early in the morning. It was no doubt believed by some that the rebels (there was not now much objection to that word) had attacked the town. Admiral Graves was on shore, and, it is said, sent and stopped the firing of the ships, probably not knowing the cause of it until later in the morning. The news came soon enough, and the Province House was alive with excitement, and it is doubtful if even the sentries heard the sunrise gun from Beacon Hill.

COUNCIL OF WAR.

Without reference to Gen. Gage's order-book, or any knowledge of the amount of red tape necessary, we have reason to know that a hasty breakfast was followed by a council of war. Things moved slowly, though hurriedly. Although Gage and his officers had determined, if possible, to drive the rebels from the vicinity of Dorchester Heights, they did not seem to be prepared for the work before them, to which they were so suddenly called. They had been shut up in the town for a long time, if not in luxurious living, mostly in idleness and pleasure, with only the small experience of the excursion to Concord and back to enliven and encourage them.

The officers were some time in reaching the Province House, and the session must have lasted two or three hours, judging from the movements which followed. Besides, there was much difference of opinion in the council, the question being whether the redoubt (or whatever they chose to call it) should be directly attacked by marching up the hill, protected by the fire of the naval force and batteries, or whether an attempt should be made. to surround the place; that is, cut off the peninsula at the neck, intercept re-enforcements, march towards the redoubt, and, perhaps, drive the rebels into the sea! It is stated, of course on British authority, that a majority of the council were in favor of this last scheme; but among those who voted in its favor, neither Smith, nor Pitcairn, nor Percy, who were in the experiences of the 19th of

26

MOVEMENT OF THE TROOPS.

April, are named. Gage did not approve the plan, and it is an evidence of his military acumen, for the reason that it would place the king's troops between two armies, one entrenched and possessing the heights, which would command him, and the other in force. He, however, declared that the works "must be carried," and by an attack in front, however undesirable.

Gen. Gage's course in this matter has been severely criticised, notwithstanding which it seems to us that his decision was correct.

MOVEMENT OF THE TROOPS

EMBARKATION.

Orders were at once issued for the parade of the troops, and hot as the day was, the accounts at least supplied them with blankets; and at about twelve o'clock, ten selected companies and two regiments, thirty-fifth and forty-ninth, marched from the Common to Long Wharf, and were thence transported, troops, cannon, ammunition, provisions, &c., in barges to Moulton's Point (near the Charlestown end of Chelsea Bridge), and there landed without opposition, although they came with pointed fieldpieces prepared to meet it. Other regiments and compa-. nies were ordered to the North Battery and Copp's Hill, in readiness to embark if required.

These movements, of course, created great excitement in Boston. Men and officers, on foot or mounted, were rushing from the Province House to the Common; from the Common to the wharf, and from the wharf to the Battery, where Gen. Gage took up his position to overlook and inspect the conflict, while the people, mostly soldiers and tories, repaired to the top of Beacon Hill, to witness the scene, whatever it might prove to be. Burgoyne, who was also at Copp's Hill, says, "Behind us, the church steeples and heights of our camp [meaning Boston] were covered with spectators, and the rest of our army who were unengaged. The hills round the country were covered with spectators. The enemy all in anxious suspense."

SPEECH OF GEN. HOWE.

APPEARANCE OF THE TROOPS.

27

The troops were composed of light infantry, grenadiers, rangers and artillery, under command of Maj. Gen. Howe and Brig.-Gen. Pigot, and are said to have made a splendid show in their red uniforms, with guns, bayonets, swords and field-pieces flashing the sunshine. They landed at one o'clock, and under rigid and perfect discipline, formed in military order; and, judging from what has been said, must have been surprised that the rude farmers, who were looking at them, did not run away.

RECONNOITRING AND REFRESHMENTS.

The accounts go on to say that Howe made a pause; reconnoitred (with his glass) the position; found it much stronger than he expected; saw more men coming over the farther hill; advised with Gen. Pigot; and at once sent for more troops. All this while the men were refreshing themselves, and many of them taking, as they little supposed in view of such an enemy, their last meal. Rum, it is said, was supplied by the bucketful, and it must have seemed to the half-famished men in the redoùbt, who had just partaken of their provisions, many of them also for the last time, that the king's troops were enjoying themselves.

RE-ENFORCEMENTS SPEECH OF GEN. HOWE.

Re-enforcements, consisting of light infantry, grenadiers, forty-seventh regiment, and the first battalion of marines, arrived before Howe moved a man; and then he addressed the troops. He expressed his happiness in commanding so fine a body of men; telling them that the en emy must be driven from the entrenchments at all events; saying that he would not desire them to go farther than he went, and telling them that, "if we lose Boston," we have no recourse but to go on board our ships, "which will be very disagreeable to us all."

Howe unquestionably gave Pigot what he supposed to be the place of danger; but nevertheless conducted himself with great bravery during the action; had his officers slaughtered around him; lead his troops fearlessly on, and, according to reliable English authority, was left three times alone in front of his flying men. How he could ever make up his mind to compliment and praise them in general orders afterwards, is what we cannot wholly understand, excepting that there always is "policy in war."

The redoubt was all that, with the time and means at hand, the men could make it. The same may be said of the rail fence, a sort of "rustic bulwark." There was what was called a breastwork at the upper end of it, and an improvised stone wall not much higher than the knees. at the other. Prescott and Warren were in the redoubt; Putnam and Knowlton and Reed and Stark were near by, if they had not reached the line of the fence; and Howe was now prepared for the attack, with his already famous officers to lead on his well-disciplined men, fresh for the conflict. The disposition of the troops, we have been told by high authority, was perfect; and when they moved, Gage and Clinton and Burgoyne (who were looking on from Copp's Hill), and Howe and Pigot, all expected a short conflict and an easy victory. Every thing that has come to our hands shows that this was their expectation. A battery had been established on the hill at Moulton's Point, near where the troops landed, and under the sharp and rapid fire of field pieces and howitzers, Gen. Pigot moved towards the redoubt, not directly in front, which was the line of the cannonading, but to the left; while Howe, with the right wing, attacked the line between the breast work and the river. The moment was one of intense interest the first real meeting, with all the paraphernalia

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ATTACK UPON THE RAIL FENCE.

29

of war, between the king's troops and the king's subjects, 'witnessed by thousands of people, most of whom, it is supposed, had a personal interest in the result.

--

Before he moved, he took the precaution to send out flank guards, and at this moment "the fire of the three ships, three batteries, several field pieces, the battery on Copp's Hill, altogether from six different directions, centered on the intrenchments." In the midst of this fearful firing, which is described by Burgoyne and many others who witnessed and heard it, as truly terrible, Pigot's men opened upon the redoubt at a considerable. distance from the works, and Prescott's men, after a small scattering fire, which rather enticed them on, waited for their approach, according to orders to reserve their fire until the enemy were within thirty or forty paces. The men nobly stood their ground, regardless of the clamor and the flying balls from the ships and batteries, and opened at the proper moment a tremendous volley, in which it would seem almost every shot told upon the enemy. The slaughter was fearful, and the whole line fell back. The officers exerted themselves to rally their men, after removing the dead and wounded, and advanced to a second attack; and again, besides the destructive fire from the redoubt, they had a galling fire on the flank from a small body of provincials outside the redoubt. The effect was destructive and fearful as before it was astounding, and Pigot was compelled, not so much to order, as to witness, a retreat. said, in "some disorder," but British accounts of this retreat Americans have ever said of it. goyne felt it, while they turned their glasses from Pigot to Howe, who was struggling towards the rail fence.

They did not fall back, as in. utter confusion. The confirm every thing the Gage, Clinton and Bur

ATTACK UPON THE RAIL FENCE.

Howe led his men forward, but some portion of the "thousand impediments," said to have been in Pigot's