amounting to about eighteen hundred men, having halted an hour or two at Lexington, recommenced their march; but the attack from the provincials was renewed at the same time; and an irregular yet very galling fire was kept up on each flank, as well as in the front and rear. The close firing from hehind stone walls by good marksmen put them in no small confusion; but they kept up a brisk retreating fire on the militia and minute men. A little after sunset, the regulars reached Bunker's hill, where, exhausted with excessive fatigue, they remained during the night, under the protection of the Somerset man of war; and the next morning went into Boston."

In this expedition the British loss was 65 killed, 180 wounded, and 28 missing; total 273. The American loss was 50 killed, 34 wounded, and 4 missing; total 88.

Surprisal of Ticonderoga.-Soon after the bloodshed at Lexington, it was readily perceived that if the controversy with the parent state were to be decided by the sword, the possession of Ticonderoga and Crown Point would be of essential importance to the security of the colonies.

"The first steps for this object seem to have been taken by some gentlemen in Connecticut; and Messrs. Deane, Wooster, Parsons, and others engaged in the affair. The success depended on the secresy with which the affair could be managed. Their first object was to obtain a sum of money to bear the necessary expenses. They procured this to the amount of about eighteen hundred dollars, from the general assembly of Connecticut, by way of loan. Several of the militia captains pushed forward to Salisbury, the northwestern town in that colony; and after a little consultation concluded not to spend any time in raising men, but to procure a quantity of powder and ball, and set off immediately for Bennington, and engage Ethan Allen in the business. With his usual spirit of activity and enterprise, Allen undertook the management of the scheme; and set off to the northward, to raise and collect all the men that he could find. The Connecticut gentlemen having procured a small quantity of provisions, went on to Castleton; and were there joined by Allen, with the men that he had raised from the new settlements. The whole number that were assembled amounted to two hundred and seventy, of which two hundred and thirty were raised on the New Hampshire grants, distinguished at that time by the name of Green Mountain Boys; so called, from the green mountains, among which they resided Sen. tries were immediately placed on all the roads, and the necessary measures taken to procure intelligence of the state of the works and garrison at Ticonderoga.

While Allen and his associates were collecting at Castleton, Col. Arnold arrived, attended only by a servant. This officer belonged

lie down for rest on the ground, their tongues hanging out of their mouths, like those of dogs after a chase."—Stedman.

to New Haven in Connecticut. As soon as the news arrived at that place that hostilities had commenced at Lexington, Arnold, then a captain, set out at the head of a volunteer company, and marched with the greatest expedition to Cambridge. The day after his arrival, he attended the Massachusetts committee of safety, and reported to them that the fort at Ticonderoga was in a ruinous condition; that it was garrisoned by about forty men, and contained a large quantity of artillery and military stores; and might easily be captured. The committee wished to avail themselves of his information and activity; and on the third of May, appointed him a colonel, and gave him directions to enlist four hundred men, and march for the reduction of Ticonderoga. Under these orders, and with this design, he joined the men that were assembling at Castleton; but was unknown to any of them but a Mr. Blagden, one of the Connecticut officers. His commission being examined, it was agreed in a council, that he should be admitted to join and act with them; but that Allen should also have the commission of a colonel, and have the command; and that Arnold should be considered as his assistant.

To procure intelligence, captain Noah Phelps, one of the gentlemen from Connecticut, disguised himself in the habit of one of the poor settlers, and went into the fort, pretending he wanted to be shaved, and enquired for a barber. Affecting an awkward appearance, and asking many simple questions, he passed unsuspected, and had an opportunity to observe the state of every thing within the walls. Returning to his party, he gave them the necessary information, and the same night they began their march to the fort.

With so much expedition and secresy had the enterprise been conducted, that colonel Allen arrived at Orwell, opposite to Ticonderoga, on the ninth of May at night, with his two hundred and thirty green mountain boys, without any intelligence or apprehension on the part of the garrison. It was with difficulty that boats could be procured to pass the lake; a few however being collected, Allen and Arnold passed over, with eighty-three men, and landed near the works. Arnold now wished to assume the command, to lead on the men, and swore that he would go in himself the first. Allen swore that he should not, but that he himself would be the first man that should enter. The dispute beginning to run high, some of the gentlemen that were present interposed, and it was agreed that both should go in together, Allen on the right hand, and Arnold on the lest. On the tenth of May, in the gray of the morning, they both entered the port leading to the fort, followed by their men. The sentry snapped his fusee at Allen, and retreated through the covered way. The Americans followed the sentry, and immediately drew up on the parade. Captain De la Place commanded, but he was so little apprehensive of any danger or hostility, that he was surprised in his bed. As soon as he appeared, he was ordered to surrender the fort. Upon what authority do you require it, said De la Place. 'I demand it,' said Allen, in the name of the great Jehovah, and the Continental Congress.' Surrounded by the Americans who were already in pos

session of the works, it was not in the power of the British captain to make any opposition, and he surrendered his garrison prisoners of war, without knowing by what authority Allen was acting, or that hostilities had commenced between Britain and the colonics. After Allen had landed with his party, the boats were sent back for colonel Seth Warner with the remainder of the men, who had been left under his command. Warner did not arrive till after the place had surrendered, but he took the command of a party who set off for Crown Point. At that place there were only a sergeant and twelve men to perform garrison duty. They surrendered upon the first summons, and Warner took possession of Crown Point, on the same day that Tyconderoga was given up. Another party surprised Skeensborough, made a prisoner of major Skeen, the son, took possession of a strong stone house which he had built, secured his dependents and domestics, and made themselves masters of that important harbor.

By these enterprises the Americans had captured a British captain, lieutenant, and forty-four privates. In the forts they found above two hundred pieces of cannon, some mortars, howitzers, and large quantities of ammunition and military stores; and a warehouse full of materials for carrying on the business of building boats. Having succeeded in their attempts against Tyconderoga and Crown Point, it was still necessary in order to secure the command of lake Champlain, to get possession of an armed sloop which lay at St. Johns, at the north end of the lake. To effect this purpose, it was determined to man and arm a schooner, which lay at South Bay. Arnold had the command of the schooner, and Allen took the command of a number of batteaux, and both sailed for St. Johns. The wind being fresh at the south, Arnold soon passed the lake, surprised and captured the armed sloop in the harbor of St. Johns: in about an hour after he had taken her, the wind suddenly shifted to the north, and Arnold made sail with his prize, and met Allen with his batteaux at some distance from St. Johns.-Williams' Hist. Vermont.

Battle of Bunker's Hill.-On the 5th of May 1775, the Massachusetts Provincial Congress declared General Gage to be disqualified for governor of the province, and that he ought to be treated as an enemy. Towards the end of May a considerable reinforcement of British troops arrived in Boston: Gen. Gage thus strengthened, prepared himself to act with more decision, and it was apprehended that he intended to penetrate into the country. It was therefore recommended by the Provincial Congress to the council of war, to take measures for the defence of Dorchester neck, and to occupy Bunker's Hill.

"Orders were accordingly issued on the sixteenth of June, for a detachment of one thousand men, under the command of Colonel Prescot, to take possession of that eminence; but, by some mistake, Breed's Hill was marked out, instead of Bunker's Hill, for the projected cntrenchments. About nine in the evening, the de

tachment moved from Cambridge, and, passing silently over Charlestown Neck, ascended Breed's Hill, and reached the top of it unobserved. This hill is situated on the farther part of the peninsula, next to Boston; and is so high as to overlook every part of that town, and so near it, as to be within cannon shot. The provincials, who had provided themselves with entrenching tools, immediately commenced the work, and labored with such diligence, that, by the dawn of day, they had thrown up a redoubt, about eight rods square. Although the peninsula was almost surrounded with ships of war and transports, the provincials worked so silently, that they were not discovered until morning. At break of day, the alarm was given at Boston by a cannonade, begun on the provincial works by the ship of war Lively. A battery of six guns was soon after opened upon them from Copp's Hill, in Boston. Under an incessant shower of shot and bombs, the provincials indefatigably persevered in their labor, until they had thrown up a small breast work, extending from the east side of the redoubt to the bottom of the hill, toward the river Mystic.

General Gage, judging it necessary to drive the provincials from this eminence, detached major general Howe and brigadier general Pigot, about noon, with ten companies of grenadiers, and ten of light infantry, with a due proportion of field artillery, to perform that service. These troops landed at Morton's point, where they immediately formed; but, perceiving that the Americans waited for them with firmness, they remained in their first position until the arrival of a reinforcement from Boston. Meanwhile the Americans were also reinforced by a body of their countrymen, with generals Warren and Pomeroy; and the troops on the open

ground pulled up some adjoining post and rail fences, and, placing them at a small distance apart in two parallel lines, filled up the space with new mown grass, and formed a cover from the musketry of the enemy.

The British troops, now joined by the second detachment, and formed in two lines, moved forward with the light infantry on the right wing, commanded by general Howe, and the grenadiers on the left, by brigadier general Pigot; the former to attack the provincial lines in flank, and the latter the redoubt in front. The attack was begun by a very heavy discharge of field pieces and howitzers, the troops advancing slowly, and halting at short intervals, to allow time for the artillery to produce effect on the works. While they were advancing, orders were given to set fire to Charlestown, a handsome village on their left flank, containing about four hundred houses, chiefly of wood; and in a very short time the town was wrapped in one great blaze. This awfully majestic spectacle added indescribable grandeur to the scene, in the view of the unnumbered spectators, who, occupying the heights of Boston and of its neighborhood, were eagerly looking for the approaching battle. The provincials, having permitted the enemy to approach within less than one hundred yards of their works, unmolested, then poured in upon them such a deadly fire of small arms, that the British line was broken, and fell precipitately back toward the landing place. This disorder was repaired by the vigorous exertions of the officers, who again brought them up to the attack; but the Americans renewing their fire, as before, drove them back again in confusion. Gen. Clinton, arriving at this juncture from Boston, united his exertions with those of general Howe and the other officers, and was eminently serviceable in rallying the troops, who, with extreme reluctance, were a third time led on to the charge. The powder of the Americans now began so far to fail, that their fire became necessarily slackened. The British brought some of their cannon to bear, which raked the inside of the breastwork from end to end; the fire from the ships, batteries, and field artillery, was redoubled; and the redoubt, attacked on three sides at once, was carried at the point of the bayonet. The provincials, though a retreat was ordered, delayed, and made obstinate resistance with their discharged guns, until the assailants, who easily mounted the works, had half filled the redoubt.

During these operations, the British light infantry were attempting to force the left point of the breastwork, that they might take the American line in flank; but, while they advanced with signal bravery, they were received with unyielding firmness. The provincials here, as well as at the redoubt, reserved their fire until the near approach of the enemy, and then poured in their shot