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George Bancroft, History of the United States from the Discovery of the American Continent, Vol. 8, The American revolution. (search)
onsolation in their last hour, for they had no hope that posterity would mark their graves or cherish their memory. On the day of the battle, the continental congress elected its four major generals. Of these, the first, from deference to Massachusetts, was Artemas Ward. Notwithstanding his ill health, he answered: I always have been, and am still ready to devote my life in attempting to deliver my native country. The American people with ingenuous confidence assumed that Charles Lee,—tpon Israel Putnam, of Connecticut. Wooster and Spencer, of the same colony, stood before him in age and rank; but the skirmish at Noddle's Island had been heralded as a great victory, and the ballot in his favor is recorded as unanimous. Of Massachusetts by birth, at the ripe age of thirty seven he began his career in war with the commission from Connecticut of a second lieutenant, and his service had been chiefly as a ranger. Deficient in the reflective powers, he was also unusually illiter
George Bancroft, History of the United States from the Discovery of the American Continent, Vol. 8, Chapter 42: (search)
e of Washington, and expressions of admiring gratitude from the congress in Massachusetts. Gates, who arrived within a week, gained friends by his affability, and hAt Roxbury, where Thomas commanded two regiments of Connecticut and nine of Massachusetts, a strong work, planned by Knox and Waters, crowned the hill, and with the ivision of four thousand men, composed of troops from Connecticut and eight Massachusetts regiments, lay intrenched on Prospect Hill, in a position which was thoughtington Chap XLII.} 1775. July. made allowances for a devoted province like Massachusetts, which had so long suffered from anarchy and oppression. Their spirit, sai In conformity to the direction of the continental congress, the people of Massachusetts, holding town meetings according to their usage and their charter, chose acrifices; only it was done, and though great waste prevailed, the troops of Massachusetts, and for a long time also those of New Hampshire, were fed by the unselfish
George Bancroft, History of the United States from the Discovery of the American Continent, Vol. 8, Chapter 43: (search)
it called into being no troops whose period of service extended beyond the time when an answer to that petition was expected. On the side of Canada, it did little more than sanction the employment of a body of five thousand men for the protection of the border and the frontier, and confirm Schuyler in his command, subject to its own former orders and the future instructions of the commander in chief. Washington, who had represented the necessity of an army of twenty two thousand men in Massachusetts, was authorized to keep up that number; but no method for obtaining troops was proposed beyond recommendations to the several gov- Chap. XLIII.} 1775. July. ernments of New England and New York; and no leave was given for permanent enlistments. Thus far Franklin, who was constant in his attendance, had left his associates to sound their own way and shape their own policy; but he could maintain silent reserve no longer, and on the twenty first of July, the statesman who, twenty one y
George Bancroft, History of the United States from the Discovery of the American Continent, Vol. 8, Chapter 44: (search)
ust, September, 1775. the duties of Washington were more various and Chap. XLIV.} 1775. Aug. burdensome than ever devolved upon a European commander. In the absence of an organized continental government, and with a most imperfect one in Massachusetts, it fell on him to take all thought for his army, from its general direction to the smallest want of his soldiers. Standing conspicuous before the world, with apparently no limiting authority at his side, he made it his rule, as a military cg fuel for the winter, so that there was no reason to expect their voluntary removal; yet the time of the service of his army was soon to expire, the troops of Connecticut and Rhode Island being engaged only to the first of December, those of Massachusetts only to the end of the year; and no provision had been made for filling their places. The continental currency, as well as that of all the provinces, was rapidly depreciating, and even of such paper money the military chest was exhausted, so
George Bancroft, History of the United States from the Discovery of the American Continent, Vol. 8, Chapter 45: (search)
n adjourned session in December, the Maryland convention, fifty five members being present from sixteen counties, resolved unanimously to resist to the utmost of their power taxation by parliament, or the enforcement of the penal acts against Massachusetts. To this end they voted with equal unanimity a well regulated militia, to be composed of all the freemen of the colony, between fifteen and sixty. They resolved also, that all former difficulties about religion or politics from henceforth ster; so that he and the proprietary party were regarded Chap. XLV.} 1775. in the strife as neutrals, not hostile to the American claims of right. The convention which met at Annapolis on the twenty sixth of July resolved fully to sustain Massachusetts, and meet force by force. They saw no alternative but base submission or manly resistance. They therefore approved of the opposition by arms to British troops. The temporary government which was instituted, was, in its form, a universal as
George Bancroft, History of the United States from the Discovery of the American Continent, Vol. 8, Chapter 46: (search)
oldier-like in theirdeportment, and strictly disciplined. They were taught not merely the use of the musket but the ex-to ercise of the great guns. The king's arsenal supplied cannon and balls. New gun carriages were soon constructed, for the mechanics, almost to a man, were hearty in the cause. Hundreds of negro laborers were brought in from the country to assist in work. None stopped to calculate expense. The heroic courage of the Carolinians, who, from a generous sympathy with Massachusetts, went forward to meet greater danger than any other province, was scoffed at by the representatives of the king as an infatuation. Martin, of North Carolina, making himself busy with the affairs of his neighbors, wrote in midsummer: The people of South Carolina forget entirely their own weakness and are blustering treason, while Charleston, that is the head and heart of their boasted province, might be destroyed by a single frigate, and the country thereby reduced to the last distress.
George Bancroft, History of the United States from the Discovery of the American Continent, Vol. 8, Chapter 47: (search)
, a committee to repair to the camp, and, with the New England colonies and Washington, to devise a method for renovating the army. While the committee were on the way, Gage, Oct. on the tenth of October, embarked for England, bearing with him the large requirements of Howe, his successor, which he warmly seconded. The king, the ministers, public opinion in England had made very free with his reputation; but, on his arrival, he was allowed to wear a bolder front than he had shown in Massachusetts, and was dismissed into retirement with the rank and emoluments of his profession. To Howe, the new commander-in-chief, the ministers had sent instructions, which permitted and advised the transfer of the war to New York; but, from the advanced state of the season, and the want of sufficient transports, he decided to winter at Boston, which place he did not doubt his ability to hold. On the fifteenth of October, the committee from congress arrived at the camp. Franklin, who was its
George Bancroft, History of the United States from the Discovery of the American Continent, Vol. 8, Chapter 48: (search)
ryland and Pennsylvania, and by the alteration or repeal of the charters of Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. Secondly: for the pay of the crown officerand changed by act of parliament the charter granted by William and Mary to Massachusetts. The object of the change was the compression of popular power in favor ofantage to Britain and really had nothing to recommend it; to the people of Massachusetts and to the people of Chap. Xlviii} 1775. Aug. all the colonies, submissionte power of parliament over liberty and property in America. The people of Massachusetts resisted: the king answered, blows must decide. A congress of the colonies approved the conduct of Massachusetts; parliament pledged itself to the king. In 1773 a truce was possible; after the alteration of the charter of Massachusetts, iMassachusetts, in 1774, America would have been pacified by a simple repeal of obnoxious acts; in 1775, after blood had been shed at Lexington, some security for the future was need
George Bancroft, History of the United States from the Discovery of the American Continent, Vol. 8, Chapter 49: (search)
dvantage to Britain. The navigation acts, of which it already began to be seen that the total repeal would not diminish British trade, were not questioned; the view of a revenue from America had dissolved; the unwise change in the charter of Massachusetts weakened the influence of the crown by irritating the people; the most perfeet success in reducing the American colonies to un- Chap. XLIX.} 1775. Aug. conditional submission, would have stained the glory of a nation whose great name was du could no longer retrace their steps without resigning their places; war was menaced against the remnant of a popular party in England. As to the colonies, the king would perish rather than consent to repeal the alterations in the charter of Massachusetts, or yield the absolute authority of parliament. The progress of these discussions was closely watched by the agents of France. Its ambassador, just after Penn's arrival, wrote of the king and his ministers to Vergennes: These people appea
George Bancroft, History of the United States from the Discovery of the American Continent, Vol. 8, Chapter 55: (search)
nks himself not further holden: this is the genius and spirit of our people. But the inhabitants along their homeward road expressed abhorrence at their quitting the army, and would scarcely furnish them with provisions; and the rebuke they met with in their towns, drove many of them back to the camp. Others in Connecticut volunteered to take the places of those who withdrew; but Washington had, through the colonial governments, already called out three thousand men from the militia of Massachusetts, and two thousand from New Hampshire, who repaired to the camp with celerity, and cheerfully braved the want of wood, barracks, and blankets. In this manner, with little aid from the general congress, Washington continued the siege of Boston, and enlisted a new army for the following year, as well as could be done without money in the treasury, or powder or arms in store. His ceaseless vigilance guarded against every danger; the fortifications were extended to Lechmere's Point; and eve
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