Sidebilder
PDF
ePub

taining 1500 stands of arms, and co-operated with NewYork and Philadelphia, in closing their port, and laying restrictions on commerce.

In Virginia, measures were not so cordial. The governor secured about 750lb. of powder, and caused it to be conveyed from the public magazine, on board an armed British vessel, on the night of the 20th of April. This gave a gene ral alarm to the citizens of Williamsburg, who assembled under the direction of the mayor, and corporation, and demanded the powder, in a spirited addres s to the governor, who gave them assurances that it should be instantly returned, if any insurrection should require it. This satisfied Williamsburg; but Patric Henry, as captain of a volunteer corps, marched from Hanover county, to secure the public treasury at Williamsburg, as well as to obtain satisfaction for the powder; but when they had arrived within 15 miles of the capital, the receiver general made a full compensation for the powder, and the citizens pledged themselves to secure the public treasury, and magazine, and the captain disbanded his troops, and returned.

[ocr errors]

The governor resented this outrage upon his authority, as he termed it, and threatened to be revenged upon the people, by erecting the royal standard, enfranchising the negroes, and arming them against their masters. These threats, added to the outrage of the governor upon the rights of the people, in seizing the powder, highly exasperated the citizens of Virginia, and in the midst of this high excitement of the public mind, arrived the news of the Lexington battle. They turned their first attention to the organization of their militia; formed volunteer companies, and prepared for the war.

The minds of the Carolinians were equally prepared for tidings from the north, by the arrival of a packet from London, on the 19th of April; which brought out the

whole war budget from England, and opened their eyes to the views of Parliament, and disclosed the fact, that war or submisson was inevitable. The principal characters of Charlestown, upon the arrival of the news of the Lexington fight, seized about twelve hundred stands of arms, in the royal arsenal, and caused them to be distributed amongst the people: regardless of their defenceless sea coast, (then exposed to the depredati ons of the British, along the coast,) as well as of their extensive frontier, which would be laid open to the ravages of an Indian war; they rose manfully to the contest, determined to sacrifice every thing rather than resign up their dear native rights.

The patriotism of South-Carolina was highly to be appreciated, because the embarrassments which she had to surmount were truly great.

Her goverment was decidedly a royal government, and had been from an early date: she had never known, nor tasted of those blessings of liberty, which had been common to the other colonies; her governor was absolute, under the crown; he held the command of her militia ; and all military officers held their commissions of him. The people were without arms, ammunition, money, clothing, ships, or even discipline; no civil community could be more defenceless; yet all these embarrassments, the patriots of South-Carolina braved, with undaunted firmness, and enrolled themselves in the ranks of their country, to share the dangers, and reap the rewards of the common cause.

All the embarrassments attached to South-Carolina were spread before North-Carolina; yet she surmounted them all, and embarked in the cause of freedom, with ardent patriotic zeal, and shared in the dangers, and distresses of her suffering country, as well as the glories of her triumphant cause.

CHAPTER VII.

AMERICAN REVOLUTION CONTINUED.-SIEGE OF BOSTON CONTINUED.-CAPTURE OF TICONDEROGA.-BATTLE OF BUNKER'S HILL.

THE battle of Lexington had now opened the bloody conflict between Great-Britain and her colonies in Ameri-, ca, and the madness of her counsels, and the more than mad system of her measures, had now arrayed the nation against herself, and kindled a civil war, to the inexpressible grief of her friends, and the eternal joy of her enemies. Thus armed against herself, she put forth all her efforts to prosecute the war, and bring the colonies at her feet.

The colonies were now arrayed in one firm bond of union, under the guidance of their General Congress; and this union, added to the justice of their cause, and the spirit of the day, together with their confidence in the God of their fathers, formed the whole strength and confidence of the nation. Thus arrayed in defence of their fires and their altars, without arms, ammunition, or military stores; without ships, without money, without credit, and even without allies, America committed her cause to God, and entered the lists with Britain, then mistress of the seas, and arbiter of the world.

The provincial congress of Massachusetts dispatched the following circular to the several colonies, bearing date April 28, 1775.

"We conjure you, by all that is dear, by all that is sacred, that you give all assistance possible in forming an army in defence of the country. Our all is at stake. Death and destruction are the certain consequences of delay. Every moment is infinitely precious. An hour lost may deluge your country in blood, and entail perpetual

slavery upon the few of your posterity that may survive the carnage. We beg, and entreat, as you will answer it to your country, to your consciences, and above all, as you will answer it to your God, that you will hasten, by all possible means, the enlistment of men, to form an army, and send them forward to head quarters, at Cambridge, with that expedition which the vast importance and instant urgency of the affairs demand."

This circular gave wings to the motions of that ardent zeal with which the conflict of Lexington had inspired the valiant sons of liberty; they rallied to the contest; obeyed the calls of their country, and flew to the relief of their companions in arms at Cambridge, and enrolled themselves in the ranks of their country. Arduous were the duties of the soldiers of the old war, on whom devolved the first and most important services of forming camps, embodying the troops, raw and undisciplined; full of zeal for the rights and liberties of their country; but unused to camps, and the active as well as arduous and responsible duties of the soldier. In this interesting and trying scene, it is recorded of some officers, that they appeared at the head of their respective guards, day and night, by the week together, without repose, or even changing their clothes, knowing that an attack by surprise, from a formidable, disciplined enemy, must prove ruinous to the American army.

Whilst this army was thus collecting and forming at Cambridge, Col. Ethan Allen arrived at camp, at the head of a company of volunteers from the New-Hampshire Grants, (Vermont,) and reported to the Massachusetts committee of safety, the defenceless situation of Fort Ticonderoga; the practicability of a surprise; and offered his services for the enterprise. The committee gave him a colonel's commission, on the 3d of May, and empowered him to raise four hundred men, and march to the reduction of

that post. Col. Allen repaired immediately to Vermont, and engaged in the service of raising the men.

At the same time the patriots of Connecticut, under the direction of Messrs. Dean, Wooster, Parsons and others, concerted the same plans; several officers of the militia set out on the expedition, and proceeded to Salisbury, where they were joined by a Mr. Blagden, and they all proceeded on to Bennington, to engage Col. Allen in the enterprise.

The colonel received them cordially, and proceeded to complete his complement of men, whilst they prepared such stores, and supplies, as were necessary for the expe dition, and Castleton was fixed upon as the place of rendezvous. Col. Allen assembled his detachment, consisting of two hundred and thirty Green Mountain Boys, and joined' the party at Castleton, agreeable to appointment; the whole force then consisting of two hundred and seventytwo.

Whilst they were engaged in posting sentries upon all the roads leading to Ty, to prevent all intelligence from reaching the fort, Col. Arnold arrived from camp at Cambridge, with only a servant, and joined the party. His object was to take the command; but it was over-ruled in council, that Col. Allen should command, and that Colonel Arnold should join, and act as his assistant. Thus arrayed, these patriots moved forward towards the object of their destination. Col. Allen with his Green Mountain Boys, arrived at the lake on the 9th of May, and at the same time, a detachment of 30 men advanced to Skeensborough, and surprised Major Skeen, his son, and all the tenants, and negroes, upon his plantation, to the number of seventy; disarmed them, and sent the major and his son, as prisoners of war, down into Connecticut.

On the 10th, Col. Allen crossed over the lake with a detachment of eighty-three men, and surprised the fort, in

[ocr errors]
« ForrigeFortsett »