CHAPTER XII. WAR BEGUN. BEATING DAMASK. mention has been made, HE American people had sent to their king their ultimatum, and though they waited to rear the response it should meet, they were by no means passive. The Legisla ture of Massachusetts, which, as we have seen, had been called the Provincial Congress, though it had no authority except that which was given it by consent of the people, was obeyed, and never were the functions of government more peacefully carried on. The local organizations of which now proved of great ser vice. The selectmen governed the towns without friction, and everywhere there were meetings of pat * See page 206. riotic citizens, drilling of militia, and forming of bands of "minutemen," all of whom were bound to be ready to appear at a moment's warning of danger. The smallest towns did not fear to send to General Gage messages of the most independent nature; and Samuel Adams urged all to study with diligence the art of war; showing the depth of his feeling by saying, "I would advise persisting in our struggle for liberty, though it were revealed from heaven that nine hundred and ninety-nine were to perish, and only one of a thousand to survive and retain his liberty." Of the origin of these feelings, Burke said in Parliament: "From six capital sources: of descent; of form of government; of religion, in the Northern Provinces; of manners, in the Southern; of education; of the remoteness of situation from the first mover of government; from all these causes a fierce spirit of liberty has grown up." One of the earliest acts of the new year was the assembling of a Provincia! Congress of over two hundred members, at Charleston, S. C.; more than twice the number that attended the meetings of the similar body in Massachusetts. Nine days later, on the twentieth of January, the British Parliament met. The policy of the administration was to create divisions among the colonists, and it was supported by the people. It proposed to protect those who remained loyal, and to declare all others rebels. Commerce with the Americans was to be stopped. Chatham moved that the forces be immediately removed from Boston, as the only way to keep peace. He said that the king's information that the American union could not last was mislead COMMITTEE OF SAFETY. 249 ing,* that, on the contrary, the union was "solid," permanent and effectual. In spite of the powerful and true statement of the case made by Chatham, it was announced that the government had determined to use all possible means to bring the Americans to obedience. Franklin was present at the debate, and he had been using all efforts to keep up the good feeling between the two countries, without effect. It was not believed that there could be union between the different Colonies, a view held also by the Tories in America. It was the same feeling which led the ministry to deny General Gage a reënforcement of twenty thousand men. Massachusetts was declared to be in a state of rebellion. The Provincial Congress came together a second time in February, and committed the military affairs to the hands of a Committee of Safety of eleven men who were charged to resist every attempt to execute. the acts of Parliament. Artemas Ward was put at the head of the forces. He had had experience in the French War. Next to him was Seth Pomeroy, who had been at the siege of Louisburg, and had gained a victory over Dieskau at the battle of Lake George. At the same time orders were issued relieving This was not the first time that Englishmen had been "misled" regarding the outcome of affairs bearing upon the interests of America. In 1592, Lord Bacon wrote of the English Brownists, from whom the Pilgrims came, “As for those which we call Brownists, being, when they were at the most, a very small number of very silly and base people here and there in the corners dispersed, they are now (thanks be to God!! by the good remedies which have been used, suppressed and worn out, so as there is scarce any news of them." And yet it was from these that the New World received much of its character and strength. Gage of his command, and Sir William Howe was made commander-in-chief of all the English forces in America. Under Howe were General John Burgoyne and Sir Henry Clinton. Rear-Admiral Sir Richard Howe was in command of the naval forces. The army at Boston was to be raised to ten thousand men, and Gage was superseded because he was not considered able to manage so great a force.* Such was the position of affairs when the first blood was shed. The English commander had heard that ammunition was stored at Salem, and on Sunday, February 26, he sent two or three hundred soldiers to capture it. The expedition landed at Marblehead and marched to Salem. The cannon were not discovered, and the men set out for Danvers. The bridge at the river was found drawn up, and under the command of Timothy Pickering, the passage of the river was resisted long enough to allow the cannon to be removed to a place of safety. In the struggle the British used their bayonets, making some wounds. The people who thus repulsed the soldiers were at church when the alarm was given, but hastened as they had been trained to do during the Indian wars. On the fifth of March, Joseph Warren for the second time, delivered an address on the anniversary of the "Boston Massacre." Samuel Adams presided. The Old South Church was crowded on the occasion to such an extent that the orator was obliged to enter by a window, with the help of a ladder. He depicted the event of the day they celebrated, and then re *Howe, Clinton, and Burgoyne, did not reach Boston until the twentyfifth of the next May, however, and the command of the army was not actually taken by Howe until August second. |