they retired in utter confusion. Then fresh troops were landed and the third time they were led to what seemed inevitable slaughter. But, unfortunately, the Americans had not been supplied with sufficient ammunition. One volley, and then they clubbed their muskets to meet the bayonet charge of the British. Numbers, however, soon told against the Americans, who were forced to retire, though in splendid order and fine spirits. The Americans lost about one-fourth of their number, or four hundred and forty-nine, among them the brave General Joseph Warren, one of the leading patriots of Boston. The British lost one thousand and fifty-four men. Although a victory for the British, it had all the effects of a crushing defeat. It made Sir William Howe an extremely cautious general thereafter, and gave to the British soldier a wholesome fear of and respect for the American yeomanry. Among the colonies the battle inspired in the patriot heart confidence to meet the British foe. King George, after receiving the report of the battle of Bunker Hill, recalled Gage and appointed Howe commander-in-chief of the British forces in America.

214. Montgomery and Arnold at Quebec.-No further action occurred about Boston during that season. An expedition to Canada was undertaken by the Americans, however, for they believed that a successful blow dealt against Montreal and Quebec would encourage the Canadians to join the colonies in their revolt. The expedition was to consist of two sections. One section, under General Richard Montgomery, was to start from Fort Ticonderoga, take Montreal, and then join Arnold in an attack on Quebec.

Arnold, after undergoing the most terrible privations and hardships, arrived before Quebec in November, but with his force so reduced by the hardships of the trip that he could muster but seven hundred men for the attack. He was consequently compelled to wait for Montgomery. Upon the latter's arrival an attack was planned from opposite sides of

the city to take place the night of December 31. On that night, amid blinding snow and bitter cold the attack was made with such spirit that the troops fought their way well into the city. At this moment of possible victory, Montgomery was killed and his men became so disheartened that they were forced back by the now desperate British. Arnold's attack fared little better, he himself being wounded. His men fought on, however, until overpowered by numbers. This disaster cooled the ardor of the colonists in some degree and taught them to expect but little assistance from the Canadians.

EVENTS OF 1776

215. Howe Evacuates Boston-March 17.-July 3, 1775, on the village green at Cambridge, Washington took command of the American army. He was a strict disciplinarian and immediately instituted army regulations and daily drills. His desire was to drive Howe out of Boston as soon as possible. But he dared not make the attempt until the patriot army was properly equipped for the attack, and this proved no easy task. Everything pertaining to the equipping of an army had to be provided. The summer and early winter had passed before Washington felt that his army was in any way a match for the opposing force. Finally, the arrival from Ticonderoga and Crown Point of heavy siege guns and other supplies brought through the almost impenetrable wilderness on sledges drawn over the snow by oxen, made it possible to accomplish the fortification of Dorchester Heights, the key to Boston.

On the morning of the 5th of March, 1776, the British in Boston were treated to the unwelcome sight of the American flag on Dorchester Heights, commanding the city on the south. Howe thereupon ordered Lord Percy with three. thousand troops to take the American position. A storm prevented the attack during the day, and the next morning it was decided that the position was too strong to

be carried. Thus had Bunker Hill taught the British to respect American valor. Learning of Howe's intention to evacuate Boston and desiring to avoid a bombardment by the British fleet, which would have inflicted unnecessary damage to private property in Boston, Washington did not attack Howe, allowing him to take his time in evacuating

the city.

set sail for Halifax.

216. The British in the South: Battle of Fort MoultrieJune 28. In the early spring Howe sent Sir Henry Clinton south with a fleet for the purpose of subduing the southern colonies. Clinton found conditions in North Carolina so favorable to the American cause that he decided to attack Charleston on the South Carolina coast. At Charleston Colonel Moultrie had built on Sullivan's Island a fort which commanded Charleston harbor. The fort was a primitive affair, built out of palmetto logs and sand. In the battle which ensued on the 28th of June, Moultrie's

fort withstood, with but little damage, a terrific bombardment from the ten ships of the British. On the other hand, the aim of the Americans was so well directed that nine of the enemy's ships were disabled.

217. King George Hires Hessians.-When the abundance of England's resources at that time is considered, it is little wonder that the nations of the world marveled at the temerity of the American colonies in offering resistance to the parent country. England had a large, well-trained army of her own; she had early conciliated the Indians and in the hands of experienced frontiersmen they proved a source of great strength to the English; but King George still further added to the strength of his armies by the hiring of foreign troops -a practice then quite prevalent among the nations on the continent. Certain small states of Europe made war a business, training troops for service, and hiring them to such nations as had more money than men. During the Revolution, England sent over about thirty thousand of these mercenaries, for which she paid the enormous sum of nine million dollars. They were called Hessians because the larger number of them were hired from the ruler of HesseCassel. They did the king good service in the field, but this service was greatly counterbalanced by the increased bitterness engendered in the minds of the colonists. This hiring

of troops by King George also won for the colonists the sympathy of many nations, and strengthened the idea of independence in those colonies which were the most conservative. It roused the just indignation of Frederick the Great in Germany and incensed thousands of liberty-loving Englishmen at home.

218. Independence Declared-July 4.-It is well to remember that, while many of the leaders had advocated separation and independence before the Declaration was given to the world, still the great mass of the colonists at first neither asked for it nor thought it a necessary outcome to the struggle in which they were now engaged. An actual state of

war had existed over a year before the idea of independence was strong enough to carry in a majority of the colonies. North Carolina was the first to give public utterance to the idea, her assembly passing a resolution, April 22, instructing her delegates in Congress to "concur with those in other colonies in declaring independence." Virginia followed with a similar request, and on June 7 one of her able delegates, Richard Henry Lee, offered the following resolution for the consideration of Congress:

"Resolved, That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent states; that they are

absolved from all allegiance to the British crown, and that all political connection between them and the state of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved."

The resolution was postponed until after the delegates could get instructions from their constituencies. It was brought up for consideration again on July 1, and on the following day, after full debate, was passed by Congress. A committee was immediately appointed to draft the Declar