bow-ling Green, in front of the fort, there stood a cast of George
Third, made of lead. This a mob of men pulled down and broke up, that
the lead might be run in-to small shot and be used in the cause for
which they fought.
This did not please Wash-ing-ton, and he told his troops that they
must not take part in such deeds.
The joy did not last long, for on Ju-ly 12, the ships-of-war in the
bay sent out a broad-side, and it was thought they would at once fire
the town. Crowds were on the streets. The troops flocked to their
posts. Fear was in each heart, and New York was in a great stir. But
two ships--the _Phoe-nix_ and the _Rose_--left the fleet and shaped
their course up the Hud-son.
Then the guns were still, and fear died out for a-while. That night
there was a fresh scare. Guns boomed and clouds of smoke were seen
near the ships-of-war down the bay.
Men on the look-out told that a ship-of-the-line had come in from sea,
and each man-of-war gave her a round of guns as she passed by. At her
fore-top mast-head she bore the flag of St. George. No need to tell
more. "Lord Howe is come! Lord Howe is come!" was the cry that went
from mouth to mouth, and the word soon flew through the town, and all
felt that the hour of doom was close at hand.
Lord Howe sought peace, and not blood-shed, and hoped, by the terms he
would make, to bring not a few hearts back to their King. But he came
too late.
The Kings troops did not think much of the rank that was borne by our
men, who, they felt, had no right to put on the airs they did, and
call them-selves grand names.
In a few days Lord Howe sent one of his men on shore with a flag of
truce, to seek speech with Wash-ing-ton. The man's name was Brown. His
boat was met half-way by a barge which had on board one of our troops,
named Reed, to whom Brown said he had a note for _Mis-ter_
Wash-ing-ton.
Reed said that he knew no man of that name.
Brown held out to him the note he had in his hand, which bore on its
face: _George Wash-ing-ton, Esq._
Reed said that he could not take the note. He knew what was due to his
chief. So there was naught for Brown to do but to take to his oars. He
had not gone far when he came back to ask "What style should be used
to please Gen--(here he caught him-self and said) _Mis-ter_
Wash-ing-ton." Reed told him that Wash-ing-ton's rank was well known,
and Lord Howe could be at no loss as to the right style.
In a day or two an aide-de-camp came with a flag from Lord Howe, and
asked if Col-o-nel Pat-ter-son might have speech with _Gen-er-al_
Wash-ing-ton. Reed, who met the aide was prompt to grant this and
pledged him-self that no harm should come to him who came in the
King's name.
So the next day Pat-ter-son came, and when he stood face to face with
Wash-ing-ton, bowed and said "_Your Ex-cel-len-cy_." Wash-ing-ton met
him with much form and state. He was not a vain man, but was proud of
the rank he held, and thought that no man--were he a king--had a right
to look down on A-mer-i-ca, or show the least slight to her
Com-mand-er-in-chief.
When he came to hear the terms on which Lord Howe sought to make
peace, he found they were not such as he could take, so the war went
on.