by an unaccountable error that those people, who had been laboring all the night, were not relieved by others, nor even furnished with provisions before the battle. Generals Putnam, Warren and Pomeroy, animated and encouraged the troops with their presence. At about 1 o'clock, 17th of June, the royal forces were observed to cross the river from Boston, and land on the shore at Charlestown; at the head of these veterans were Major General Howe and Brigadier General Pigot; their force consisted of about three thousand men, well provided with field artillery. They formed in two lines, their officers haranging them probably in such language as this. "Those cowardly rebels must and shall be put to flight. See the dastardly Yankees with rusty guns and scarcely a bayonet among them. March on, my lads, march on, show them that you are Britons; show them these dazzling arms, and bayonets bright and sharp, and you shall soon see them take to their heels and run." Hear the voice of Putnam, of Prescott and Warren. " See my

brave soldiers that phalanx approaching; these lines must and shall be defended; these are the cruel enemies to your freedom; they have come to enslave you; remember their barbarous murders of our friends at Lexington; fight manfully, and they shall be vanquished, reserve your fire till their near approach; then with a sure aim cut them down, cut them down, and the victory shall be ours." The regulars deliberately advance to the attack, the grenadiers in front. The Americans reserve their fire till the enemy are within eight or ten rods, that they may do effectual execution; when, by a general discharge of musketry and field artillery, several officers and men are seen to fall, "their ranks are thinned; see the ground covered with the slain; see those wounded officers borne off the field." The conflict becomes close, and such are the fatal effects of the incessant and furious discharge of our musketry, that

the regulars retreat in disorder and many of them flee even to their boats. The officers greatly agitated pursue their men and threaten them with their swords; with great difficulty they are rallied, and commanded to advance again to the attack. The provincials are prepared, and when sufficiently near, a deadly fire from their ranks puts the enemy a second time to flight, leaving such numbers of dead and wounded that several of their officers exclaim, "It is downright butchery to lead the men on afresh against the lines." At this critical moment Major General Clinton, who till now had been a spectator with General Burgoyne on Copp's hill in Boston, passed over and entered the field, just in time to unite his efforts with those of the other officers for the purpose of forcing the regulars to renew the attack. The Americans still remain firm and courageous at their posts; but unfortunately it was' now discovered that their powder was nearly expended, and another supply could not be procured. The enemy now change the position of their cannon and place them in a situation to rake the inside of our breast work in its whole course, which at length obliges the provincials to retire within their little redoubt. The firing from the British ships, and other armed vessels and batteries, is now pushed to the utmost extremity; the regulars are impelled forward by their officers, and our redoubt is attacked on three sides at the same time. Our brave men continue their resistance, and actually confront the enemy with the butt end of their muskets after they had entered the fort. A party of our men under command of Captain Knowlton had taken up a post and rail fence, and placing it against another, filled the vacancy with newly mowed hay, which served as a slight defence. The British light infantry attempted to force this little party from their stand, and by this means to cut off the retreat of our troops. In this they displayed the greatest bravery, but their

opposers poured forth their reserved and formidable fire in such a manner as to produce astonishing execution, and to arrest their progress, till the whole of the Americans could effect a retreat. The narrow neck of land over which alone the provincials could retire, was so securely guarded by a man of war and two floating batteries, as to render it extremely hazardous to pass over; but notwithstanding their incessant firing, our loss there was quite inconsiderable. The provincials were obliged to leave five pieces of field artillery in the hands of the enemy, finding it impossible to remove them. But a loss infinitely to be lamented, and which occasions universal grief and sorrow, is that of Major General Joseph Warren. This distinguished patriot and hero was, but a few days before, appointed by Congress to the rank of Major General in our army. Such was his zeal and ardor that he rushed into the battle foremost in danger with his musket, and encouraged the soldiers by his example, till near the close of the battle, when he received a fatal shot and immediately expired. The loss at this crisis of a man possessing so much public virtue and military ardor is almost irreparable. But the valor with which he is signalized reflects glory on his memory. It yet remains to mention that on this ever memorable day, just at the commencement of the battle, General Howe ordered the handsome town of Charlestown to be set on fire, that the smoke might conceal their manœuvres. town consisted of upwards of three hundred dwelling houses, some of them elegant, and about two hundred buildings of other descriptions, which contained property and goods to a large amount, belonging to the distressed inhabitants of Boston. Fire was communicated to a number of houses, which, being wafted by the wind, soon reached the sacred temple, when the flames issued from its lofty spire; while from the conflagration and the embattled field, smoke mingled with smoke in majestic columns, and ascended to the

The

clouds. This, with the roaring of cannon, sheets of fire from the musketry, and the awful slaughter, formed a spectacle which for sublimity and grandeur has never perhaps been exceeded. This most dreadful scene, with all its concomitant horrors, was within view of a vast concourse of agonized spectators, posted on the tops of houses and steeples in Boston, and on numerous surrounding hills, hundreds of whom were trembling for the fate of a parent, a husband or a brother. Well might a devout person exclaim, Good Heavens! what a scene do I behold! what carnage of the human race! what sacrifice of precious life. My God! stay thy hand, restrain a further effusion of human blood, spare the innocent, let punishment fall on the heads of the guilty. Is there not some hidden curse in reserve for our country's foes! At the head of the British army General Howe advanced with undaunted bravery, continually pressing into the most exposed situation. It is truly wonderful that he escaped with only a wound in his foot. The valiant Major Pitcairn, who was so conspicuously active at Lexington, was among the first who mounted our breast works, and at the moment when he was heard to exclaim, "the day is ours," the fatal ball pierced his body and he fell. His son, a Captain, received him in his arms, with all the ardor of filial love and tender sympathy, and bore him to the boat where he expired. On the American side, Generals Putnam, Warren, Pomeroy, and Colonel Prescott were emphatically the heroes of the day, and their unexampled efforts were crowned with glory. The incomparable Colonel Prescott marched at the head of the detachment, and though several general officers were present, he retained the command during the action. He displayed a native daring bravery altogether unrivalled, and infused the conquering spirit of a soldier into the hearts of all who were under his command, and crowned himself with immortal honor. Colonel John Stark commanded a regiment from

New Hampshire, and signalized himself by his active bravery. His very valiant Major McClary was killed by a cannon ball while recrossing Charlestown neck, which is lamented as a public loss. On this never to be forgotten occasion a fair opportunity was presented for the trial of the courage and prowess of the people of New England, when contending for their constitutional freedom. They marched to the field as an undisciplined, inexperienced body of yeomanry, rather than as professed warriors; a large majority of them carrying ordinary fire arms, unprovided with bayonets, and habited in the style of country laborers. It was their lot to contend with an army of disciplined veterans, professedly experienced in the art of warfare, uniformly clothed and armed, and commanded by generals whose names, even in Europe, are little less than a host.

The comparative force of the two armies was about two to one, against the provincials, besides the royal artillery ships, and other armed vessels. What in fact is the result of this most unequal combat? Certain it is, that on the first and the second onset, the veterans were fairly repulsed, and whatever advantage was ultimately obtained, was at the expense of some of their most valuable officers, and the flower of the British grenadiers and light infantry. These two corps, at the moment of their first onset, lost three fourths of their number; of one company five, and of another, fourteen only escaped. The remarkable disparity of loss is a clear demonstration of the superior advantage on our side. It is an ascertained fact, that of the enemy nineteen commissioned officers were killed, and seventy wounded; and their total loss, according to General Gage, was one thousand and fifty four. Of the provincials, the killed and dead of their wounds, are one hundred and thirty nine. Other wounded, two hundred and seventy eight. Prisoners by the enemy thirty six. Total four hundred and fifty three. The provincials have much