HISTORY

OF THE

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

FROM

THE DISCOVERY OF THE CONTINENT

BY

GEORGE BANCROFT.

IN SIX VOLUMES.

VOL. V.

THOROUGHLY REVISED EDITION.

BOSTON:

LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY.

1876.

5364442

B

Harvard College Library,
Bequest of Edward Ray Thompson,

of Trey, N. Y.
December 11, lan

COPYRIGHT, 1876,

BY GEORGE BANCROFT.

CAMBRIDGE:

PRESS OF JOHN WILSON AND SON.

CONTENTS OF VOLUME V.

CHAPTER XLI.

-

THE CONTINENTAL CONGRESS IN MIDSUMMER, 1775. June 17-July, 1775.

Censure on Howe's Attack on Bunker Hill, p. 3- Sufferings of the British,

3-Great Loss of Officers, 3- Death of Abercrombie, 3- Election of American

Major Generals, 4- Artemas Ward, 4-Charles Lee, 4-Opinion of him in

England, 4— His Character, 4- His Demand of Indemnity, 5- New York

proposes Schuyler, 5-Montgomery's Opinion, 5-Schuyler's Character, 6

Choice of Israel Putnam, 6-His Previous Career, 6- His Character, 6—

Horatio Gates Adjutant General, 6- His Rank, 6- His Character, 6- Incom-

petency of the General Officers, 6-Thomas Jefferson enters Congress, 6—

Election of Brigadiers, 7-Seth Pomeroy chosen, 7- His Character, 7- He

declines, 7-Richard Montgomery chosen, 7- His Character, 7-Choice of

David Wooster, 7-Of William Heath, 7- Of Joseph Spencer, 7 — Of John

Thomas, 7— Of John Sullivan, 7- Of Nathaniel Greene, 7- Washington's

Farewell to Congress, 7-His Departure from Philadelphia, 8- His Reception

at New York, 8-Reception of Governor Tryon, 8- Address of New York Con-

gress to Washington, 9 His Answer, 9- New York Plan of Accommodation, 9

-Congress expects but one Campaign, 10— Its Financial System, 10 — Increase

of the Army, 10-Congress authorizes the Invasion of Canada, 10-Causes of

taking up Arms, 10-Measures advised by John Adams, 12-Franklin's Mes-

sage to Strahan, 12-Second Petition of Congress to the King, 12- Union

announced, 12- Congress addresses the People of Great Britain, 12 — Address

to London, 13-Appointment of Richard Penn as Agent for Congress, 13 - The

Alternative proposed, 13.

-

-

CHAPTER XLII.

THE ARMY ROUND BOSTON. July, 1775.

Washington, Mifflin, Reed, Lee, Gates, at Cambridge, p. 14- Popularity of

Washington, 14-Trumbull's Message, 14-State of the Army, 15- Washing-

ton visits the American Posts, 15-Their Condition, 15-Sufferings of the

Inhabitants of Boston, 15-Number of the British Army, 15-The American

Lines, 16-Stockbridge Indians, 16-Number of the American Army, 17-

Their Appearance, 17 — The Camp, 17 — Its Deficiencies, 17 - Washington intro-

duces Reforms, 18-Lee tries to negotiate, 18- Burgoyne's Letter to Lee, 18-

-

Lee's Clandestine Letter to Burgoyne, 18- Various Skirmishes and Expeditions,

19-Declaration for taking up Arms read to the Colony, 19-Town-Meetings in

Massachusetts, 19— Election of House of Representatives, 19- Boston Town-

Meeting held at Concord, 19— Attack on Boston Light-house, 19 - Organization

of Government in Massachusetts, 20-Alarm of General Gage, 20- He wishes

to transfer the Army to New York, 20-Skirmish at the Light-house, 20

Washington misjudges the New England People, 21— Their Benevolence and

Zeal, 21- Their Exertions, 21.

CHAPTER XLIII.

CONGRESS STILL HOPES TO AVEKT WAR. July 19-August, 1775.

Inefficiency of the Continental Congress as an Executive Body, p. 22 - Wash-

ington's Reports, 22-His Wants, 22 - Reports from Schuyler, 22 - The Want

of Discipline, 22 - Measures adopted by Congress, 23-Congress gives Authority

to employ Troops, 23 - And Recommendations to provide them, 23 - Franklin

proposes a Confederacy, 23- Its Conditions, 23— Its Component Members, 24-

Its Perpetuity, 24-Two Great Principles of his Plan, 24 - The Proposition

reserved, 24- Georgia joins the Union, 24 - Lord North's Proposal referred to a

Committee, 24-Jamaica remembered, 24 - America and Ireland, 24— Ameri-

cans complain to the Irish of Howe, 25-)
- British Attempts to gain the Aid of

the Savages, 25- Apathy of Congress, 25 — Indignation of John Adams, 25-

His Letters intercepted, 25-Jefferson's Paper in Reply to Lord North's Pro-

posal, 26 Reasons for rejecting his Proposal, 26 - Proposal for a Truce, 26

-Post-Office established, 26 — - Congressional System of Finances, 26- How

it was proposed to redeem the Paper Money, 27-Contrast of the Finances

of Britain, 27 - Congress refuses to open the American Ports, 27-Congress

adjourns, 27.

-

CHAPTER XLIV.

AMERICA AWAITS THE KING'S DECISION. August-September, 1775.

-

-

Duties of Washington, p. 28- His Position, 28 - His Want of Money, Powder,

Arms, 28-Divisions of the Army, 28—Washington's Measures to obtain a Little

Powder, 29-Spirit of the Country, 29 - The Riflemen, 29 - Character of Mor-

gan, 29-Zeal of his Company, 30- Cresap and his Company, 30-Pennsyl-

vania Riflemen, 30 Alacrity of the New Recruits, 31-Influence of the Riflemen

on European Tactics, 31-Linzee beaten off from Cape Ann, 32-Artifices of

Gage, 32-His Ill-treatment of American Prisoners, 32- Washington remon-

strates, 32-Foolish Insolence of Gage, 32-Washington and the People as

the Source of Power, 32-Retaliation threatened, 32-Stanhope breaks his

Parole, 33-State of the British Troops in Boston, 33-Timorousness of Gage,

33-Boston more closely invested, 33 Washington rejects the Plan of an

Expedition against Nova Scotia, 33- He directs an Invasion of Canada from

Ticonderoga, 34- And by Way of the Kennebec, 34- His Policy with regard to

Coast Defence, 34- His Difficulties and Wants, 35- His Fortitude, 35.