The Minute Boys of Boston

by James Otis

  CHAPTER X

  ON BREED'S HILL

  It was somewhere near about this time when our numbers were slightlyincreased by the arrival of a portion of Colonel Stark's regiment, and Iverily believe that the coming of those men did more to dishearten usthan if they had stayed away. After having had sight of such a smallforce, a few of the faint-hearted cried out in anger, declaring we wereto be left to our fate, or that some one had blundered in sending uswhere there could be no question but that an assault would be provoked.

  Hiram allowed no one to say aught against our leaders in his hearing. Hearoused us all by calling this man a coward, and accusing another ofshowing the white feather, when any grumbling was indulged in, fairlyshaming the timorous one into silence by declaring that he who raisedhis voice in protest against embracing the first opportunity to measurestrength with the Britishers, despite the fact that the odds weregreatly against us, was an enemy to the Cause. He even went so far as todeclare, although he had no knowledge regarding it whatsoever, thatheavy reinforcements were already on the way from Cambridge.

  Just at that time I was giving more heed to the spectacle before me,than to the great disparity in numbers between the Britishers andourselves. The barges laden with red-coated men, who stood or satimmovable as statues with the sunlight glinting on their accoutermentslike tiny flashes of lightning, came on steadily. The oarsmen workedwith the greatest precision, while the _Lively_ and the _Falcon_ sweptwith iron hail all that tract of land between Breed's hill and thepoint.

  It was a wondrous sight, the landing of those troops at Morton's point.Even though they were enemies, and were come to grind us yet furtherinto the dust, I could not but admire the military exactness with whichthey disembarked and moved in heavy lines straight up on what wesometimes called Morton's hill, as if the whole force was one giganticpiece of machinery instead of being formed of human atoms.

  General Howe was in command of the Britishers, as we afterward learned,and he acted as if intending to take matters in the most leisurely waypossible, for after all the troops had arrived and ascended the hill,huge tubs containing punch made from spirits, and baskets seeminglyfilled to repletion with food, were brought ashore from the barges,while we who were thirsty and hungry could look down upon thosered-coated men as they were allowed to stretch themselves at ease uponthe ground, eating and drinking at their pleasure.

  The sight was one well calculated to cause us greater desire for foodand drink than before, if indeed that could be possible, and for a timeI believed General Howe had done this for no other purpose than totantalize us, thus showing how different was the care taken of thosehired men who served the king only for the money to be gotten thereby,and us who were struggling to free our land.

  Afterward I came to learn that the reason for the long halt on Morton'shill was that the troops had brought with them cannon balls too large tobe used in their pieces, and the delay in making an attack was enforcedthat this mistake might be rectified by sending to Boston for what wasneeded.

  By the time the lobster backs had come to an end of their sumptuousdinner, we on Breed's hill were heartened by seeing the remainder ofColonel Stark's regiment and all of Reed's corps coming forward on thedouble quick, and then those grumblers who had declared we had been sentto this place that we might be sacrificed, were forced to hold theirpeace, for the dullest among them must have understood that General Wardhad sent to us all the men that could safely be spared from the postsnearabout.

  "How many think you we shall number after yonder troops come up?" Iasked of Hiram, and he put the figure at about three thousand. I havesince seen it set down that the whole number of our people, includingthose who came to cover the retreat, did not exceed four thousand.

  I felt better in mind after Hiram had replied to my question, believingthat we would be somewhere near even in point of numbers; but within tenminutes that sense of security had vanished, for I saw yet another fleetof barges coming out from Boston town laden with infantry, marines, andgrenadiers.

  Hiram could not but note the look of dismay which came over the faces ofthe Minute Boys on seeing these reinforcements, for he said laughingly,as if the whole matter was a gigantic joke:

  "General Howe must indeed be a prudent man. The king's governor has saidthat a British soldier is the equal of five such rag-tag as makes upour army, and yet he doesn't deem it wise to come toward us until hisarmy is increased by two thousand or more. Let us say there are fivethousand lobster backs yonder and on the water, yet 'twixt now andnightfall we shall show them that little more than half the number ofour people can play hob with the whole blooming outfit."

  Then he fell to whistling Yankee Doodle, that tune which the Britishershad set for the purpose of making sport of our people, and it was wellhe took it up just then, for more than once during the battle whichfollowed did I hear our fifers and drummers screaming and beating outthose notes of derision, as if to tell the red-coated hirelings thatYankee Doodle had indeed come to town, and come to stay even longer thanmight be pleasant.

  The British reinforcements arrived at Madlin's ship-yard, some of themremaining on the shore at the point of disembarkation, and othersmarching to join those on Morton's hill.

  Now truly did it seem as if the prudent General Howe had made all hisarrangements for wiping us off the face of the earth, and yet helingered like the small boy that stands naked on the brink of a streamof icy water, knowing he must plunge in sooner or later, but dreadingwoefully to do so.

  All of us who had worked during the night, and a considerable number ofthose who had just come up, were ordered to take post within theredoubt, and it cheered me wondrously to see with Colonel Prescott,Doctor Warren, that kindly gentleman who never passed a lad without afriendly smile or word, and who had many for us Minute Boys as we filedin striving to look as much like soldiers as possible.

  As nearly as I can now remember, our two artillery companies werebetween the breastwork and the rail fence on the eastern side, and asmall number of men lined the cartway on the right of the redoubt. TheConnecticut and the New Hampshire men were at the rail fence on the westside of the redoubt, and there were two or three companies drawn up onthe main street at the base of our hill.

  Now up to this point I can speak with considerable of certainty, havingHiram at my elbow to point out this movement or that; but once we werefronting the Britishers, and the fumes of burning powder assailed mynostrils, I lost all knowledge of what was being done save immediatelyaround me, and there were times, when the fight grew hottest, that Icould not for the life of me have told you what I did or said.

  This much I must set down in justice to our Minute Boys of Boston: Itwas not a cheerful position even for tried soldiers to be in, thisseeing the flower of the king's troops marching up the hill, well fedand well armed, outnumbering us two to one, while we who had never evenseen warfare, hungry and thirsty to such point that our tongues wereparched dry, and with but a scanty supply of ammunition, stood behindour breastworks awaiting what surely seemed must be little less than aslaughter of us all who loved the Cause.

  I dare venture to say that every fellow in my company understood fullwell all the danger that menaced, and yet not one of them flinched; eachlad did a man's full duty, and performed, I might say, more than isdemanded of a soldier.

  It was near to three of the clock in the afternoon before General Gagewas ready to wipe us out. Then we saw those long lines of red movingsteadily forward, and my heart leaped within me when our fifers blewall their breath into the tune of Yankee Doodle, while an hundred ormore of us sang that song which the Britishers had written as a cheapway of showing their contempt for those people who had been loyal to theking until he and his ministers, by cruel oppression, drove them to thisso-called rebellion.

  "Don't fire until they are within seven or eight rods," I heard officerafter officer caution us as we stood there with muskets ready for thatoncoming line of red. "When you can see the whites of their eyes, aim attheir waistbands, and remember
that the finest coats cover thecommanders, who it were better to pick off than if you shot half a dozenmen."

  Again and again was that command repeated, and even while it was beingdinned into our ears so emphatically, Doctor Warren, seeming to think weMinute Boys might show the white feather, came up to us as we stoodwhere we could peer over the breastwork, and said:

  "Steady, lads, it is not the number that counts, but the spirit.Remember that every British bullet does not find its billet; but see toit that all of yours strike the target. You lads smelled burning powderoff Hog island when the odds against you were greater than they are now,and came off victorious, as you will this day if you hold true to yourtraining."

  "Never fear, doctor, but that the lads will give a good account ofthemselves!" Hiram cried in a cheery tone. "A little bit of red acts onthem much the same as it does on a bull, and the Minute Boys won't bethe first to turn tail, that I promise you."

  "There is no need of a promise, my lad. I know it full well; butbetween now and when you open fire is a vexing time, during which many agood man has lost his head, therefore have a care just at this moment."

  Now despite all the warnings that had been given, there were some in theredoubt who could not stand inactive while those lines of red werecoming so steadily upon us, and I know full well how the men whodisobeyed the command must have felt, for it was only by the greatestexercise of my will that I could prevent myself from pulling the triggeras I stood there, peering over the intrenchments, my musket leveled fullat a fellow who had seemingly more of gold lace than cloth in hisuniform.

  The Britishers were well within gunshot when three or four men at myright, overcome most like by nervous excitement, discharged theirweapons.

  Then it was that Colonel Prescott, leaping from the platform on which hehad been standing, cried out that he would shoot the first man who firedbefore word was given, and at the same moment Colonel Robinson ranaround the top of the works knocking up the leveled muskets so that wemight not be tempted to fire.

  It seemed as if we were wasting time in allowing the enemy to come sonear before giving them a taste of our quality; but because of therating which Colonel Prescott had given those who offended, I no longerhad any desire save to await the word of command.

  Steadily but surely the red-coated lines advanced until it was as ifthey would literally over-run us while we remained inactive. I had againleveled my musket at the man who wore such a plentiful supply of goldlace, and it seemed to me as if he was no more than two yards away,although as a matter of course the distance was much greater, whenColonel Prescott shouted:

  "Fire! my men, take aim and fire!"

  Never before nor since have I seen such effective results. It seemed tome as if whole squads went down. There were great gaps in the linethrough which I could see as far as Morton's point, and the grass wasstrewn with blotches of red until it was like as if a carpet of crimsonhad suddenly been thrown over it.

  Immediately our muskets were discharged we reloaded, firing whensoeverwe could, and by this time such of the Britishers as were yet on theirfeet answered us with a volley that did little or no execution, becauseof being aimed over our heads.

  There was the rattle of musketry close about us; the heavy booming ofcannon from the king's ships, and from the guns General Howe had broughtwith him. It was as if all the shore of Boston town had suddenly beenlined with great guns belching forth fire and shot, while the smokesettled down over us and over those scattered ranks in front of theintrenchments, parching our throats and burning our eyes until we couldno longer see anything before us.

  Then it was that the fever of battle took possession of us; I wasconscious only of loading and discharging my musket as rapidly aspossible. Now and then shrieks of agony came to my ears, mingled withthe volleys of great guns and the rattle of small arms, which seemedonly a natural accompaniment to the din, and to the blood-thirstinesswhich assails one at such times.

  Once I understood, as if looking down upon two figures with whom I hadno connection, that Archie was speaking; but I neither heard the wordsnor made any answer, and could not tell whether he turned away, orremained there talking, when suddenly a great shout went up, andeverywhere around me men were crying:

  "The lobster backs have turned tail! They have got all of Yankee Doodlethey needed!"

  Our people cheered wildly. Some even threw down their weapons to danceabout as do children, and, coming fairly to my senses, I leaned over thebreastwork seeing, as the smoke cleared away, those men who had solately come up to over-run us, fleeing like frightened sheep, leavingbehind them here and there squads of dead or wounded comrades, some ofwhom shrieked with pain, and others, striving to follow in the retreat,crawling on hands and knees, dragging after them shattered limbs,staining the grass with crimson, until one could almost fancy that evenamid the fumes of powder it was possible to detect that acrid odor whichcomes from blood.

  In my delirium it was as if I had lived a whole life-time fighting,struggling to force back those soldiers of the king who fought only forthe wage they received, caring naught for the righteousness of theircause, and yet, as I was told, we had not been at the work above tenminutes.

  Ten minutes! and in that time we had forced back full twice our number!We, the rag-tag of the colonies, had in fair fight against great oddsbeaten all the men they had sent to slay us, and this in the face ofthat furious fire from ships, and from the batteries in town!

  While I stood there craning my neck to view the results of our ownblood-thirstiness, I gave heed only to the victory which we had won,never thinking what might be the cost until Hiram plucked me frombehind, and, turning, I saw lying here and there within the redoubt oneand another of our people writhing in pain, or lying stark and still indeath.

  Strange though it may seem, until that moment I had not believed ourfriends might have suffered. In my foolishness I fancied, if indeed Igave it a thought, that we had come out from that storm of lead withouta scratch, and all my exultation vanished beneath a chill that was likeunto fear.

  "How many of our poor fellows have been cut down?" I cried, and theremust have been in my voice that which told Hiram I was near to showingthe white feather, for he shouted harshly, and as if in anger:

  "It's no affair of yours, Luke Wright, how many have paid for the lovethey bear the colonies! The battle is but just begun, and many anotheramong us will follow them before the day has come to a close!"

  "But just begun?" I repeated stupidly. "We have whipped them, Hiram!Look yonder, not a man remains on the hill who can run or crawl about."

  "Don't flatter yourself as to that. These men who have been hired totake the chances of death will be forced back upon us. Look yonder," andhe pointed toward Boston town. "One, two, three, four, five barges, andfilled with marines, if so be I can make out the color they wear afterall the glare of red that has been before my eyes. Howe has called foryet more reinforcements! The coward dares not meet us again two to one;but must make the odds yet greater!"

  I do not understand how it was; but when Hiram thus pointed out to methat which, under other circumstances, would have made my heart morecowardly, it was as if all my waning courage came back to me, andinstead of shrinking on seeing the shattered lines reformed for assault,I was eager to have them come, gluttonous to have more share in thecutting down of those who counted on killing us of the colony.

  After taking my station on the platform I suddenly bethought myself ofArchie and Silas, and turning, failed to see but two of our Minute Boysnear at hand.

  "Where have they gone?" I cried, fearing more than I ever feared aughton this earth, that they had run away.

  "Look over the intrenchment nearby where those red-coats are lying, andyou will see not only the Minute Boys, but many a man," Hiram shouted.

  When I did as he told me, I saw mayhap fifty of our people searching thebodies of the dead lobster backs for powder and balls in order thattheir own scanty store might be replenished. I also saw one of our menraise a Britisher's
canteen to his lips and drink, and then all mydesire for water came once more, until it seemed as if my tongue waslike a dry stick clicking against the roof of my mouth.

  Perspiration was streaming down my face and from my hands, and in mydesire for moisture I scraped it from my cheek, finding it hot andsalty, causing soreness of the tongue and a certain nausea of thestomach.

  Then there was no longer any opportunity for me to consider my owndesires or suffering. The marines in the barges had landed, and formingin line with those ranks of red, were advancing once more, this time,as I understood full well, with greater fury than at the first assaultbecause of having the deaths of their comrades to avenge.

  At this moment the cannonading from the ships seemed to be redoubled,and I could see thrown from the guns on Copp's hill great pieces ofsomething, larger than three or four cannon balls together, which fellamong the houses in the town, and, bursting open, set fire in alldirections until it seemed to me that every building on the main streetwas in flames, while the smoke drifted over our fortification until itshut out from view even the enemy.

  "Stand by your muskets, lads; this is but a trick to prevent us fromseeing what the troops are doing!" some one shouted, and just then, asif God himself was aiding us of the colonies, the first breeze of wind Ihad felt that day came up from the west, sweeping away the smoke untilwe could see line after line of the Britishers marching steadily up thehill, but not coming in such close formation, being forced to turn asidehere and there lest they trample upon the bodies of those who were leftbehind during the first retreat.

  I heard some one near me say that General Howe was marching in advanceof his men; but I failed to single him out. It seemed impossible tocenter my attention upon any one place; I could see only the blaze ofred with the sunlight tipping the steel bayonets until one's eyes achedfrom the glare.

  Again we were cautioned not to fire until the word had been given, andthis time, having had somewhat of experience, we obeyed, standing withbeating hearts, parched throats, and joints aching from the labor ofthe night, to cut down once more that apparently resistless wave.

  Then came the command, and as before, the red-coats fell to the earth indozens and twenties until it seemed to me, who was the same as lookingthrough a veil of red, that those who were upon the ground lay there insufficient numbers to form a breastwork for the advancing men.

  I could see here and there officers beating men onward with the flat oftheir swords, forcing them toward our intrenchments from which came sucha deadly fire.

  "Keep it up, lads! Don't waste any time, for they are making ready toturn tail again!" I shouted, and then Archie leaped up on the platformby my side, screaming as if suddenly bereft of his senses, while hedischarged his musket again and again.

  The lines of red wavered, were broken, or moved back here and there,until it was impossible to make out amid the smoke any definite action,and once more I lost my head, knowing nothing save that I was strugglingwith all my might to check those who would have over-run us.

  And we did check them! For the second time the pride of the king's armyran in utter rout down the hill, despite all their officers could do tocheck them, and we, the rag-tag, had accomplished that which a few daysbefore Governor Gage had said was impossible.

  Once more had we whipped them in fair fight, and once more we gave wayto rejoicing, no longer believing that the battle was won; but grownstrong in the knowledge that twice had they sent their best men againstus, and twice we had driven them back in ignoble defeat, even thoughduring the last assault General Howe himself led the way to give his mencourage.

  One of our Minute Boys had been killed outright, and lay on his faceupon the ground within a few feet of where I stood. How long he had beenthere no one could say; but we knew that he was alive when we wererejoicing over the first repulse.

  Singular as it may seem when so many among us had been killed andwounded, no other of the Minute Boys had fallen, and while we stoodinside the redoubt in the first flush of this second victory, we claspedeach other by the hands as if congratulating ourselves that we were yetin the land of the living after having, as it were, gone down to thevery brink of that dark river which separates this world from the next.

  It is not well that I set down very much concerning our lads, for evenat this late day it makes my heart ache as I recall to mind theirappearance.

  One could see hunger and thirst written on their powder-begrimed faces.It seemed to me as I looked at Archie, that his eyes were sunken, and Iknow full well his lips were drawn apart as are those of one who hasbeen suddenly killed.

  Save for the excitement of the battle we would have been in most painfuldistress; but the mind is so much stronger than the body that even whenwe had time to think of our condition, little heed was given to anythingsave the desire to do once more what we had twice done before, and makean end by the final repulse of the lobster backs.

  Yet even I, raw recruit as I was, understood with a sinking of the heartwhich I cannot well explain, that we were far less able to cope withthose lines of red now than when they first came upon us.

  It was not that we counted our loss in numbers, nor that our bodies weremore illy fitted to stand the strain; but we were sorely weakenedbecause of lacking that with which to fight. Our ammunition was wellnigh spent; I question if we had fifty bayonets among us all told, withwhich to resist an attack should the Britishers succeed in scaling thebreastworks, and when the last ounce of powder had been burned whatwould be our plight?

  I was not the only one who speculated upon these terrible things. Everyman in the redoubt knew that we had not of powder and ball sufficient torepulse the next assault however desperately we might strive. There weremany who did not have a single charge for their muskets, and ColonelPrescott gave orders that we should divide, those having considerablesharing with those who had none, until, when this was done, I had mayhapfour charges, while those around me could boast of no more.

  Some among us gathered up rocks to be used as missiles; others venturedout, even though the enemy was pouring from Copp's hill and the ships ofwar, volleys of grape and solid shot upon the hillside where thered-coated dead lay in such numbers, and strove to add to their store,more than one losing his life in the attempt to get that which he neededin the hope of saving it.

  And now lest it be asked why powder and ball were not sent to us fromevery American post nearby, I desire to set down that which I afterwardread concerning the condition of the forces at Cambridge and elsewhere,and at the same time it must be understood that the Britishers weresweeping that narrow stretch of land which we called Charlestown Neck,with such a heavy fire that it was almost the same as death for any oneto venture across. This is what I have seen elsewhere:

  "During this gallant work on Breed's hill all was confusion elsewhere.General Ward was at Cambridge without sufficient staff officers to carryhis orders. Late in the afternoon the commanding general despatched hisown with Patterson's and Gardner's regiments, to the field of action;but to the raw recruits the aspect of the narrow Neck was terrifying,swept as it was by British fire.

  "Colonel Gardner succeeded in leading three hundred men to Bunker hill,and was advancing boldly at their head when he was wounded mortally. Hismen were thrown into confusion, and very few of them engaged in thecombat until the retreat commenced. Other regiments failed to reach thelines. Putnam in the meantime was using his utmost exertion to form theconfused troops on Bunker hill and get fresh men with bayonets acrossthe Neck."

  Now it is easy to understand why we, so sorely pressed and lacking thewherewithal to hold our own, were left on Breed's hill to meet thisthird assault, which would be made by fresh men, as we understood whenwe saw yet more barges put out from Boston, and afterward learned thatGeneral Clinton was joining Howe as a volunteer, bringing with himadditional reinforcements.

  All this time we were struggling to make such preparations as lay in ourpower, and as the moments passed without any further movement on thepart of the enemy, some
of our people began to believe General Howe hadhad enough of it--that we would be allowed to remain on the fieldvictorious.

  Hiram speedily put an end to any such hope, saying to one man who haddeclared that the lobster backs would not come upon us again:

  "Don't count your chickens before they have begun to hatch. If freshtroops are coming across from Boston, think you they will be allowed toremain on the shore idle? Do you believe General Howe is going to take aflogging from the rag-tag and lay down quietly under it? Instead ofpredicting what you fancy, make ready for the next assault."

  "When a man has only three charges for his musket he hasn't much to doin the way of getting ready," the fellow replied as he shook his powderhorn to show how nearly empty it was.

  "If so be you will, it is possible to bring down three lobster backswith that number of charges, and unless we waste our ammunition byshooting at random, there is yet a chance that you will see the back ofthe red-coats again as they go scurrying down the hill."

  I looked Hiram full in the face, striving to make out if he really meantall he said; but I might as well have stared at the earth, so far asgaining any information was concerned. I have seen many a man who couldput on a bold front when he knew mortal danger menaced, but never onewho was able to stand up with a smile on his lips and a quip on histongue when he knew he had been much the same as been driven into acorner, as did Hiram Griffin that day.

  I believe we were left a full half-hour waiting for the third assault.Certain it was that the time seemed long to me, and I whispered once toArchie, saying:

  "I would they might set upon us without delay, for then I shall be ableto forget how sorely I am needing so much of water as will moisten mytongue."

  "Don't wish the time away, lad," my comrade said gravely. "It may bethat you and I have not overly many minutes of life left."

  Hiram heard this dismal speech, and quickly stepping a pace nearer toArchie he said with somewhat of irritation in his tone:

  "Are you counting on being the first Minute Boy to show the whitefeather?"

  "In what way am I doing that?"

  "By croaking about 'last minutes,' instead of allowing your mind to goon to that time when we can eat and drink our fill, the lobster backshaving been driven into the swamp. Thus far the Minute Boys of Bostonhave shown themselves, if you leave out Seth Jepson, to have all thepluck that is needed, and now being come thus far through the battlewith full share of credit, it ill beseems you to make dismal predictionsregarding the future."

  Before Hiram ceased speaking his tone had grown harsh, and I fearedthere might be angry words between the two even while we stood much thesame as face to face with death.

  Before I could break in upon them, however, the enemy had begun to showsigns of moving, and on the instant we understood that this thirdassault was to be different from the first two.

  At some time during the battle they must have gotten their artilleryinto favorable position, for now, suddenly, the whole interior of ourbreastworks was swept with ball and grape-shot, more blood being shedwithin five minutes than had been spilled on our side in all theterrible work thus far.

  It was no longer possible for any man to remain within the breastworkand live, therefore all were ordered to come into the redoubt, where wewere better sheltered, and where the enemy had not as yet found therange.

  Forgetting the danger, in my eagerness to know what might follow thisnew method of attack, I leaned far over the fortification until it waspossible for me to see, in the distance, the Britishers coming once moreupon us, and that scene was not calculated to give me courage, for Isoon understood that the king's soldiers were making better preparationsthan they had in the past attempts. Instead of climbing the hill ladenwith heavy knapsacks and sweltering in thick, tightly-fitting uniforms,they had cast aside all that might impede or distress them, and evenlike the rag-tag, they counted on fighting in their shirt-sleeves asshould have been done on such a hot day when they first set the pace.

  I cannot set down in military terms the tactics which General Howe nowdisplayed; but certain it is that instead of marching straight up thehill, thus giving us every chance at them, after using their artilleryto drive us back into the redoubt, they counted on assaulting us at theweakest point, which was the space between the outworks and the railfence, as I have already set down.

  But whatsoever might be their intentions, certain it was they werecoming with as much show of determination as ever before, and we mustperforce stand against them so long as our ammunition lasted, and whatthen?

  My heart sank within me as I tried to answer my own question even whilemaking ready to do my share in the faint hope of repulsing theBritishers.