Little Washington's Relatives

through. While we wait for it to clear shall I read about the

n Tea Party, keep right on and finish it up

changed with Washington, but skip over to the fight!" requested Ge

" replied Mrs. Parke, turning the pages of the book

mediately punished by having the government removed to Salem, and the harbor closed. There were other unfair measures made and acted upon, so t

p in their upward march. About the same time the Earl of Chatham did everything in his power to make the English Parliament understand c

ington. He had been a loyal subject of Great Britain, but his sense of justice and right wa

aven and earth to obtain honorable rights to the colonists without resorting to force. But the individuals holding the reins of gov

y came together and formed an unbreakable link of fellowship

colonies met in the month of September to outline rules and acts. General Gage was sent to d

and the colonists, but feeling the lack of provisions and other necessities, he sent out secret detachments t

oncord, the governor attempted to seize them. On the night of April 18, 1775

e road which they expected to find almost deserted at that time of night, they were surprised to meet horsemen,

troops were surprised to find about a hundred milit

d, so he ordered his men to fire, discharging his own pistol as the signal

y soon took possession. Detached parties were placed to guard various approaches to the town, whil

detachment of soldiers, surrounded and fired upon them. A general skirmish took

sing in numbers, opened a galling fire upon the British, at t

lly destroyed had not Gage, apprehensive for the expedition, sent out Lord Percy with six

ials, but the latter kept up an incessant fire upon

ry was in warlike array. The first blood had been shed by the British without provoca

passed a vote to raise 13,600 men. It also called upon the other colonies to increase the army to 30,000; but this r

an attack, and the garrison of the British was increased by the 10,000

cutting off all communication with the country. Surrounding them was the ocean where the British vessels o

pts to bring them to submission, for had they not everything ne

all for principle. Untrained men in the ranks, no arms, no resources for war, no ships or field-pieces-i

alvation from the yoke. Each stood in his place obedient to his superior, and each chief confined his ac

of men they proceeded against the forts of Crown Point and Ticonderoga, the key to Canada. They completely surprised

St. John's, and obtained the command of Lake Champlain. This

soon as war was apprehended, they solicited Washington to ta

magazine at Williamsburg to one of his majesty's ships in the river, caused the whole c

equested, so the men returned home, but all held th

ies, met at Philadelphia on the 10th of May, 1775, and at this conven

Point and Ticonderoga was laid before the Congress. The majority of members, see

ess, and the master stroke of the convention was the election

d hamlet where patriotic freemen collected, and the launching of th

th all that had taken place at the Congress. He explained his duty in accepting the position of ge

rived on the 2nd of July. He was welcomed with joyful acclamations by the men, who

ck of war munitions, and many of them insubordinate to officers through lack of military training. Th

that the possession of Bunker Hill, a commanding eminence on the north side of Charlestown peninsula, and nearly

and throw up with the greatest expedition, fortifications to defend the position; but by some mistake

British were alarmed to see a redoubt constructed on the

nonading only served to stimulate the soldiers' activities and zeal; nor did they cease work u

med on shore, the Americans continued work on the fortifications. The British proceeded up the hill, while constant fire was poured in upon the colonists and the newly-built works. Orders were given to burn

eople of the burning town; but the attention of all was soon engaged in watching the advance of t

the first volley from the men in the redoubt was so deadly that the advancing troops reeled, wavered and suddenly turned to flee. But the courage of the officer

was more cautious than the first two had been, and artillery had raked the entire length of the breastworks before the troops reached it. Al

by storm, the Americans dealing death at every step of retreat, and when the powder was gone t

at the result of the battle that they offered no resistance to the

cans took a position directly opposite them on Prospect Hill, where t

t destructive and bloody recorde

ge to take command of the army. The slaughter of nearly 1,500 men-450 Americans and 1,054 Bri

mander had his hands full. From his first headquarters in the house of the president of Harvard

's out!" shouted G

an read history another rainy day,"

t we're off now for some fun," decla