Engraved for Murrays History of the American War. GENERAL ARNOLD. Printed for T.Robson, Newcastle upon Tyne. Some veffels at length arrived at Boston from Britain and Ireland, which in some measure alleviated the diftreffes of the King's forces in the town and the camp; and though the winter was not fo fevere as to anfwer the expectations of the provincials, the climate had fo much influence as to make both parties fond of their ease, to check the fpirit of enterprize, and to prevent the effusion of blood: fo that for near three months a great quiet prevailed. During this ftate of affairs, the American cruizers and privateers, though exceedingly poor and contemptible, being for most part no better than whaleboats, grew daily more numerous and fuccefsful against the transports and store-fhips, and among a multitude of other prizes had the fortune of taking one which gave a new colour to their military operations. This was an ordnance fhip from Woolwich, which had feparated from her convoy, and being herself of no force, was taken without defence by à fmall privateer. This veffel contained, befides a small mortar upon a new construction, several pieces of fine brafs cannon, a large quantity of fmall arms and ammunition, with all manner of tools, utenfils, and machines neceffary for camps, and artillery in the greatest abundance. The lofs of this fhip was much resented in England, and occafioned fome fevere reflections upon the admiralty, both within and without doors, for hazarding a cargo of fuch value and importance in a defenceless veffel. This fhip and cargo gave new ftrength to the provincials, and furnished them with many things they flood much in need of. Befides it gave them fresh fpirits when they perceived what they could do by properly exerting their trength, and the natural powers and opportunities which Providence had given them. Thefe fucceffes by fea made them more attentive, and caufed them. in all quarters to keep a fharp look out, while the King's fleet were through neceffity confined to the harbour of Bofton. It indeed highly provoked and chagrined the army in the town and on Bunker's Hill, to fee provifions and other neceffaries juft fnatched from them before their eyes, and when their hopes were at the height of expectation of poffeffing them. Notwithstanding these severe disappointments, the town and camp remained quiet and unmolefted by the enemy until the end of February. When all things feemed in perfect calm on both fides, the tranquility of Bolton was on the beginning of March unexpectedly disturbed by fome fudden and unexpected movements on the fide of the colonifts. This was faid to be occafioned by the Congress receiving intelligence of the prohibitory acts, and of. hiring foreign troops; upon this information, they immediately difpatched inftructions to General Wafhington, totally to change the mode of carrying on the war, and to bring the affair at Bofton to the fpeedieft. decifion that was poffible, in order that the army might be difengaged, and at liberty to oppofe the new dangers with which they were threatened. Whatever might be the reafons of this fudden alteration of affairs, a battery was opened at a place called. Phipps's Farm, near the fide of the water, on the night of the 2d of March, from whence a fevere bom-bardment and cannonade was carried on against the town, and repeated on the enfuing nights. This greatly alarmed the army in the town, and all hands were bufily employed in quenching fires, and extinguiling the flames of houfes, the ufual attendants of fuch fuch an attack. While they were employed in this fort of exercise, they faw with inexpreffible furprize, on the morning of the 5th of March fome confiderable works appear on the other fide of the town upon the heights of Dorchefter Point, which had been erected in the preceding night, and from whence a twenty-four pounder and a bomb battery were foon after opened. Some British officers that were prefent confeffed that the expedition with which these works were thrown up, with their fudden and unexpected appearance, recalled to their minds thofe wonderful stories of enchantment and invisible agency which are fo frequent in the Eastern Romances.They were ready to imagine that they had got into Fairy land, where fpiritual agency is supposed to fupply the place of bodily exertions. They could not however but confider, that they were now dealing with a people that were in earnest, and who were not inferior to themselves in industry, to fupport the cause they were engaged in. Both the art and the industry of the colonists began now to be alarming to our troops; they perceived that the men whom they had been taught to defpife as cowards and poltroons, were now their equals, if not their fuperiors, both in application and intrepidity. The fituation of our army was now very critical. The new works, along with thofe which it is evident would be speedily conftructed on fome neighbouring hills, would command the town and a confiderable part of the harbour and beach, from whence an embarkation must take place in the event of a retreat, and render the communication between the troops in the works at Bofton neck and the main body, difficult and dangerous. |