ARE THE YANKEES COWARDS NOW?"

93 over the land; and in the arm of the sea, our ships and floating batteries cannonading them; straight before us a large and noble town all in one great blaze, and the church steeples, being timber, were great pyramids of fire above the rest the roar of cannon, mortars, and muskets ships upon the stocks and whole streets falling together to fill the ear; the storm of the redoubts, with the objects above described, to fill the eye, and the reflection that perhaps a defeat was a final loss to the British Empire in America to fill the mind, made the whole a picture and a complication of horror and importance beyond anything that ever came to my lot to witness."

Meanwhile, the English soldiers were struggling up the hill-side, carrying heavy knapsacks, under a burning midsummer sun, through long grass which covered their knees. It is said that when they came within reach of their enemies, who had heard some of the taunts which the British soldiers had made about the militia being sure to run away, the Americans at one time called out to the English commanding officer, "Colonel Abercrombie, are the Yankees cowards now?" Truly they were not; and the British soldiers fell back under their vigorous fire. They were rallied by their officers, and made a second attack-again the Americans waited until they were within about thirty paces of them, and then fired on them; again they retreated. The case was becoming desperate. General Clinton, who saw the danger from Boston, came to the rescue, brought a fresh reinforcement, rallied the nearly exhausted troops, and led on a third attack. By this time the American ammunition was nearly exhausted. There was a hand-to-hand fight on the works on Breed's Hill; Clinton and Pigot "reserved their

men's fire, and made them rush on with fixed bayonets." The Americans still fought, using even stones and the stocks of their muskets to defend themselves; but, in spite of all their efforts, the works were taken, and they had to beat a retreat down Bunker's Hill. General Putnam hoped to rally them at this spot, but was unable to do so; they retreated precipitately, under a murderous fire on all sides. So ended the battle of Bunker's Hill. Washington received the news of it as he rode out from Philadelphia, on his way to take command of the army; he was eager in his questionings about it. "How did the militia behave ?" he asked. When he was told that they stood their ground bravely-sustained the enemy's fire-reserved their own until at close quarters, and then delivered it with deadly effect-it seemed as if a weight of doubt were lifted from his heart. "The liberties of the country are safe!" exclaimed he.

War was inevitable now. The last attempt at peace had been made, and failed; a petition to the king from Congress, in July, 1775, had been treated with silent contempt-no answer was vouchsafed to it. In October, when Parliament re-assembled, the king's speech opened with an account of the measures to be taken to suppress the 66 desperate conspiracy" and general revolt in North America. At the same time His Majesty declared himself ready to receive the misled with tenderness and mercy; for which purpose he "intended to give authority to certain persons upon the spot to receive the submission of any repentant colony, and to grant general or particular pardons or indemnities in such a manner and to such persons as they should think fit."

Washington was fortunate in having associated with him generals who had already proved their military power and

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their zeal for their country-men of widely differing characters, and few of them possessing his own pureness and sincerity of purpose, yet each performing his own mission in the Revolution well and bravely.

General Schuyler was perhaps the man who was most in sympathy with Washington. He had fought under Abercrombie at the attack on Ticonderoga, he had buried young Lord Howe, he had filled various colonial offices, and had helped Washington in drawing np the regulations for the new army. He was an officer who seems always to have been distinguished for bravery and mercy.

Another of Washington's generals was Charles Lee, an Englishman by birth, trained in European warfare, who had fought under Abercrombie, and been present at the surrender of Montreal; who had next fought in Portugal; then, under King Stanislaus, in Poland; and, finally, after offending the English Ministry, had come out to America, and offered himself to the cause of her independence ;—a man clever and impulsive, who seems to have been aptly named by the Indians, "Boiling Water."

Horatio Gates was also an Englishman who adopted the cause of America. He had fought with General Braddock, and had been severely wounded; he had distinguished himself in the West Indies; but England did not recognise his claims as much as he thought she ought to have done, and he therefore went out to America, and bought land in Virginia. When the war began, he seemed to see in it a more secure means to self-advancement than he had ever found before, and therefore he joined in it.

In this group that were gathered about Washington we also have General Greene, "whose father was a miller, an anchor-smith, and a teacher." Greene in his boyhood had

followed the plough, but seems to have educated himself; and having a turn for military affairs, when he grew to be a man he devoted himself to them. "He was elected commander of the Rhode Island contingent of the army of observation. He made a soldier-like address to Washington, welcoming him to the camp. His appearance and manner were calculated to make a favourable impression; he was about thirty-nine years of age, nearly six feet high, well-built and vigorous, with an open, animated, intelligent countenance, and a frank and manly demeanour. He may be said to have stepped at once into the confidence of the Commander-in-chief, which he never forfeited, but became one of his most attached, faithful, and efficient coadjutors." These were four of the principal characters whose names are mixed up with this time; they all become very real to us before the end of the story. We have already heard the name of Colonel Israel Putnam, who had also fought in the French war at Louisburg and Fort Duquesne, who had been taken by the Indians, had been tied to a stake and been sentenced to be burnt, but was rescued by a Frenchman. He had given up war, and was working on a farm in Connecticut, when the news of Lexington reached him, and he immediately came up to offer any help he could give.

One other name already mentioned must be again recurred to here-that of Benedict Arnold. He was a man who had raised himself by his own exertions—a man of ambition and cleverness, but consumed with petty pride and jealousy; of great personal courage, and little personal worth-one whose thoughts and hopes were centred not in his country, but in himself.

The army which Washington found under his command was of a very mixed character; men gathered quickly for

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the emergency-many of them ignorant of warfare, unequipped for campaigning, undrilled in military movements. It required all the order, the common sense, and the patience of Washington to make anything of them He earnestly set to his work, represented to Congress the needs of his men, urged that they should be supplied with hunting-shirts for dress, to give uniformity, and change the poverty-stricken and ragged appearance of the troops, which provoked the contempt of their enemies. The men of Massachusetts especially moved the pity of the commander, from their forlorn and destitute condition. "The yoke has been laid so heavily on this unhappy and devoted province," he said, "that great allowances are to be made for troops raised under such circumstances. The deficiency of numbers, discipline, and stores can only lead to the conclusion that their spirit has exceeded their strength."

He specially urged upon Congress the necessity for having engineers found quickly for making the necessary fortifications; tents to shelter the army, who were scattered about in the various colleges and houses of Boston that were friendly to them; and a military chest for the supply of immediate wants.

In writing to his friend, General Schuyler, about this time, to console him under the same sort of trials, he said, "It would be far beyond the compass of a letter for me to describe the situation of things here on my arrival. Perhaps you will only be able to judge of it from my assuring you that mine must be a portrait at full length of what you have had in miniature. Confusion and discord reigned in every department, which in a little time must have ended either in the separation of the army or fatal contests with one another. The better genius of America has prevailed; and

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