Little Washington's Relatives Part 5

"'When the Declaration of Independence on July 4th, 1776, was issued, the colonists were prepared for it, and hailed it as the first step in their upward march. About the same time the Earl of Chatham did everything in his power to make the English Parliament understand certain things to which they stubbornly closed their eyes and minds; but all intervention and measures for conciliation were of no avail.

"'In this gathering storm no one felt the solemnity of the crisis more than did George Was.h.i.+ngton. He had been a loyal subject of Great Britain, but his sense of justice and right was too true to be blinded by sentiment. Thus he came out firmly for his own country-America.

"'In his many letters and messages sent to every influential personage in England or the colonies, it will be seen that he moved heaven and earth to obtain honorable rights to the colonists without resorting to force. But the individuals holding the reins of government refused to recognize or think of any other result from this outbreak than suppression by might and power of the human will.

"'Thus it came about that every separate colony in the country came together and formed an unbreakable link of fellows.h.i.+p that would stand against every force to dissolve or break it.

"'Five of the most distinguished patriots from Ma.s.sachusetts and representatives from other colonies met in the month of September to outline rules and acts. General Gage was sent to dissolve this a.s.sembly, but the colonists kept the doors locked until the meeting was closed.

"'General Gage had followed instructions and avoided any act which would lead to hostilities between his men and the colonists, but feeling the lack of provisions and other necessities, he sent out secret detachments to capture what was needed; but the people resented these raids, and offered every resistance to the pilferers.

"'Having learned that a considerable magazine of stores had been formed at Concord, the governor attempted to seize them. On the night of April 18, 1775, he sent 800 picked men under Smith, to secretly confiscate these supplies.

"'But in some way the colonists had been warned of the proposed raid, and as the British troops marched along the road which they expected to find almost deserted at that time of night, they were surprised to meet hors.e.m.e.n, and men on foot, hurrying along also. As no one offered opposition to the soldiers, they never dreamed of trouble.

"'So arriving at Lexington about five o'clock, the troops were surprised to find about a hundred militiamen drawn up on the green before the meetinghouse.

"'Major Pitcairn galloped up and ordered them to disperse, but they refused, so he ordered his men to fire, discharging his own pistol as the signal. Three or four men were killed and the others retreated behind the church.

"'After this skirmish, the opening tragedy of the war, the British marched on to Concord where they soon took possession. Detached parties were placed to guard various approaches to the town, while the main body of soldiers proceeded to destroy the arms, ammunition and provisions found in store.

"'But a body of militiamen, having approached the bridge, which was guarded by a detachment of soldiers, surrounded and fired upon them. A general skirmish took place, and the British retreated with confusion to their main body in the town.

"'Smith ordered a retreat, but the militia, constantly increasing in numbers, opened a galling fire upon the British, at the same time being protected by houses, stone walls and trees.

"'When the British arrived at Lexington, in an exhausted state, they would have been totally destroyed had not Gage, apprehensive for the expedition, sent out Lord Percy with sixteen companies on foot, a corps of marines, and two pieces of artillery to support Smith.

"'This aid checked the first pursuit of the provincials, but the latter kept up an incessant fire upon the British as they marched on their way to Boston.

"'The news of this event excited every one in Ma.s.sachusetts, and soon the whole country was in warlike array. The first blood had been shed by the British without provocation, and the proud army of England had been met by provincial men and made to retreat.

"'The Provincial Congress of Ma.s.sachusetts was in session at the time of this battle at Lexington, and it immediately pa.s.sed a vote to raise 13,600 men. It also called upon the other colonies to increase the army to 30,000; but this request was unnecessary, as the colonists crowded to the standard raised in their defence-more than could be maintained.

"'The fortifications of Boston were considered strong enough to resist an attack, and the garrison of the British was increased by the 10,000 men who arrived about the same time as Lord North's conciliatory message.

"'But the provincials formed a line of thirty miles in extent on the peninsula where the city stood, thus cutting off all communication with the country. Surrounding them was the ocean where the British vessels of war rode at anchor to protect the troops and, if need be, to reduce the town to ashes in an hour's time.

"'The British in the besieged city laughed at the foolish attempts to bring them to submission, for had they not everything needed-war munitions, food stores and everything required for use?

"'On the other side there seemed to be nothing more than a tremendous zeal and willingness to sacrifice all for principle. Untrained men in the ranks, no arms, no resources for war, no s.h.i.+ps or field-pieces-in fact, nothing such as the British thought absolutely necessary to win in a fray. Nothing but _Principle_!

"'But the colonists realized what they were standing for, and every man accepted the work for ultimate salvation from the yoke. Each stood in his place obedient to his superior, and each chief confined his action to his own sphere, while all felt the bond of brotherhood in the furtherance of a grand plan for all.

"'Meantime, while the British were penned up in Boston, Arnold and Allen planned a brilliant scheme. With a small body of men they proceeded against the forts of Crown Point and Ticonderoga, the key to Canada.

They completely surprised and captured these places without the loss of a man, thus securing valuable and much-needed supplies of military stores.

"'Then Arnold was successful against a sloop of war lying at St. John's, and obtained the command of Lake Champlain. This vessel was the very first one to belong to the American navy.

"'In Virginia, much the same spirit animated the people. As soon as war was apprehended, they solicited Was.h.i.+ngton to take command of their troops, and he readily consented to this.

"'The hasty step of Governor Dunmore, causing the powder to be secretly removed from the magazine at Williamsburg to one of his majesty's s.h.i.+ps in the river, caused the whole colony to fly to arms. They resolved to march to the Governor and compel him to restore it.

"'Dunmore hastily agreed to arrange the matter as requested, so the men returned home, but all held themselves in readiness to march at any future alarm.

"'The Second Continental Congress, represented by twelve of the colonies, met at Philadelphia on the 10th of May, 1775, and at this convention Georgia sent delegates and was admitted as the thirteenth member.

"'The account of hostilities at Concord and Lexington, and the capture of Crown Point and Ticonderoga was laid before the Congress. The majority of members, seeing no other way to preserve liberty, urged the necessity of defensive operations.

"'John Hanc.o.c.k, from Ma.s.sachusetts, was president of the Congress, and the master stroke of the convention was the election of Was.h.i.+ngton as commander-in-chief of the United States forces.

"'The fires of rebellion were now burning steadily in every town and hamlet where patriotic freemen collected, and the launching of the first and greatest nation of Liberty on the earth was accomplished.

"'June 18, 1775, Was.h.i.+ngton, now known as General Was.h.i.+ngton, wrote to his wife to acquaint her with all that had taken place at the Congress.

He explained his duty in accepting the position of general of the American army, and he also mentioned family and personal affairs which needed advice.

"'On the 26th of June, Was.h.i.+ngton proceeded from New York to Cambridge, where he arrived on the 2nd of July. He was welcomed with joyful acclamations by the men, who felt the greatest hope and success of their mission safely placed with this general.

"'Was.h.i.+ngton found the army stationed about Boston to consist of 16,000 men, deeply distressed for lack of war munitions, and many of them insubordinate to officers through lack of military training. Thus it behooved the general to remedy the latter trouble and seek a means of providing for the former.

"'Reinforcements from England had arrived for General Gage, and about the time that the Continental army was told that the possession of Bunker Hill, a commanding eminence on the north side of Charlestown peninsula, and nearly opposite the British camp, was of great importance, the British also realized that the colonists meant business.

"'On the night of June 16th a detachment of a thousand men was ordered to take possession of the hill, and throw up with the greatest expedition, fortifications to defend the position; but by some mistake the men took their station on Breed's Hill, another eminence to the right and nearer the enemy's lines.

"'So silently and rapidly did they work that at dawn the British were alarmed to see a redoubt constructed on the brow of the hill, nearly under the guns of their vessels.

"'Orders were given to open fire from s.h.i.+ps and batteries upon the men and works, but this cannonading only served to stimulate the soldiers'

activities and zeal; nor did they cease work until a line of breastwork was completed from the right of the redoubt to the bottom of the hill.

"'General Gage, finding all efforts to dislodge the men from this vantage point unavailing, ordered two squadrons under Howe and Pigot, to drive out the Continentals. While the British forces landed and formed on sh.o.r.e, the Americans continued work on the fortifications. The British proceeded up the hill, while constant fire was poured in upon the colonists and the newly-built works. Orders were given to burn Charlestown lest the provincials find refuge there when they should be driven from the hill-works. As the town was built of wood, it soon blazed high and covered the surrounding land with its smoke and fire.

"'The terrible spectacle was witnessed by unengaged soldiers, men at camp, and the now homeless people of the burning town; but the attention of all was soon engaged in watching the advance of the British army up the slope to the place where the Americans calmly awaited the disciplined men.

"'Major Putnam charged his men to withhold fire until they could see "the white of their a.s.sailants' eyes," and then fire low. So well was this order obeyed that the first volley from the men in the redoubt was so deadly that the advancing troops reeled, wavered and suddenly turned to flee. But the courage of the officers rallied the men, and they again charged up the hill to have the same unerring fire poured into their midst. Then their lines broke and they fled precipitately.

"'General Clinton, seeing this defeat from his camp, volunteered to lead a fresh company to the aid of the retreating men. The third attack was more cautious than the first two had been, and artillery had raked the entire length of the breastworks before the troops reached it. Also, the ammunition of the defenders was nearly exhausted, so that they had to reserve their last fire until the enemy was right at the works.

"'This fire was telling, but had not the same effect as at first, and the redoubt was carried by storm, the Americans dealing death at every step of retreat, and when the powder was gone they used the b.u.t.t end of their guns to such effect that the redoubt was filled with slain enemy.

"'Although the victory was with the British, they were so dismayed at the result of the battle that they offered no resistance to the retreat of the Americans, and the latter soon joined their friends.

"'The British hastily threw up defences on Bunker Hill, and the Americans took a position directly opposite them on Prospect Hill, where they built fortifications that nevermore were approached by the enemy.

"'This battle was one of the most destructive and b.l.o.o.d.y recorded in the wars of the Revolution.

"'News of the fight at Bunker Hill reached Was.h.i.+ngton as he journeyed on horseback to Cambridge to take command of the army. The slaughter of nearly 1,500 men-450 Americans and 1,054 British was omen to the whole world that the fight was on to a finish for Liberty and Democracy.

"'When Was.h.i.+ngton reached Cambridge, Boston was already in a state of siege, so that the new commander had his hands full. From his first headquarters in the house of the president of Harvard College, he moved them to Craigie House, later known as the Cambridge residence of Longfellow.'"