military life, prevented William Fairfax, who was a royalist, though a liberal one, from returning to his once happy abode, and the hospitable intercommunion of Mount Vernon and Belvoir was at an end forever.

Chapter IX.

Gage's Military Measures-Removal of Gunpowder from the Arsenal-Public Agitation-Alarms in the Country-Civil Government Obstructed-Belligerent Symptoms-Israel Putnam and General Charles Lee, their Characters and Stories-General Election -Self-Constituted Congress — Hancock President— Adjourns to Concord-Remonstrance to Gage-His Perplexities-Generals Artemas Ward and Seth Pomeroy-Committee of Safety-Committee of Supplies-Restlessness throughout the Land-Independent Companies in Virginia-Military Tone at Mount Vernon Washington's Military GuestsMajor Horatio Gates-Anecdotes concerning Him— General Charles Lee-His Peculiarities and DogsWashington at the Richmond Convention-War Speech of Patrick Henry-Washington's Military Intentions.

TH

HE rumor of the cannonading of Boston, which had thrown such a gloom over the religious ceremonial at the opening

of Congress, had been caused by measures of Governor Gage. The public mind, in Boston and its vicinity, had been rendered ex

cessively jealous and sensitive by the landing and encamping of artillery upon the Common, and Welsh Fusiliers on Fort Hill, and by the planting of four large field-pieces on Boston Neck, the only entrance to the town by land. The country people were arming and disciplining themselves in every direction, and collecting and depositing arms and ammunition in places where they would be at hand in case of emergency. Gage, on the other hand, issued orders that the munitions of war in all the public magazines should be brought to Boston. One of these magazines was the arsenal in the northwest part of Charlestown, between Medford and Cambridge. Two companies of the king's troops passed silently in boats up Mystic River in the night; took possession of a large quantity of gunpowder deposited there, and conveyed it to Castle Williams. Intelligence of this sacking of the arsenal flew with lightning speed through the neighborhood. In the morning several thousands of patriots were assembled at Cambridge, weapon in hand, and were with difficulty prevented from marching upon Boston to compel a restitution of the powder. In the confusion and agitation, a rumor stole out into the country that Boston was to be attacked; followed by another that the ships were cannonading the town, and the soldiers shoot

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ing down the inhabitants. The whole country was forthwith in arms. Numerous bodies of the Connecticut people had made some marches before the report was contradicted.*

To guard against any irruption from the country, Gage encamped the 59th regiment on Boston Neck, and employed the soldiers in intrenching and fortifying it.

In the meantime the belligerent feelings of the inhabitants were encouraged, by learning how the rumor of their being cannonaded had been received in the General Congress, and by assurances from all parts that the cause of Boston would be made the common cause of America. "It is surprising," writes General Gage, "that so many of the other provinces interest themselves so much in this. They have some warm friends in New York, and I learn that the people of Charleston, South Carolina, are as mad as they are here." †

The commissions were arrived for those civil officers appointed by the crown under the new modifications of the charter many, however, were afraid to accept of them. Those who did soon resigned, finding it impossible to withstand the odium of the people. The civil government

* Holmes's Annals, ii., 191. Letter of Gage to Lord Dartmouth.

+ Gage to Dartmouth, Sept. 20.

throughout the province became obstructed in all its operations. It was enough for a man to be supposed of the governmental party to incur the popular ill-will.

Among other portentous signs, war-hawks began to appear above the horizon. Mrs. Cushing, wife to a member of Congress, writes to her husband: "Two of the greatest military characters of the day are visiting this distressed town. General Charles Lee, who has served in Poland, and Colonel Israel Putnam, whose bravery and character need no description." As these two men will take a prominent part in coming events, we pause to give a word or two concerning them.

Israel Putnam was a soldier of native growth; one of the military productions of the French war; seasoned and proved in frontier campaigning. He had served at Louisburg, Fort Duquesne, and Crown Point; had signalized himself in Indian warfare; been captured by the savages, tied to a stake to be tortured and burnt, and had only been rescued by the interference, at the eleventh hour, of a French partisan of the Indians.

Since the peace, he had returned to agricultural life, and was now a farmer at Pomfret, in Connecticut, where the scars of his wounds and the tales of his exploits rendered him a