of dollars, and the faith of the union was pledged for their redemption. They eltablished a poft-office, under the direction of doctor Franklin. They directed twelve companies of riflemen to be enlifted,-instituted a general hofpital-and appointed general officers. 46. Appointment of a Commander in Chief. It was a point of immenfe importance, to felect, for the fupreme command of the American Army, a perfon of military talents adequate to the tafk, and of qualities adapted to conciliate the affections and confidence of men of different habits and education, and not free from strong local prejudices. Fortunately fuch a character was found and felected. GEORGE WASHINGTON, a delegate from Virginia, was appointed commander in chief of the American army, on the 15th of June 1775. This gentleman had been employed as an officer in the war with France, and had displayed eminent bravery and talents. To his experience in military affairs, he united found judgement, extenfive knowledge of men, perfect probity, pure morals, a grave deportment, indefatigable industry, eafy manners, trict politeness, a commanding perfon, cool bravery, unfhaken fortitude, and a prudence that baffled and confounded his enemies. 47. The taking of St. Johns. In pursuance of the plan of guarding the frontiers by taking Canada, or crippling the British power in that province generals Schuyler and Montgomery were fent with a body of troops to attack the forts on the borders of Canada. But general Schuyer returning to hold a treaty with the Indians, the command was left with general Montgomery. A fmall fort at Chamblee was firft taken, where a fupply of powder was obtained, and fiege was laid to St. Johns. Some attempts were made by governor Carleton to relieve the garrifon; but in vain; and the garrifon amounting to ieven hundred men, furrendered on the third of November, 1775. This was fucceeded by the furrender of Montreal. The only misfortune that attended these enterprizes, was the lofs of colonel Allen, who engaged in a rafh attempt on Montreal, with a fmall party, was made prifoner, and fent in irons to England. 48. Attack on Quebec, and Defeat of the Americans. Colonel Arnold had been fent with eleven hundred men to penetrate to Quebec by the river Kennebec, and the wilderness. After a most difficult march, in which fatigue and famin reduced his men to about four hundred, the remainder being obliged to return, he joined general Montgomery before Quebec in November. Preparations were made to befiege the city, and fome batteries opened, but the metal was not heavy enough to make an impreffion. General Montgomery therefore determined upon an escalade. The army, fmall in number, and expofed to most inclement weather, made the attack on the last day of the year 1775, in four divifions; two of which attacks were feints to deceive the garrifon. General Montgomery entered the firft barrier, but in attempting the fecond, was killed with most of his attending officers. The divifion commanded by colonel Arnold took a two gun battery, but the commander was wounded and compelled to leave the field. His men fought like herces for three hours, but being furrounded, and seeing no hope of relief, they furrendered prifoners of war. 49. The burning of Norfolk. At the commencement of the troubles in America, violent altercations between lord Dunmore, governor of Virginia, and the affembly, had induced the governor to diffolve the legiflature, and to refufe calling another. A convention was therefore affembled in March, 1775, confifting of two delegates. from a county, who exercifed the powers of government. On which lord Dunmore feized and conveyed on board of a fhip, the powder in the magazine at Williamsburg. The people affembled in arms and demanded the powder, or its value, which the governor promised, and an apparent reconciliation took place. But the governor alarmed by popular meetings, fent his family on board of a fhip of war, and iffued a proclamation, charging the magif trates of Virginia with treafon and rebellion. In June, the governor fummoned the affembly, and attempted to perfuade them to accept of Lord North's conciliatory propofitions; but finding them inflexible, he withdrew on board of the fhip. Many irritations on the part of the country people, and the governor's adherents, at length produced hoftilities, and by order of Lord Dunmore, the flourishing town of Norfolk was laid in afhes, on the first of January 1776. 50. Diffolution of the Colonial Governments. During the year 1775, the old governments of the colonies were all diffolved. The royal governors, and all the crown officers, adhering to the Britifh measures, became odious to the people; and when the popular ferment became violent, they were obliged to leave the country, or fufpend their functions. From that time, temporary conventions were held for the purpofe of adminiftering the laws and making regulations to meet the public occafions. Many adherents to Great Britain, however, remained in the country-fome of them, men of principle, were quiet citizens others took part with the British troops, and by fecret machinations or open hoftility, aided and directed their operations. In fome of the colonies, the British adherents were numerous and powerful; and contributed to weaken the oppofition to the British arms. : 51. Military Operations in and near Bofton. General Washington, foon after his appointment, repaired to the army, accompanied with general Lee, and established his quarters at Cambridge. On his journey, and at camp, he was received and welcomed with the most profound refpect; and his presence inspired a degree of confidence which was an aufpicious prefage of his future influence. The army invefting Bofton, amounted to about fifteen thousand men; but was deftitute of good arms, ammunition, clothing and experienced officers. The first, and a moft difficult task, was, to organize and difciplin the troops. All the powder in the army amounted only to nine rounds to a foldier; and to deceive the country with hopes and the British general with fears, cafks of fand were transported to the camp, under the name of pow. der. A fmall fupply from New-Jerfey, and the cargo of a brig, the first prize taken by captain Manly, afforded a temporary and almost miraculous relief. 52. Deftruction of Falmouth. The inhabitants of Falmouth, a thriving town in Maine, in compliance with the refolves of the provincial congrefs, to prevent the royalists from removing their effects, obftructed the loading of a mat-thip, which drew upon them the vengeance of the British admiral. An order was given to burn the town, which, after a fhort notice to the inhabitants, to remove their effects, was barbaroufly executed; and most of the town was levelled with the duft, on the 18th of October 1775. Such indignities and inhuman mode of warfare added fuel to the popular flame of oppofition, and rendered it inextinguishable. In November following, the government of Maffachusetts authorized letters of mark and reprifal, and inftituted courts of admiralty for the trial and condemnation of prizes. Immediately the fea fwarmed with American privateers, which captured vast numbers of valuable British fhips, and fupplied the Americans with all kinds of goods and military stores. 55. Evacuation of Boston. The want of powder and the neceffity of re-inlifting the troops, whofe time of fervice had expired, rendered the army at Cambridge inactive, during the fummer and autumn of 1775. It was however the intention of general Washington to avail. himself of a bridge of ice over Charles river in the following winter, to march his troops into Boston, and diflodge the enemy. But a council of war advised not to make the attempt.. The mode of attack was therefore varied.. For the purpose of diverting the attention of the enemy a fevere cannonade upon the town, was commenced, on the 2d of Mirch; and on the night of the 4th, a battery was erected on a hill at Dorchester Point, which was near enough to annoy the British troops in Boston. The British commander prepared to attack the works, but a ftorm prevented, until the works were deemed fo ftrong as to tender it inexpedient. The only alternative chen was, to quit the town, which was done with great alacrity; and on the 17th March 1776, gene ral Washington marched into Bofton, to the unspeakable joy of its oppreffed inhabitants. 54. Proceedings of Parliament in the Spring of 1776. The news of the affair at Breed's hill, determined the miniftry to employ a powerful force to reduce the colonies in 1776. For this purpose, they obtained an act of parliament, to justify them in taking into pay and introducing into the British dominions, fixteen thousand German troops, which, with the British regiments, constituted a force destined for America, of about fifty thoufand men. At the fame feffio, an act paffed, to prohibit all trade and intercourse between Great Britain and the colonies. This law was violently oppofed by the English merchants, but without effect. One claufe of the act authorized the feizure and condemnation of all American property, on the high feas, and what was, beyond example inhuman, the bill authorjfed Britifh fubjects to compel men, taken on board America: veffels, to fight against their own countrymen. 55. The Steps preparatory to Independence. In the winter of 1775-6, few men in America had ever thought of a final feparation of the colonies from the dominion of Great Britain. The great body of the people would have been startled at the propofition. Certain leading men probably had long foreseen and contemplated the event; but fome previous steps were neceffary to prepare the public mind for a measure involving in its confequen. ces, the fate of millions. At this time, Thomas Paine, an Englishman of low birth, who poffeffed a popular talent at writing, and no fmall fhare of fophiftry, and who before he debafed himself by infidelity and licentious princi ples was much respected, ushered into the world a number of papers, figned COMMON SENSE, to prove the neceffity andexpedience of a declaration of independence. He was doubtless impelled to this and fupported by eminent characters. The continent was electrified by his writingsthe minds of people were prepared for the great event. 56. Declaration of Independence. The news of the acts of Parliament, by which war was declared againf |