army of from ten to twelve thousand men,-all excellent troops. Three distinguished generals, Howe, Clinton, and Burgoyne, were at the head of these re-enforcements. Great events were looked for on both sides.

The English were inflamed with desire to wash out the stain of Lexington: they could not endure the idea, that the Americans had seen them fly: it galled them to think, that the soldiers of the British King, renowned for their brilliant exploits, were now closely imprisoned within the walls of a city. They were desirous, at any price, of proving that their vaunted superiority over the herds of American militia, was not a vain chimera.

Above all, they ardently desired to terminate, by some decisive stroke, this ignominious war; and thus satisfy, at once, their own glory, the expectations of their country, the orders, the desires, and the promises, of the ministers. victory was exacted of them still more imperiously by the scarcity of food, which every day became more alarming; for, if they must sacrifice their lives, they chose rather to perish by the sword than by famine. The Americans, on their part, were not less eager for the hour of combat to arrive: their preceding successes had stimulated their courage, and promised them new triumphs.

In this state of things, the English generals deliberated maturely upon the most expedient mode of extricating themselves from this difficult position, and placing themselves more at large in the country.

*

Accordingly, they directed their views towards the peninsula and neck of Charlestown. The American generals had immediate notice of it, and resolved to exert their most strenuous endeavours to defeat this new project of the enemy. Nothing was better suited to such a purpose, than to fortify diligently the heights of Bunker's Hill, which commanded the whole extent of the peninsula of Charlestown. Orders were, therefore, given to Colonel William Prescott, to occupy them with a detachment of a thousand men, and to intrench himself there by the rules of art.

But here an error was committed, which placed the garrison of Boston in very imminent danger, and reduced the two parties to the necessity of coming to action immediately. Whether he was deceived by the resemblance of name, or from some other motive unknown, Colonel Prescott, instead of repairing to Bunker's Hill, to fortify himself there, advanced farther on in the peninsula, and iminediately com

menced his intrenchments upon the summit of Breed's Hill, another eminence, which overlooks Charlestown, from the north-east, and is situated towards the extremity of the peninsula, nearer to Boston.

The works were pushed with so much ardour, that, the following morning, the 17th of June, by day-break, the Americans had already constructed a square redoubt, capable of affording them some shelter from the enemy's fire. The abour had been conducted with such silence, that the English had no suspicion of what was passing. It was about four in the morning, when the captain of a ship of war first perceived it, and began to play his artillery. The report of the cannon attracted a multitude of spectators to the shore.

The English generals doubted the testimony of their senses. Meanwhile, it appeared important to dislodge the provincials, or at least prevent them from completing the fortifications commenced: for, as the height of Breed's Hill absolutely commands Boston, the city was no longer tenable, if the Americans erected a battery upon this eminence. The English, therefore, opened a general fire of artillery from the city, the fleet, and the floating batteries stationed around the peninsula of Boston. It hailed a tempest of bombs and balls upon the works of the Americans: they were especially incommoded by the fire of a battery planted upon an eininence named Copp's Hill, which, situated within the city, overlooks Charlestown from the south, and is but three fourths of a mile distant from Breed's Hill.

But all this was without effect. The Americans continued to work with unshaken constancy; and, by noon, they had much advanced a trench, which descended from the redoubt to the foot of the hill, and almost to the bank of Mystic River. The fury of the enemy's artillery, it is true, had prevented them from carrying it to perfection.

In this conjuncture, there remained no alternative for the English generals, but to drive the Americans, by dint of force, from this formidable position. This resolution was taken without hesitation; and it was followed by the action of Breed's Hill, known also by the name of Bunker's Hill; much renowned for intrepidity, not to say the temerity, of the two parties; for the number of the dead and wounded; and for the effect it produced upon the opinions of inen, in regard to the valour of the Americans, and the probable issue of the whole war.

The right wing of the Americans was flanked by the houses of Charlestown, which they occupied; and the part of this wing, which was connected with the main body, was defended by the redoubt erected upon Breed's Hill. The centre, and the left wing, formed themselves behind the trench, which, following the declivity of the hill, extended towards, but without reaching, Mystic River.

The American officers, observing that the weakest part of their line was precisely this extremity of the left wing,for the trench not extending to the river, and the land in this place being smooth and nearly level, there was danger of that wing's being turned, and attacked in the rear,caused the passage, between the extreme left and the river, to be obstructed, by setting down two parallel palisades, or ranges of fence, and filling up the space between them with new-mown grass.

a

The troops of Massachusetts occupied Charlestown, the redoubt, and a part of the trench; those of Connecticut, commanded by Captain Nolten, and those of New Hampshire, under Colonel Starke, the rest of the trench. A few moments before the action commenced, Doctor Warren,man of great authority, and a zealous patriot,-who had been appointed general, arrived with some re-enforcements. General Pomercy made his appearance at the same time. The first joined the troops of his own province, Massachusetts; the second took command of those from Connecticut. General Putnam directed in chief, and held himself ready to repair to any point where his presence should be most wanted.

The Americans had no cavalry. Their artillery, without being very numerous, was, nevertheless, competent. They wanted not for muskets; but the greater part of these were without bayonets. Their sharp-shooters, for want of rifles, were obliged to use common firelocks; but as marksmen they had no equals. Such were the means of the Americans; but their hope was great, and they were all impatient for the signal of combat.

Between mid-day and one o'clock, the heat being intense, all was in motion in the British camp. A multitude of sloops and boats, filled with soldiers, left the shore of Boston, and stood for Charlestown: they landed at Moreton's Point, about half a mile south-east of the summit of Breed's Hill, without meeting resistance; as the ships of war and armed vessels effectually protected the debarkation by the

fire of their artillery, which forced the enemy to keep within his intrenchments.

This corps consisted of ten companies of grenadiers, as many of light infantry, and a proportionate artillery; the whole under the command of Major-general Howe and Brigadier-general Pig'ot. The troops, on landing, began to display, the light infantry upon the right, the grenadiers upon the left-but, having observed the strength of the position, and the good countenance of the Americans, General Howe made a halt, and sent for a re-enforcement.

LESSON CXXVIII.

The same, concluded.

ON being re-enforced, the English formed themselves in two columns. Their plan was, that the left wing, under General Pigot, should attack the rebels in Charlestown, while the centre should assault the redoubt, and the right wing, consisting of light infantry, force the passage near the River Mystic, and thus assail the Americans in flank and rear; which would have given the English a complete victory. It appears, also, that General Gage had formed the design of setting fire to Charlestown, when evacuated by the enemy, in order that the corps destined to assail the redoubt, thus protected by the flame and smoke, might be less exposed to the fire of the provincials.

The dispositions having all been completed, the English put themselves in motion. The provincials that were stationed to defend Charlestown, fearing lest the assailants should penetrate between this town and the redoubt, and cut them off from the rest of the army, retreated. The left wing of the English army immediately entered the town, and fired the buildings: as they were of wood, in a moment the combustion became general.

The centre of the British force continued a slow march against the redoubt and trench; halting, from time to time, for the artillery to come up, and act with some effect, previous to the assault. The flames and smoke of Charlestown were of no use to them, as the wind turned them in a contrary direction. Their gradual advance, and the extreme clearness of the air, permitted the Americans to level their

muskets. They, however, suffered the enemy to approach, before they commenced their fire; and waited for the assault in profound tranquillity.

It would be difficult to paint the scene of terror presented by the actual circumstances;-a large town, all enveloped in flames, which, excited by a violent wind, rose to an immense height, and spread every moment more and more;an innumerable multitude, rushing from all parts, to witness so unusual a spectacle, and see the issue of the sanguinary conflict that was about to commence ;-the Bostonians, and soldiers of the garrison, not in actual service, mounted upon the spires, upon the roofs, and upon the heights;—and the hills, and circumjacent fields, from which the dread arēna could be viewed in safety, covered with swarms of spectators of every rank, and age, and sex; each agitated by fear or hope, according to the party he espoused.

The English having advanced within reach of musketry, the Americans showered upon them a volley of bullets. This terrible fire was so well supported, and so well directed, that the ranks of the assailants were soon thinned and broken: they retired in disorder to the place of their landing some threw themselves precipitately into the boats.

The field of battle was covered with the slain. The officers were seen running hither and thither, with promises, with exhortations, and with menaces, attempting to rally the soldiers, and inspirit them for a second attack. Finally, after the most painful efforts, they resumed their ranks, and marched up to the enemy. The Americans reserved their fire, as before, until their approach, and received them with the same deluge of balls. The English, overwhelmed and routed, again fled to the shore.

In this perilous moment, General Howe remained for some time alone upon the field of battle: all the officers who surrounded him were killed or wounded. It is related, that, at this critical conjuncture, upon which depended the issue of the day, General Clinton, who, from Copp's Hill, examined all the movements, on seeing the destruction of his troops, immediately resolved to fly to their succour.

This experienced commander, by an able movement, reestablished order; and, seconded by the officers, who felt all the importance of success, to English honour and the course of events, he led the troops to a third attack. It was directed against the redoubt, at three several points.

The artillery of the ships not only prevented all re-enfr