17. fuch eminent fervice in covering the retreat of their troops in 1755. This may be infinuated to leffen his character. But did he even think himself flighted at the time, he would fearce have remembered it, much lefs have harboured any refentment upon the occafion, for twenty years together. The political motive muft certainly have been of another nature. It was probably complex. A common danger has united the colonies; but has not eradicated all the jealoufies that before exifted among them. New York, Pennfylvania, and the colonies to the fouthward, have not fuch confidence in the Maffachusetts-bay, as to admit that one of their own natives fhould be the commander in chief. There is too great a nationality among the Bay-men: fuch a one might be unduly prejudiced in favor of his own colony. Befide, colonel Washington and the other colonists were in pursuit of an honorable accommodation, and had not the most distant thought of feparating from Great Britain. They could not be certain, whatever was the cafe at prefent, that the Massachusetts would not fhortly aim at a feparation: it was then a matter of confequence who headed the army. Whatever fome of the Maffachusetts delegates might wish in their hearts, they perceived the neceffity of accommodating themfelves to the inclinations of others, at fuch a crifis; and hence the unanimity with which colonel Washington has been elected; for though it was by ballot, it was not without pre-concerted counfel. A draught of general Washington's commiffion was agreed to, and ordered to be fairly tranfcribed, figned and delivered to him. After which the congress declared, that they would maintain, and affift, and adhere to him, with their lives and fortunes, in the maintenance and preservation of American liberty. They then proceeded to choose by ballot Artemas Ward efq; first major general, Horatio Gates adjutant general, and Charles Lee efq; fecond major general. Two days after, they chofe Philip Schuyler efq; third major general, and Ifrael Putnam efq; unanimously fourth major general. Having attended to the proceedings of the general congrefs, down to the choice of their firft officers to command the continental army, let us return to the Maffachusetts. The committee of fafety, having received various June accounts of the movements of general Gage's army, and 15. of his intention foon to make an attempt to penetrate into the country, recommended to the congrefs the ordering of all the militia to hold themselves in readiness to march on the shortest notice; and to the council of war, the maintaining of Bunker's hill by a fufficient force posted thereon, and the taking of fuch fteps respecting Dorchester neck as to them fhould appear to be for the security of the colony. Bunker's hill is just at the entrance of the peninfula of Charlestown, and is confiderably high and large. Orders were iffued, that a detachment of a thousand men, under colonel William Prefcott, do march at evening and intrench upon the hill. By fome mistake Breed's hill, high and large like the other, but fituated on the furtheft part of the peninfula next to Bofton, was marked out for the intrenchment inftead of Bunker's. The provincials proceeded therefore to Breed's hill; but were prevented going to work till near twelve o'clock at night, when they pursued their business with the utmost 16. -* 17. fuch eminent service in covering the retreat of their A draught of general Washington's commiffion was agreed to, and ordered to be fairly tranfcribed, figned and delivered to him. After which the congress declared, that they would maintain, and affift, and adhere to him, with their lives and fortunes, in the maintenance and preservation of American liberty. They then proceeded to choose by ballot Artemas Ward efq; first major general, Horatio Gates adjutant general, and Charles Lee efq; fecond major general. Two days after, they chofe Philip Schuyler efq; third major general, and Ifrael Putnam efq; unanimously fourth major general. Having attended to the proceedings of the general congrefs, down to the choice of their firft officers to command the continental army, let us return to the. Maffachusetts. -15. The committee of fafety, having received various June accounts of the movements of general Gage's army, and of his intention foon to make an attempt to penetrate into the country, recommended to the congrefs the ordering of all the militia to hold themselves in readiness to march on the shortest notice; and to the council of war, the maintaining of Bunker's hill by a fufficient force posted thereon, and the taking of fuch steps respecting Dorchester neck as to them should appear to be for the fecurity of the colony. Bunker's hill is just at the entrance of the peninfula of Charlestown, and is confiderably high and large. Orders were iffued, that a detachment of a thoufand men, under colonel William Prefcott, do march at evening and intrench upon the hill. By fome mistake Breed's hill, high and large like the other, but fituated on the furtheft part of the peninfula next to Bofton, was marked out for the intrenchment instead of Bunker's. The provincials proceeded therefore to Breed's hill; but were prevented going to work till near twelve o'clock at night, when they pursued their business with the utmost 16. ` diligence and alacrity, fo that by the dawn of day they had thrown up a small redoubt, about eight rods fquare. Such was the extraordinary filence which reigned among them, that they were not heard by the British on board their vessels in the neighbouring waters. The fight of the works was the first notice that the Lively man of war had of them, when the captain began firing upon themabout four in the morning. The guns called the town of Boston, the camp and the fleet to behold a novelty which was little expected. The profpect obliged the British generals to alter the plan which they meant to execute the next day. They grew weary of being cooped up in Boston; and had refolved upon making themfelves mafters of Dorchefter heights, and fecuring the elbow room which general Burgoyne propofed enjoying. But the prefent provincial movement prevented the expedition. They were now called to attempt poffeffing themselves of Breed's hill on which the provincials continued working, notwithstanding a heavy fire from the enemy's fhips, a number of floating batteries, and a fortification upon Cop's hill in Bofton, directly oppofite to the little American redoubt. It is called Cop's hill, though the original name was Cope's hill, from the name of the first owner. An inceffant fhower of shot and bombs was rained by the batteries upon the American works, and yet but one man was killed. The Americans continued laboring indefatigably till they had thrown up a fmall breaft-work, extending from the eaft fide of the redoubt to the bottom of the hill, but were prevented completing it by the intolerable fire of the enemy. By fome unaccountable error, the detachment which had been working for hours, was neither relieved, nor fupplied |