XVIII.
BESIEGED.
Thomas Gage, governor, commanding his majesty's forces in America, wassitting in the Province House, greatly disturbed in mind. Theexpedition to Concord had not resulted as he expected. The troops hadmarched out bravely, destroyed a few barrels of flour, disabled half adozen old cannon, burned some carriage wheels, but had returned toBoston on the run like a flock of sheep worried by dogs. The Torieshad informed him that a couple of regiments could march from one endof the continent to the other, but the events of the preceding daywere opening his eyes to a far different state of affairs. Till withina few hours the country had been at peace: farmers following the plow;blacksmiths hammering iron; carpenters pushing the plane. All hadchanged. Thousands were under arms, gathering at Cambridge andRoxbury. The Colonies were aflame,--not only Massachusetts, but NewHampshire, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. The troops which marched toConcord so proudly were back in Boston,--not all: twenty-three hadbeen killed, two hundred wounded and missing. Eighteen of the officershad been killed or wounded. Governor Gage could not gainsay the factthat the citizens were victors. They had followed the troops toCharlestown till nightfall, like a swarm of angry hornets. A greatarmy was closing around him, cutting off his supplies. No more freshbeef or mutton would be for sale in the market; no teams would bringpotatoes and cabbages for the soldiers. What would King George say?What would the ministry think? What would they do? How would thepeople of England regard his administration of affairs? The unexpectedhad happened. He had not dreamed of such an uprising. What courseshould he pursue? All Boston was in commotion. People were packingtheir goods on carts, loading them on boats to flee from the town.Women were wringing their hands, children crying, fathers walking thestreets with careworn faces, not knowing whither to go or what to do.Officers were gathering at the Province House awaiting orders andtalking of what had happened, and smarting under the thought that theretreat had been a flight and almost a panic. It was a humiliatingreflection that disciplined soldiers had been put upon the run by arabble of countrymen. Earl Percy, after a sleepless night, weary andtravel-worn, was gladly welcomed by Governor Gage. He told the storyof the retreat.
Province House.]
"If it had not been, your excellency, for my timely arrival, I fearfew of Lieutenant-Colonel Smith's troops would have escaped, as theywere completely exhausted, their ammunition gone, and the men upon therun. I am free to say that I was completely astonished. I formed mybrigade in hollow square, and his men threw themselves on the groundwith their tongues lolling from their mouths," he said.
"It is plain that you marched none too soon," the governor replied.
"I cannot account for such a sudden uprising. I saw very few rebels.There were no organized bodies of rebels to be seen,--not more thantwenty or thirty in a group; but they were all around us, firing fromfences, rocks, trees, ditches, houses. If we charged and drove them,they were back again the moment we resumed our march. I must admitthey were brave and persistent. They were like so many wasps," saidthe earl.
"I learn," said the governor, "that several thousand armed men havealready gathered at Cambridge and Roxbury. A loyal citizen informs methey have been arriving through the night in great numbers. It seemsprobable that we are to be hemmed in by the provincials for thepresent, and must make preparations accordingly."
Fast and far the alarm had gone. Twenty-four hours and it was onehundred miles away, and Robert Walden of Rumford with bullet-pouch,powder-horn, and musket was on his way, as were Colonel John Stark,Captain Daniel Moore of Derryfield, and hundreds of others in NewHampshire, Israel Putnam, Thomas Knowlton of Connecticut, and theirfellow-citizens, all animated by one thought,--to resist the armedaggressions of the myrmidons of the king. There was a brave heartbehind Rachel's quivering lips when she pressed them to Robert's.
"Roger is sure to be there. Tell him I think of him every night beforeI go to sleep." Little did they know that he was being borne to hislast resting-place on the banks of the winding river.
Robert was glad to learn when he reached Medford that John Stark wasto be colonel of the New Hampshire troops.
Tom Brandon was working day and night to help people obtain passesfrom General Gage and leave the town. More than five thousand closedtheir houses and took their departure.[66] The governor would notallow any one to take their guns or swords, or anything which wouldin any way contribute to the success of the provincials.
[Footnote 66: For a week after the affair at Lexington and Concord,Governor Gage refused the request of the people to leave the town, butthe growing scarcity of provisions compelled him to permit theirdeparture.]
The soldiers from Rumford, having unbounded confidence in RobertWalden, elected him lieutenant. When General Artemus Ward, commandingthe troops at Cambridge, asked Colonel Stark if he had a trustworthyyoung man whom he could recommend to execute an important order,Lieutenant Walden was selected and directed to report at generalheadquarters. He was kindly received and informed he was to negotiatewith the British for an exchange of prisoners.
Mounted upon his horse, Lieutenant Walden rode to Charlestown Neck,and from thence to the top of Bunker Hill to obtain a view of Bostonand the harbor. He saw the warships were swinging at anchor in thestream. Across the river were the silent streets of the besieged town.He could distinguish the home of Captain Brandon, and the Green DragonTavern,--its doors closed. It was not these buildings, however, thatmost interested him, but a mansion on the slope of Beacon Hill, withits surrounding grounds,--the Newville home. The window of MissNewville's chamber was open, the curtain drawn aside. His spy-glassmade it seem very near. How would she greet him were they to meetagain? Would she be changed by the changing circumstances? Would she,daughter of a loyalist, deign to notice him, a rebel? Blessed vision!A figure in white appeared at the window. It was she for whom he couldlay down his life, if need be. Oh, if he could but reach out his handto her,--hear once more the voice that had thrilled him in the past!She stood by the window, looking upon the flowers blooming in thegarden. The vision was but for a moment, for the window was soonclosed and the curtain drawn. He descended the hill, rode through thevillage to the ferry landing, displaying a white flag. It was answeredby the waving of another on the deck of the Lively warship. Then aboat brought a lieutenant of the fleet to the shore.
"Who are you and what do you want?" the curt question of theBritisher.
"I am commissioned by the commander-in-chief of the provincial army toask if it will be agreeable to General Gage to make an exchange ofprisoners?"
"The rebel army, you mean."
"I said provincial, but if it suits you any better to think of theAmericans as rebels, I will not object. We are rebels against tyrannyand oppression, as I trust we always shall be. We have severalofficers of the king's troops in our hands, and you have some of ourmen. If an exchange is desired by General Gage, I am empowered toarrange the details," Robert said with calm dignity.
The Britisher bowed, and the boat pulled back to the ship, returningagain after a time with an officer commissioned to make arrangementsfor the transfer.
The sun was nearing the hour of noon, three days later, whenLieutenant Walden, accompanied by General Putnam, Doctor Warren, and adetail of soldiers, conducted the British officers and men to theferry landing, meeting Major Moncrief and other British officers, withthe provincial prisoners in their keeping. The British soldiers, withtears upon their faces, thanked Doctor Warren for the kind treatmentthey had received. The Americans had no thanks to give for what theyhad received on the strawless floor of the jail, the prison fare forfood. Lieutenant Walden had engaged a dinner in the tavern. Thelandlord set forth his choicest wine. Putnam and Moncrief, being oldacquaintances, chatted of the days at Ticonderoga while partaking ofthe viands and quaffing glasses of madeira.
"While the white flag is waving we will not let our differences marthe pleasure of the hour," said Doctor Warren, who delighted thecompany with his wit. Dinner over, there was a shaking of hands,expressions
of personal good-will, and courteous salutes. With thefurling of the white flag they were enemies once more.
Ships were arriving from England bringing General William Howe,General Henry Clinton, and General John Burgoyne, with severalthousand troops to carry on the war. Every morning Miss Newville heardthe drums beating the reveille and in the evening the tattoo. Manyofficers called at the hospitable home of Honorable Theodore Newvilleto enjoy the society of his charming daughter, who received them withgrace and dignity.
With no fresh provisions in the market, the dinners given by Mr.Newville to the generals Howe, Clinton, and Burgoyne was not soelaborate as that to Lord Upperton, but more appetizing than those onshipboard while crossing the Atlantic. It was a pleasure to GeneralHowe to escort Miss Newville to the dining-room, sit by her side, andlisten to a voice that charmed him by its purity and sweetness. Alady so highly endowed, and with such grace of manner, would adorn anyhome,--even the drawing-room of her majesty the queen.
The home of Mrs. Martha Duncan, with its shrubbery and garden neatlykept, was selected by General Howe as a residence. He hoped it wouldnot greatly inconvenience her; he would gladly remunerate her for anytrouble he might make. It would be a pleasure to have her for ahostess. His own servant would attend to his personal wants.
"Of course, mother," said Abraham, "we cannot prevent him from takingpossession of our home; we may as well make the best of it, accept theinevitable, and spoil the Egyptians if we can. He seems to be agentleman, a man of honor, and will, doubtless, pay us well. Besides,possibly we may learn something that can be turned to good account, ifwe keep our eyes and ears open, and our wits about us."
"It will be only a plain table, my lord, I can provide. Since theprovincials have closed around us, the market has been bare ofprovisions," said Mrs. Duncan.
"I am aware of it, madam, but I doubt not you will be able to furnishappetizing food, possibly a joint of roast mutton from the flocks ofsheep accessible to us on the islands in the harbor, a fresh mackerelor cod. We are not yet shut in from the sea, and possibly we may soonhave free access to the surrounding country, for I hear there is muchdiscontent among the provincials, and their numbers are rapidlymelting away, now that the first excitement is over," responded LordHowe.
"Possibly I may be able to provide early vegetables,--lettuce,dandelions, greens, asparagus, and water-cresses, my lord, if you willallow my negro servant, Cato, to pass the patrol to Charlestown," saidMrs. Duncan.
"I will give him such permission," he replied, writing a pass,directing the sentinels along the wharves, and the marine patrol inthe harbor, to pass the negro servant, Cato.
Not only Cato, but Mrs. Duncan and her son, Abraham, ship-carver andartist, were attentive to the wants of General Howe, receiving shiningguineas in return. It was a pleasure to the British commander, justarrived from England, to talk with a young gentleman so well informedand of such attainments as the son of his hostess.
"I dare say, Mr. Duncan, you are quite well acquainted with thecountry around Boston?" said his lordship.
"I have been up the Charles and Mystic by boat many times, my lord,and visited Cambridge to enjoy the festivities of Class Day, and theorations of graduates at Commencement. I have rambled the Roxburyfields and pastures for strawberries, and am pretty well acquaintedwith the various localities."
General Howe spread out a map and asked many questions in regard tothe surrounding hills, valleys, woods, and cleared lands. He wassurprised to see how well Mr. Duncan could sketch them in with hispencil upon the map which Ensign De Berniere had drawn. Lord Howeintroduced him to Generals Pigot and Clinton, who were pleased withthe intelligent replies to their questions.
There came a day in June when Abraham heard General Howe say to theother commanders that the Charlestown Hills ought to be occupied atonce, for fear the rebels might seize them. Were they to do so, Bostonmight be bombarded, and the ships driven from their anchorage.
"Doctor Warren and General Ward ought to know that," Abraham said tohimself.
There were only a few words in the letter which Abraham Duncan tuckedunder the cuff of Cato's coat-sleeve the next morning, when he steppedinto his boat to cross the river and gather young asparagus andwater-cresses for General Howe's dinner. Cato was directed to hand theslip of paper to Deacon Larkin's negro, Jim, who would know what to dowith it.
Faithful and true to their kind-hearted masters were Cato and Jim,passing the letter from hand to hand, till it reached Doctor JosephWarren in consultation with General Artemus Ward and the committee ofsafety in Cambridge.
"Bunker's Hill is to be occupied at once."[67]
[Footnote 67: The two eminences in Charlestown were named Breed's andBunker's Hill respectively,--that upon which the redoubt wasconstructed was Breed's Hill; the rail fence behind which the troopsfrom New Hampshire fought was on the slope of Bunker's Hill.]
That was all, except an ink blot.
"It is authentic,--from a trustworthy Son of Liberty," said DoctorWarren.
"It has no signature," said General Ward.
"Therefore is not treasonable. Besides, it does not state who is tooccupy Bunker's Hill,--the British or ourselves," the doctor replied.
"How do you know it is genuine--from the writing?"
"No; the hand is disguised. Nevertheless, I know the writer. Heinforms me that the British intend to take possession of CharlestownHeights."[68]
[Footnote 68: General Gage at the outset saw the value of CharlestownHeights from the military standpoint, but was not able to make anymovement to take possession of the ground till the arrival of hisreinforcements.]
"Are you sure it is authentic information?"
"I have no doubt of it. The writer is in position to learn what theyintend to do. He is a very quiet man, but has his eyes and ears open.It is not the first time he has shown his devotion to our cause. Yousay he has not signed it; true he has not written his name, not eventhe initials, yet his signature is upon the sheet,--the insignificantink-blot. It would not be accepted as testimony in a court-martial,but it is sufficient for me," said Doctor Warren.
With the letter came a copy of a proclamation issued by General Gage.No longer were the selectmen of any towns in the Province ofMassachusetts to have anything to say. Martial law was to supersedecivil authority. The provincial soldiers were rebels and traitors whomust lay down their arms at once and go home, if they would hope forpardon; but there was no pardon for Samuel Adams and John Hancock, whomust pay the extreme penalty of the law for inciting the people torebel against their kind and lenient king.
"We ask no favor of King George; he began the war, we will end it,"said the soldiers as they read the proclamation.
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