expose themselves to view, even at more than double the distance of common musket shot.

October.-An event of considerable importance has occurred, which occasions much surprise and speculation. Dr. Benjamin Church has long sustained high reputation as a patriot and son of liberty. He has, for some time, been a member of our House of Representatives; and has been appointed Surgeon General and Director of our Hospitals. This gentleman has just been detected in a traitorous correspondence with the enemy in Boston. A letter in cypher, written by him, was entrusted to the care of a female, with whom he was well acquainted, to be conveyed to Boston. On examination, the woman absolutely refused to reveal the name of the writer, till she was terrified by the threats of severe punishment; when she named Dr. Church, he was greatly agitated and confounded, manifested marks of guilt, and made no attempt to vindicate himself. But after the letter was deciphered, and he had taken time to reflect, he used all his powers of persuasion to make it appear that the letter contained no information that would injure the American cause; and made a solemn appeal to heaven that it was written for the purpose of procuring some important intelligence from the enemy. He was tried, convicted, and expelled from the House of Representatives; and Congress afterwards resolved, "that he be closely confined in some secure jail in Connecticut, without the use of pen, ink, or paper; and that no person be allowed to converse with him, except in the presence and hearing of a magistrate, or the sheriff of the county. ""*

I have just returned from a ramble to Roxbury, with a view of examining the camp and works in that quarter. Not meeting with any person with whom I am acquainted, I returned after a slight view of the lines and the church in that town, which is pierced through in many places by cannon shot from the enemy.

10th.-General Gage has sailed for England; and the command of the army has devolved on General William Howe. He has issued a proclamation, prohibiting all persons attempting to quit the town, without a written license, on penalty of military execution, if taken, and if they escape they are to be proceeded against as traitors, and their effects

* Dr. Church was finally permitted to depart from the country. He embarked for the West Indies; the vessel foundered at sea, and all were lost.

to be forfeited; and also declaring, that if any, who are licensed to depart, attempt carrying away more than five pounds in specie, they shall forfeit the whole sum discovered, beside suffering fine and imprisonment. Such is the wretched condition of the Bostonians since their native town has been converted into a royal garrison. It is recollected that in April last, it was agreed between General Gage and a committee of the town, that on the inhabitants in general surrendering up their fire arms to the care of the selectmen, all such inhabitants as were desirous of removing out of town, should have this liberty, with their families and effects. The town voted to comply with this proposal, and General Gage on his part confirmed the same. It was also stipulated, that those persons in the country who should incline to remove into Boston should be permitted to change their residence without molestation. The fire arms were accordingly surrendered, and some of the inhabitants were allowed to depart; but it was not long before General Gage found various pretences to violate his stipulation, and prohibited any further removals; in consequence of which many families were compelled to a cruel separation; husbands and wives, parents and children were separated, and the aged and infirm left without protection.

The term for which the continental soldiers enlisted will expire in a few weeks, and it is understood that the recruits for a future army will be enlisted to serve to the 1st of December next, unless sooner discharged, as hopes are yet entertained that a settlement of our difficulties with Great Britain may be effected. Reports are in circulation that an attack on the town of Boston is contemplated; or, that the plan has been agitated and is relinquished, till our people can pass over on the ice. The public appear to be impatient to have our inveterate enemies expelled from our territories.

November. Our hospitals are considerably crowded with sick soldiers from camp; the prevailing diseases are autumnal fevers and dysenteric complaints, which have proved fatal in a considerable number of instances. It is highly gratifying to observe, that these brave men, while in the service of their country, receive in sickness all the kind attention from physicians and nurses, which their circumstances require; they have the prayers and consolations of pious clergymen, and are destitute of nothing, but the presence of their dearest friends, to alleviate their sufferings.

I am sorry to have occasion to notice in my journal the following occurrence. The body of a soldier has been taken from the grave, for the purpose, probably, of dissection, and the empty coffin left exposed. This affair occasions considerable excitement among our people; both resentment and grief are manifested; as it seems to impress the idea that a soldier's body is held in no estimation after death. Such a practice, if countenanced, might be attended with serious consequences, as it respects our soldiers. Much inquiry has been made, but without success, for the discovery of the persons concerned; and the practice in future is strictly prohibited by the commander in chief.

The joyful intelligence is now announced in the public papers, that Captain Manly, of Marblehead, commander of one of our privateers, has captured an English ship, bound to Boston, loaded with ordnance stores, of immense value at the present time. Among the ordnance is a large brass mortar on a new construction; and a number of pieces of fine brass cannon. There are small arms, ammunition, utensils, &c. &c. in great abundance. An invoice, it is said, could scarcely be formed of articles better suited to our wants and circumstances. Several other store vessels have been taken by our privateers, with cargoes of provision and various kinds of stores, to a very considerable amount, which greatly augments the distresses of the troops and people in Boston, and affords us a very opportune and essential supply. It is now represented that the distresses of the inhabitants and troops in Boston exceed the possibility of description. They are almost in a state of starvation, for the want of food and fuel. The inhabitants, totally destitute of vegetables, flour, and fresh provisions, have actually been obliged to feed on horse flesh; and the troops confined to salt provisions; by means of which they have become very sickly. They have taken down a number of houses, removed the pews from the church, and are digging up the timber at the wharves for fuel.

December 2d.-I visited the park of artillery, and was much gratified to find a collection of ordnance far exceeding my expectations, and such as is supposed by some to be adequate to our present exigence. I had a view of the large brass mortar taken by Captain Manly; it is now called the Congress, and will soon be prepared to speak in strong terms to its former masters.

4th. A considerable number of Connecticut troops have left our service and returned home; no persuasion could induce them to continue in service after their time of enlistment had expired. Enlisting officers are distributed in various parts of New England; but it is reported that voluntary enlistments go on slowly. The people seem to be unwilling to engage in the public service, and require higher wages. The spirit of patriotism appears in some degree to have subsided, and the militia are to be employed.

11th.-A party of militia, said to be about two thousand, have arrived in camp; and information is received that three thousand more are on their march. A few enlisted soldiers have arrived; but so destitute are they of fire arms, that it has been found necessary to take the arms by force from the soldiers who retire, paying for them, in order to supply the recruits.

18th. The Americans have advanced and broken ground at Lechmere's Point, within half a mile of Boston; which occasioned a severe cannonade from the enemy; but they persevered in their work and suffered but an inconsiderable loss. It is stated, from the minutes of some person, that from Breed's Hill battle to the 25th instant, the British have thrown upwards of two thousand shot and shells. By the whole firing, on Cambridge side, they killed only seven, and on Roxbury side, five, just a dozen in the whole. At this rate, how many shot and bombs will it require to subdue the whole of his majesty's rebellious subjects?

January, 1776.-At the close of the last year, as is now reported, our army was reduced to a very critical situation, being obliged to substitute new raised troops and militia in the place of those who had been in service five or six months; and this exchange was made within musket shot of the enemy's lines. During part of this period, our numbers were not sufficient to man the lines, nor was there powder enough in camp to furnish four rounds a man. Before our privateers had fortunately captured some prizes with cannon and other ordnance, our army before Boston had, I believe, only four small brass cannon, and a few old honey-comb iron pieces, with their trunnions broken off; and these were ingeniously bedded in timbers in the same manner as that of stocking a musket. These machines were extremely unwieldy and inconvenient, requiring much skill and labor to elevate and depress them. Had the enemy been made

acquainted with our situation, the consequences might have been exceedingly distressing.

25th-The newspapers announce the most painful intelligence from our army in Canada. Canada. General Montgomery, the commander, made a desperate, but unsuccessful assault on the city of Quebec, on the 31st ultimo. The event has proved most fatal and disastrous. General Montgomery, and his aid-de-camp, with several other officers, were slain. Colonel Arnold, the second in command, heroically passed the first barrier with his small party, and received a wound in his leg. About three hundred of the continental troops were made prisoners, and about sixty killed and wounded. We remain unacquainted with further particulars. The death of General Montgomery is universally deplored. In the public papers we have the following account of this brave officer. "He was a captain of grenadiers in the 17th regiment of British troops, of which General Monckton was colonel. He served the last war in the expeditions in the West Indies and America, and returned with his regiment to England. In 1772 he quitted his regiment, though in a fair way of preferment. Whilst in America he imbibed an affection for this country-he had, while in the king's service, declared his disapprobation of the sentiments of the ministry, and viewed America as the rising seat of arts and freedom."

February 9th.-A very considerable firing was heard last evening from Boston; it was occasioned by a detachment of one hundred men, under the command of Major Knowlton, who made an incursion into Charlestown, for the purpose of burning a number of houses, to deprive the enemy of their use. He effected the object of his expedition by burning about ten houses in the possession of the enemy, and returned in less than two hours, bringing off some muskets, without the loss of a single man either killed or wounded.

14th. The following anecdote is worth notice; it appears by extracts from letters written by the officers who are the subjects of it. Some British officers, soon after General Gage arrived at Boston, while walking on Beacon Hill in the evening, were frightened by noises in the air, which they took to be the whizzing of bullets. They left the hill with great precipitation, and reported that they were shot at with air guns, and wrote frightful accounts of the affair to their friends in England. The whizzing noise which so