iland alfo paffed refolutions for the procuring of arms and military ftores, by every means, and from every quarter in which they could be obtained, as well as for training and arming the inhabitants. The province of New Hampshire had hitherto preserved a greater degree of moderation than any other of the New-England governments. As foon, however, as intelligence arrived of the tranfactions at Rhode Island, with a copy of their refolutions, and of the royal proclamation which gave rise to them, a fimilar fpirit operated upon that people. A body of men accordin ingly affembled arms, and marched to 1774. the attack of a fmall fort, called William and Mary, confiderable only for being the object of the first movement in the province. This was eafily taken, and fupplied them with a quantity of powder, by which they were enabled to put themselves into a ftate of defence. Dec. 14th, No other acts of extraordinary violence took place during the winter. A firm determination of refiftance was, however, univerfally fpread, and grew the ftronger by the arrival of the King's speech, and the addreffes of the new parliament; which feemed, in the opinion of the Americans, nearly to cut off all hopes of reconciliation. It is remarkable that all the acts and public declarations, which here were recommended as the means of pacifying, by intimidating that people, conftantly produced the contrary effect. The more clearly a determination was fhewn to enforce an high authority, the more frenuously the colonists feemed determined to refift it. The affembly of Penfyl vania, which met by adjournment The proceedings were fimilar in other places, whether tranfacted by the affemblies, or by provincial conventions of deputies. The convention of Maryland appointed a fum of money for the purchase of arms and ammunition. A provin cial convention, which was held at Philadelphia in the latter end of January, paffed a number of refolutions for the encouragement of the most neceffary manufactures within themfelves; among which, falt, gunpowder, faltpetre, and fteel, were particularly recommended. They alfo paffed a refolation, in which they declared it to be their moft earnest with and defire to fee harmony restored between GreatBritain and the colonies; and that they would exert their utmost endeavours for the attainment of that moft defirable object. But that if the humble and loyal petition of the congrefs to his Majefty fhould be difregarded, and the British adminiftration, instead of redreffling their grievances, fhould determine by force to effect a fubmiffion to the late arbitrary acts of parliament, in fuch a fituation they hold it their indifpenfable duty to refift fuch force, and at every hazard to defend the rights and liberties of America. 1775 The affembly of NewYork, which met in the Jan. 10, beginning of the year, was, however, a fingle exception to the the reft of the continent. In this affembly, after very confiderable debates upon the question of acceding to the refolutions of the general congrefs, it was rejected upon a division, though by a very fmall majority. They afterwards proceeded to state the public grievances, with an intention of laying them before the king and parliament; a mode of application in which they were much encouraged by the lieutenant-governor, and from which they prefaged the happieft effects, flattering themfelves, that when all other means had failed of fuccefs, they fhould have the lafting honour of procuring a thorough reconciliation between the mother country and the colonies: a hope, however fruitlefs, which probably had a great effect in their late determination. It was alfo faid, that this method had been fuggefted to them from authority in England. They accordingly drew up that petition to the king, memorial to the lords, and reprefentation and remonftrance to the common's, the inefficacy of which we have already feen. Feb. 1. The new provincial congrefs, which met at Cambridge, in Maffachusetts Bay, did not deviate from the line which had been chalked out by their predeceffors. Among other refolutions they publifhed one, to inform the people, that from the prefent difpofition of the British ministry and parlia ment, there was real caule to fear, that the reafonable and just applications of that continent to GreatBritain for peace, liberty, and fafety, would not meet with a favourable reception; but, on the contrary, from the large reinforcement of troops expected in that colony, the tenor of intelligence from GreatBritain, and general appearances, they have reafon to apprehend, that the fudden deftruction of that colony in particular was intended, for refufing, with the other American colonies, tamely to fubmit to, what they termed, the moft ignominious flavery. They therefore urged, in the ftrongest terms, the militia in general, and the minute men in particular, to fpare neither time, pains, nor expence, at fo critical a juncture, in perfecting themselves forthwith in military difcipline. They paffed other refolutions for the providing and making of fire-arms and bayonets; and renewed more ftrictly the prohibition of their predeceffors, against fupplying the troops at Bofton with any of thofe neceffaries which are peculiarly requifite for the military fervice; the markets at Bofton being still open to the fupply of provifions. As we have made ufe of a term which has hitherto been unknown in military tranfactions, it may require fome explanation. By minute men are to be understood a felect number of the militia, who undertake to hold themfelves, upon all occafions, and at the fhorteft notice, in readinefs for actual fervice. By their alertnefs they have fince fhewn that the name was not mifapplied. A circular letter from the fecretary of itate for the American department, forbidding, in the king's name, and under pain of his dif pleafure, the election of deputies for the enfuing general congrefs, was productive of no manner of effect; the elections every where took place, even in the province of New-York, notwithflanding the late refolution in their affembly. Bolton. To which the injunctions of the different congreffes perhaps contributed as much, as the fhips of war that crowded the harbour, or the force that was stationed in the town. The calm was however precarious and fallacious on both fides. Combustible matter had been gathered in abundance. More was in preparation, and the leaft fpark was likely to kindle a general conflagration. Governor Gage having received intelligence that fome brafs cannon were depofited in the town of Salem, fent a detachment of troops under the command of a field officer, on board a tranfport, Things continued very quiet at of a boat, thereby to gain poffeffion of the bridge; but the country people perceiving his intention, feveral of them jumped into the boat with axes, and cut holes thro' her bottom, which occafioned fome fcuffle between them and the fol. diers in and about the boat. Things were now tending to extremities, as the commander feemed determined to force his paffage, and the others as refolutely bent to prevent it. In this fituation, a neighbouring clergyman, who had attended the whole transaction, remonstrated with the lieutenant-colonel, upon the fatal confequences which would inevitably attend his making ufe of force. And finding that the point of military honour, with refpect to making good his paffage, was the principal object with that gentleman, it being then too late in the evening to profecute his original defign, he prevailed upon the people to let down the bridge, which the troops took poffeffion of; and the colonel having pufhed a detachment a little way into the country, in exercife of the right which he affumed, they immediately after returned, without moleftation, on board the transport. Thus ended this firft expedition, without effect, and happily without mifchief. Enough appeared to fhew upon what a flender thread the peace of the empire hung; and that the leaft exertion of the military would certainly bring things to extremities. The people, fince the acts for calling away their charter, and for protecting the foldiery from any trial in the province, confidered themfelves as put under military government. Every motion of that body became fufpected, and was in their eyes an exertion of Feb. 26. in order to feize upon and bring them to Botton. The troops having landed at Marblehead, proceeded to Salem, where they were disappointed as to finding the cannon; but having fome reafon to imagine they had been only removed that morning in confequence of their approach, it induced them to march further into the country in hopes of overtaking them, In this purfuit they arrived at a draw-bridge over a small river, where a number of the country people were affembled, and thofe on the oppofite fide had taken up the bridge to prevent their paffage. The commanding officer ordered the bridge to be let down, which the people peremptorily refufed, faying, that it was a private road, and that he had no authority to demand a paffage that way. For to the last moment the language of peace was preferved, and until the fword was decifively drawn, all refistance was carried on upon fome legal ground. Upon this refufal, the officer determined to make ufe the the most odious and moft dreadful tyranny. This appearance of refiftance feems, on the other fide, to have greatly irritated the military, for from this time they appear to have lived upon worse terms with the inhabitants of Bofton than they had hitherto done; fome general and wanton infults, as well as particular outrages having been complained of. But the crifis was now falt approaching, in which all leffer evils and calamities were to be loft and forgotten in the contemplation of thofe of a great and ferious nature. The provincials having collected a confiderable quantity of military flores at the town of Concord, where the provincial congrefs was alfo held, General Gage thought it expedient to detach the grenadiers and light infantry of the army, under the command of lieutenantcolonel Smith, and major Pitcairn of the marines, in order to deftroy them. It is faid and believed, that this expedition had another object in view, which was to feize on the perfons of Meffrs. Hancock and Adams, thofe great and obnoxious leaders of the faction which oppofed the new fyftem of government. The detachment, which was fuppofed to confift of about 900 men, embarked in boats at Boston on the night preceding the 19th of April, and having gone a little way up Charles river, landed at a place called Phipps's Farm, from whence they proceeded with great filence and expedition towards Concord. Several officers on horfeback in the mean time fcoured the roads, and fecured fuch country people as they chanced to meet with at that early time. Notwithstanding these precautions, they difco vered, by the firing of guns and the ringing of bells, that the country was alarmed, and the people actually began to affemble in the neighbouring towns and villages before day-light. Upon their arrival at Lexington, about five in the morning, they found the company of militia, belonging to that town, affembled on a green near the road; upon which an officer in the van called out, Difperfe, you rebels; throw down your arms, and difperfe: the foldiers at the fame time running up with loud huzzas, fome fcattering fhots were first fired, and immediately fucceeded by a general difcharge, by which eight of the militia were killed and feveral wounded. Thus was the first blood drawn in this unhappy civil conteft. Great pains were taken on each fide to fhew the other to have been the aggreffor upon this occafion. A matter of little confequence, in a political view, as things were now too far advanced to leave room for a probable hope of any other than fuch a final iflue. It was faid in the Gazette, that the troops were firft fired upon from fome neighbouring houfes. There is fome obfcurity in this bufinefs, for it appears, from the general tenor of the evidence, as well of fome of our own people who were taken prifoners, as of a great number of the provincials, all whofe depofitions were regularly taken and attefted by proper magiftrates, that the firing both at Lexington and Concord was commenced by the troops. Indeed it feems evident, that a fingle company of militia, ftanding, as it may be faid, under the muzzles of our foldiers guns, would have been fufficient pledges to prevent any outrage outrage from their friends and neighbours in the adjoining houfes. After this execution, the detachment proceeded to Concord, the commanding officer having previoully difpatched fix companies of light infantry to poffefs two bridges which lay at fome diftance beyond the town, probably with a view of preventing any of the ftores from being carried off that way; or, if he had orders about the feizure of perfons, to prevent the efcape of thofe whom it was his object to fecure. A body of militia, who occupied a hill in the way, retired at the approach of the troops, and palled over one of thofe bridges, which was immediately after taken poffeffion of by the light infantry. The main body having arrived at the town, proceeded to execute their commiflion, by rendering three pieces of iron cannon unferviceable, deftroying fome gun and other carriages, and throwing feveral barrels of flour, gunpowder, and mufket ball into the river. In the mean time, the militia which retired from the hill, feeing feveral fires in the town which they apprehended to be of houses in flames, returned towards the bridge which they had lately paffed, and which lay in their way thither. Upon this movement, the light infantry retired on the Concord fide of the river, and began to pull up the bridge; but upon the near approach of the militia, (who feemed ftudioufly to have avoided all appearance of beginning the attack, and made as if they only wanted to pafs as common travellers) the foldiers immediately fired, and killed two men. The provincials returned the fire, and a kirmish enfaed at the bridge, in which the former feem to have been under fome difadvantage, and were forced to retreat, having feveral men killed and wounded, and a lieutenant and fome others taken. About this time the country rose upon them. The troops were attacked on all quarters; fkirmish fucceeded upon fkirmish; and a continued, though icattering and irregular fire, was fupported through the whole of a long and very hot day. In the march back of fix miles to Lexington, the troops were exceedingly annoyed, not only by the purfuers, but by the fire from houfes, walls, and other coverts, all of which were filled or lined with armed men. It happened fortunately, that General Gage, apprehenfive of the danger of the fervice, had detached Lord Percy early in the morning with 16 companies of foot, a detachment of marines, and two pieces of cannon, to fupport Colonel Smith's detachment, and that they were arrived at Lexington, by the time the others had returned from Concord. This circumftance was the more fortunate, as it is reported the fift detachment had by that time expended all their ammunition; but if that even had not been the cafe, it fcarcely feems poffible that they could have efcaped being cut off or taken in the long fubfequent retreat of fifteen miles. This powerful fupport, especially the cannon, afforded a breathingtime to the first detachment at Lexington, which they already much wanted. The field pieces obliged the provincials to keep their diftance. But as foon as the troops resumed their march, the attacks, as the country people became more numerous, grew in proportion more violent, and the danger was con tinually |