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annoyance. About two o'clock in the morning, he started from the fort, with two hundred and seventy men; and, while he supposed he was advancing entirely unobserved, received a fire in his front; and, before his men had recovered the shock, another in the rear, and, immediately after, one on each flank. He fell; and the command devolved upon Captain Grant; who extricated himself by a resolute charge, and was enabled to make his way back to the fort. The Indians knew, that the garrison was now strong and well supplied; and, as they could not endure a protracted siege, the enterprise was abandoned.

The reinforcement for Fort Pitt was entrusted to Colonel Bouquet; who started about the end of July, with a large quantity of provisions and military stores. Like Captain Dalyell, he fancied it possible to elude the observation of the enemy; and, the more effectually to secure his purpose, he resolved to pass the defile of Turtle Creek, in the night. On the 5th of August, his men had marched seventeen miles, over a rough and mountainous country; and were just preparing to rest and refresh themselves,-when a sudden yell and fire, in front, announced the presence of the savages, and threw the army again upon their legs. A vigorous charge drove back the Indians; but it was only to lead the troops into an ambuscade; and, whatever might be the glory of the

conquest, they were satisfied to regain their former position. Similar charges were made in every direction; but the troops seemed only to beat the air, or fight an invisible enemy. The Indians gave way in one place, merely to fall on, in another; and what would have been defeat to others, was victory to them. The action was continued from one in the afternoon till evening; and, though the troops were successful in every attack, they gained nothing in the end.

The men slept little during the night; and, on the first dawn of morning, the Indians aroused them with the whoop of battle, and the roar of their guns. The taste of blood seemed to have given them new ferocity; and even the English themselves, exhausted as they were, recommenced the action with additional vigour,—some stimulated by the hopes of revenge, and others, by a spirit of desperation. The Indians were regularly driven at the point of the bayonet; and as regularly turned upon their pursuers, as soon as the chase was over. These efforts were repeated, till the men became hopeless: they saw their strength thrown away, and their courage exerted in vain; and they stood, remembering the fate of Braddock, and, perhaps, trembling at their own,--when Colonel Bouquet, availing himself of his dear-bought experience, resolved to fight the Indians in their own way.

The army was encamped in a circle. Two com

panies, which had been posted without the circumference, were ordered to retire within; the two ends of the broken circle to close up, in their rear; and, after making a show of resistance, to give way and retreat. The two first companies, at the same time, were joined by one company of grenadiers, and another of light infantry. The thin ranks gave ground, according to orders: the Indians followed with headlong impetuosity; and, supposing themselves masters of the field, began what they meant for a slaughter, rather than an action. Two of the companies, already mentioned, made a sudden turn upon their flank; while the remaining two attacked them in front. For a moment, they were not undeceived; and returned. the fire with activity and resolution. But a short time served to convince them of their mistake: they betook themselves to their swiftness of foot; and the four companies pursued them so closely, that they never looked behind, until they got beyond the probability of annoyance. But this conquest was, in truth, a defeat. The great object of the expedition, was, to supply Fort Pitt with stores; and, so many of the pack-horses were killed in these several engagements, that Colonel Bouquet was obliged to destroy the greatest part of the provisions. The army advanced about two miles; pitched their tents; and imagined, that they might take some rest. Scarcely

had they finished their preparations, when the Indians again made their appearance. They seemed not to be yet certain, that they were the weakest; but a few discharges completed their conviction; and, for the four remaining days, they suffered the troops to march unmolested.

Having succeeded so ill against Forts Detroit and Pitt, the Indians now concentrated their forces, for an attack upon Niagara. Their object was to isolate the fort, and intercept its reinforcements and supplies. On the 14th of September, 1764, they annihilated a convoy, which was marching to its relief; and, not long after, made an unsuccessful attack, in canoes, upon a schooner, which was carrying provisions to Detroit. All the northern colonies were called upon to contribute their quotas of men, for the prosecution of the war; and, among the rest, Connecticut raised a battalion, and put it under the command of Colonel Israel Putnam.* Strengthened by these reinforcements, Colonels Bouquet and Bradstreet harassed the Indians during the spring and summer of 1765; and, in September, they were willing to bury the hatchet, and conclude a peace.

* See Note (L):

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CHAPTER VII.

Seeds of the Revolution-Assertion and Denial of the Right to tax the Colonies-Passage of the Stamp-Act-Congress at New York-Associations against the Stamp-Act-The Repeal-Tax on Tea, Glass, and Painters' Colours-Spirit of Massachusetts-Mob at Boston-Convention at Fenuil Hall-Affray with the Soldiery-Non-Importation Associations-Insurrection in North Carolina-Corresponding Committees-Hutchinson and Oliver's Letters-Dr. Franklin-Results of the Stamp-Tax and Duty on Tea-Plan to test the Resolution of the Colonists-The Tea emptied into Boston Harbour-Boston Port-Bill, &c.-Resolution of the Colonies to support Boston-Day of Humiliation and Prayer throughout the Continent-Governor Gage-Proposition for a general Congress-Proceedings of the Massachusetts Legislature-Congress at Philadelphia-Unanimity of the Colonists-Alarms-Obstinacy of the Bostonians-New Alarms-Proceedings of Parliament-Attempt to divide the Colonies Battle of Lexington.

As far back as the year 1692, the general court of Massachusetts had formally denied the right of parliament, to impose any tax whatever upon that colony. New York, soon after, followed the example; and, though the southern colonies made no express determination on the subject, their language uniformly implied a recognition of the same principles. Parliament, on the other hand, seems never to have had the least doubt, that its supremacy extended to the enact

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