ter 1774-5, no tranfactions of fufficient moment to demand a particular recital had occurred in America. Military preparations continued to be made with unremitting ardor, and the cannon and stores belonging to government were feized by the provincials in Rhode-Ifland and other parts; as, on the contrary, general Gage had made va rious feizures of ammunition, powder, &c. depofited in the vicinity of Boston. The king's fpeech, and the fubfequent proceedings of parliament, left no hope of accom modation; for the refolution and refentment of America rofe in proportion to the arbitrary and oppreffive acts of Britain and a fingle spark only was now wanting to fet the whole continent in a flame. General Gage, having intelligence of a confiderable magazine depofited at the town of Concord, about twenty miles diftant from Boston, where the provincial congrefs was alfo held, detached, on the night preceding the 19th of April, 800 grenadiers and light infantry, under the command of colonel Smith, who proceeded Ses émiffaires, loppe ainfi que fes opérations des plus profondes ténèbres. fes créatures font les refforts avec lefquels il meut cette machine politique felon fa volonté. Son fyftème politique eft celui des anciens TORYS, qui foutiennent que la bonheur de l'Angleterre demande que le Roi jouiffe d un pouvoir defpotique. Impérieux et dur dans le gouvernement, peu fou cieux fur le choix des moyens qu'il emploie, fa mal-adreffe dans le manicment des affaires l'emporte encore fur fon obftination. Un million de livres fterlins que la nation paye annuellement au Roi pour l'entretien de fa Lifte Civile ne fuffifoit qu'à peine pour contenter la vénalité des membres du parlement. La nation dégradée par fon fouverain même n'eut depuis d'autre volonté que la fienne. Mais, comme fi ce n'étoit pas affez, le lord Bute engagea le Roi à taxer des impôts arbitraires les colonies Americaines, autant pour augmenter fes revenus que pour donner un exemple qui par la fuite des tems pût être imité dans la Grande Bretagne. Les Americains, qu'on n'avoit pas daigné corompre, s'opposèrent ouvertement à cet impôt fi contraire à leurs droits, à leurs coutumes, et furtout aux li bértés dont ils jouiffoient depuis leur établiffement. Un gouvernement fage fe feroit hâté d'appaifer ces troubles naiflans; mais le ministère de Londres agit d'après d'autres principes. La dureté et la violence acheva de foulever les Americains. Ils tinrent un congrès à Philadelphe, où, renonçant au joug Anglois qui deformais leur devenoit infupportable, ils fe declare rent libres et indépendans. Dès-lors voilà la Grande Bretagne engagée dans une guerre ruineufe avec fes propres colonies. La France, toujours rivale de l'Angleterre, voyoit avec plaifir les troubles. Elle encouragecit fous main l'efprit de revolte, et animoit les Americains à foutenir leurs droits contre le defpotifme que le Roi George III. vouloit y établir, en leur préfentant en perspective les fecours qu'ils pouvoient attendie."Cuv. de Frederic III. tome iv. proceeded on their march with great filence; but by the firing of guns and ringing of bells they at length perceived themselves discovered; and on their arrival at Lexington, at five in the morning, they found the company of militia belonging to that place drawn up on the Green; on which major Pitcairn, who led the advanced guard, cried out, "difperfe, rebels! throw down your arms, and difperfe!" This not being immediately complied with, he ordered the foldiers to fire; eight or ten of the provincials were killed, and the reft speedily retreated. The king's troops immediately marched on to Concord, deftroyed fuch stores as they found, and spiked three or four pieces of iron cannon. On their return, the paffage of a bridge being difputed by a party of provincials, a fkirmifh enfued, in which feveral men were killed on both fides; and the whole country being by this time alarmed; rofe on all quarters, preffing close upon their rear; and a scattering and irregular fire was alfo directed against them from behind trees, houses, and hedges, which supplied the place of lines and redoubts. It fortunately happened, that general Gage, apprehenfive of the danger of the fervice, had early in the morning ordered lord Percy, with a fecond detachment equal in number to the first, and two field pieces, to march to Lexington, where they were joined in a fhort time by colonel Smith, who would otherwise have found great difficulty in forcing his way back to Boston, his ammunition being entirely expended. As foon as the troops refumed their march, they were again haraffed and affailed in the fame manner as before; and with great fatigue and great damage, they at length arrived about fun-fet at Charlestown, whence they croffed the harbor in boats to Boston, under the protection of the Somerset man of war. In the different actions of the day, the lofs of the king's troops was estimated at near 300 men, in killed, wounded, and prifoners, while that of the provincials did not exceed 90. Such was the inaufpicious commencement of this disastrous war, war, and fo ill did facts correfpond with the boastful language of thofe BOBADILS, who had threatened that at the head of a few regiments they would carry terror through the continent. The fword being once drawn, the Americans seemed determined to throw away the fcabbard. In a few days after the engagement at Lexington, the provincial congrefs of Maffachusetts refolved, that 30,000 men be forthwith raised, of which generals Ward, Putnam*, Heath, and Thomas, were appointed to the command: and a great military force collecting in the vicinity of Bofton formed the complete blockade of that important town. On the 10th of May 1775, the general congrefs, regardless of the circular letter of lord Dartmouth, forbidding in the king's name the election of delegates, met at Philadelphia; and among their first acts were, refolutions for raising a continental army, and establishing a paper currency; alfo a declaration, That, by the late violation of the charter of Maffachusetts Bay, the compact between the crown and that colony was diffolved. The colonies of New York and North Carolina now declared their fixed refolution to unite with the other provinces in every effort to retain their juft rights and liberties. The conciliatory propofition of lord North being taken into confideration, it was unanimoufly rejected; and for this rejection the congrefs affigned their reasons at large and in a very mafterly manner. "If," fay they in their public declaration, "we accede to this propofal, we declare without refervation, we will purchase the favor of parliament, not knowing at what price they will please to estimate it. We think the attempt unneceffary to raise upon us by force or threats our * General Putnam, who had ferved with reputation under lord Amherst at the head of the Connecticut troops during the laft war, had long fince retired to a remote farm, which he cultivated with his own hands: and when the intelligence of his appointment was notified to him, he was found, like another Cincinnatus, in a leathern frock and apron, occupied amongst his laborers in fencing-in his land. Without a moment's hefitation-within eighteen hours repairing to the head-quarters at Lexington, which was little short of an hundred English miles diftant. our proportional contributions for the common defence; when all know, and themfelves acknowledge, we have fully contributed whenever called upon to do fo in the character of freemen. We are of opinion, it is not just that the colonies fhould be required to oblige themselves to other contributions, while Great Britain poffeffes a monopoly of their trade; this of itself lays them under heavy contributions. To demand therefore additional aids in the form of a tax, is to demand the double of their equal proportion. If we are to contribute equally with the other parts of the empire, let us equally with them enjoy free commerce with all the world." At the latter end of May, the generals Howe, Burgoyne, and Clinton, arrived at Bofton, with large reinforcements of troops; fo that the entire force ftationed in that place or its vicinity was now become very confiderable, not lefs than 10,000 men. A proclamation was alfo iffued by general Gage, offering a pardon, in the king's name, to all who fhould forthwith lay down their arms; excepting only from the benefit of this amnefty, Samuel Adams and John Handcock, who were deftined to condign punishment. All those who did not accept of the proffered mercy were declared rebels and traitors, and martial law established till the colony was restored to the king's peace. No other notice was taken by the congrefs, of this proclamation, than to choose Mr. Handcock prefident of that affembly. At the fame time GEORGE WASHINGTON, efq. was unanimously chofen general and commander in chief of the continental army. This gentleman had diftinguished himself early in life by his gallant exertions in the late war, particularly on the memorable day of the defeat of general Braddock; when, at the head of the provincial militia, he covered the retreat of the regular forces, and prevented the total ruin of the royal army. Since the termination of the war, he had refided upon his eftate at Mount Vernon, on the banks of the Potowmac, a beautiful and romantic spot fi tuated tuated in the interior parts of Virginia, folely occupied in the arts of agricultural improvement and cultivation. His character for understanding, probity, and patriotism stood in the highest degree of eftimation. His perfonal accomplishments correfponded with thofe of his mind; and his countenance and figure were fingularly noble and engaging. No choice ever met with more general and zealous approbation, nor ever reflected in the event more honor on the judgment and fagacity of those by whom it was made. The new general fignified his acceptance of this high and arduous appointment in a very handsome speech, in which he modeftly declared his incompetency to the command, which he styled "a field too boundless for his abilities, and far, very far beyond his experience: but in obedience to the call of his country, he would, without hesitation, enter upon this momentous duty, and exert every power he poffeffed, in support of so glorious a cause; at the fame time informing the affembly, that he would receive no pecuniary emoluments in compenfation of his fervices." Horatio Gates, efq. was appointed by the congress adjutantgeneral, and Artemas Ward and Charles Lee, efqrs. first and second major-generals. The last of these officers was a man of extraordinary and eccentric genius, who had served with great reputation in Portugal and elsewhere during the last war. Paffionately attached to the princi ples of democratic liberty, rather from a proud difdain of fuperiority than from the pure and genuine ardor of benevolence, on the profpect of a war with the colonies, he had refigned his commiffion in the British army, and immediately offered his fervices to congrefs, by whom they were gladly accepted; and on his military talents, skill, and experience, they justly placed very great dependence. The English generals, weary of their confined situation, and feeling no doubt the difgrace of being with fo great a force blockaded by an enemy they had affected to defpife, had formed a plan to poffefs themselves of the heights of Dorchefter, |