High on the foremost seat, in living light,
Majestic Randolph caught the hero's sight-
Fair on his head, the civic crown was plac'd,
And the first dignity his sceptre grac❜d.

He opes the cause, and points in prospect far,
Through all the toils that wait th' impending war,
But, hapless sage, thy reign must soon be o'er,
To lend thy lustre, and to shine no more.
So the bright morning star, from shades of ev'n,
Leads up the dawn, and lights the front of heav'n,
Points to the waking world the sun's broad way,
Then veils his own, and shines above the day.
And see great Washington behind thee rise,
Thy following sun, to gild our morning skies;
O'er shadowy climes to pour th' enliv?ning flame
The charms of freedom and the fire of fame.
Th' ascending chief adorn'd his splendid seat,
Like Randolph, ensign'd with a crown of state,
Where the green patriot bay beheld, with pride,
The hero's laurel springing by its side;
His sword hung useless, on his graceful thigh
On Britain still he cast a filial eye;
But sovereign fortitude his visage bore,
To meet their legions on th' invaded shore.

Sage Franklin next arose, in awful mien, And smil'd, unruffled, o'er th' approaching scene; High, on his locks of age, a wreath was brac'd, Palm of all arts, that e'er a mortal grac'd; Beneath him lie the sceptres kings have borne, And crowns and laurels from their temples torn. Nash, Rutledge, Jefferson, in council great, And Jay and Laurens op'd the rolls of fate. The Livingstons, fair freedom's generous band, The Lees, the Houstons, fathers of the land, O'er climes and kingdoms turn'd their ardent eyes, Bade all th' oppress'd to speedy vengeance rise; All powers of state, in their extended plan, Rise from consent to shield the rights of man. Bold Wolcott urg'd the all-important cause; With steady hand the solemn scene he draws;

24

Undaunted firmness with his wisdom join'd,

Nor kings nor worlds could warp his steadfast mind.

Now, graceful rising from his purple throne
In radiant robes, immortal Hosmer shone;
Myrtles and bays his learned temples bound,
The statesman's wreath, the poet's garland crown'd-
Morals and laws expand his liberal soul,
Beam from his eyes, and in his accents roll.
But lo! an unseen hand the curtain drew;
And snatch'd the patriot from the hero's view;
Wrapp'd in the shroud of death, he sees descend
The guide of nations and the muse's friend.
Columbus dropp'd a tear. The angel's eye
Trac'd the freed spirit mounting through the sky.

Adams, enrag'd, a broken charter bore,
And lawless acts of ministerial power;
Some injur'd right in each loose leaf appears,
A king in terrors and a land in tears;
From all the guileful plots the veil he drew,
With eye retortive look'd creation through;
Op'd the wide range of nature's boundless plan,
Trac'd all the steps of liberty and man;
Crowds rose to vengeance while his accents rung,
And Independence thunder'd from his tongue.

BATTLE OF BUNKER'S HILL.

1. WHETHER he was deceived by the resemblance of name, or from some other motive unknown, colonel Prescott, instead of repairing to the heights of Bunker's Hill, to fortify himself there, advanced further on in the peninsula, and immediately commenced his intrenchments upon the heights of Breed's Hill, another eminence, which overlooks Charlestown, and is situated towards the extremity of the peninsula, nearer to Boston. The works were pushed with so much ardor, that the following morning, by day break, the Ameri

Why was Breed's Hill fortified instead of Bunker's Hill?

cans had already constructed a square redoubt, capable of affording them some shelter from the enemy's fire. The labor had been conducted with such silence, that the English had no suspicion of what was passing. It was about four in the morning, when the captain of a ship of war first perceived it, and began to play his artillery. The report of the cannon attracted a multitude of spectators to the shore.

2. The English generals doubted the testimony of their senses. Meanwhile the thing appeared too important not to endeavor to dislodge the provincials, or, at least, to prevent them from completing the fortification commenced; for, as the height of Breed's Hill absolutely commands Boston, the town was no longer tenable, if the Americans erected a batterý upon this eminence. The English, therefore, opened a general fire of the artillery of the town, of the fleet, and of the floating batteries stationed around the peninsulas of Boston. It hailed a tempest of bombs and balls upon the works of the Americans-they were especially incommoded by the fire of a battery planted upon an eminence named Cop's Hill, which, situated within the town, forms a species of tower in front of Breed's Hill. But all this was without effect. The Americans continued to work the whole day, with unshaken constancy; and towards night, they had already much advanced a trench, which descended from the redoubt to the foot of the hill, and almost to the bank of Mystic river. The fury of the enemy's artillery, it is true, had prevented them from carrying it to perfection.

3. In this conjuncture, there remained no other hope for the English generals, but in attempting an assault, to drive the Americans, by dint of force, from this formidable position. This resolution was taken without hesitation; and it was followed, the 17th of June, 1775, by the action of Breed's Hill, known also by the name of Bunker's Hill; much renowned for the intrepidity, not to say the temerity, of the parties; for the number of the dead and wounded; and for the effect it produced upon the opinions of men, in regard to the valor of the Americans and the probable issue of the whole war.

4. Between mid-day and one o'clock, the heat being in

Why were the English so desirous to dislodge the Americans from Breed's Hill?-When was the battle of Bunker's Hill fought?

tense, all was motion in the British camp. A multitude of sloops and boats, filled with soldiers, left the shore of Boston, and stood for Charlestown; they landed at Moreton's Point, without meeting resistance; as the ships of war and armed vessels effectually protected the debarcation with the fire of their artillery, which forced the enemy to keep within his intrenchments. This corps consisted of ten companies of grenadiers, as many of light-infantry, and a proportionate artillery; the whole under the command of major-general Howe, and brigadier general Pigot. The troops, on landing, began to display, the light infantry upon the right, the grenadiers upon the left; but, having observed the strength of the position, and the good countenance of the Americans, general Howe made a halt, and sent to call a reinforcement.

5. The English formed themselves in two columns. Their plan was, that the left wing, under general Pigot, should attack the provincials in Charlestown; while the centre assaulted the redoubt; and the right wing, consisting of light-infantry, should force the passage near the river Mystic, and thus assail the Americans in flank and rear; which would give the English complete victory. It appears, also, that General Gage had formed the design of setting fire to Charlestown, when evacuated by the enemy, in order that the corps, destined to assail the redoubt, thus protected by the flame and smoke, might be less exposed to the fire of the provincials.

6. The dispositions having been all completed, the English put themselves in motion. The provincials, that were stationed to defend Charlestown, fearing lest the assailants should penetrate between this town and the redoubt, and thus to find themselves cut off from the rest of the army, retreated. The English immediately entered the town, and fired the buildings-as they were of wood, in a moment the combustion became general. They continued a slow march against the redoubt and trench; halting, from time to time, for the artillery to come up, and act with some effect, previous to the assault. The flames and smoke of Charlestown were of no use to them, as the wind turned them in a contrary direction.

7. Their gradual advance, and the extreme clearness of

Why were the English induced to burn Charlestown?

the air, permitted the Americans to level their muskets. They, however, suffered the enemy to approach, before they. commenced their fire; and waited for the assault in profound tranquillity. It would be difficult to paint the scene of terror presented by these circumstances. A large town, all enveloped in flames, which, excited by a violent wind, rose to an immense height, and spread every moment more and more; an innumerable multitude, rushing from all parts, to witness so unusual a spectacle, and see the issue of the sanguinary conflict that was about to commence. The Bostonians, and soldiers of the garrison, not in actual service, were mounted upon the spires, upon the roofs, and upon the heights. The hills, and circumjacent fields, from which the dread arena could be viewed in safety, were covered with swarms of spectators, of every rank, and age, and sex; each agitated by fear or hope, according to the party he espoused.

8. The English having advanced within reach of the musketry, the Americans showered upon them a volley of bullets. This terrible fire was so well supported, and so well directed, that the ranks of the assailants were soon thinned and broken-they retired, in disorder, to the place of their landing-some threw themselves precipitately into the boats. The field of battle was covered with the slain. The officers were seen running hither and thither, with promises, with exhortations, and with menaces, attempting to rally the soldiers, and inspirit them for a second attack. Fi nally, after the most painful efforts, they resumed their ranks, and marched up to the enemy. The Americans reserved their fire, as before, until their approach, and received them with the same deluge of balls. The English, overwhelmed and routed, again fled to the shore. In this perilous moment, General Howe remained for some time alone upon the field of battle-all the officers, who surrounded him, were killed or wounded. It is related, that, at this critical conjuncture, upon which depended the issue of the day, General Clinton, who, from Cop's Hill, examined all the movements, on seeing the destruction of his troops, immediately resolved to fly to their succcr.

9. This experienced commander, by an able movement, re-established order; and, seconded by the officers, who felt all the importance of success to English honor and the course