timate of

and was there only as a volunteer, not in command. Howe's esThe British general, Howe, on hearing of his death, warren. said that it was equal to the loss of five hundred men to the Americans.

CHAPTER XIX.

Effect of

the battle

of Bunker

Hill.

TH

WASHINGTON TAKES COMMAND.

HE battle of Bunker Hill was of the greatest importance to the colonies. First, it settled the question that there was to be a war, which many people had not before believed. Secondly, it showed that inexperienced American soldiers could resist regular troops. It is said that when Washington heard of it, he only asked, "Did the militia stand fire?" And when he was told that they did, and that they reserved their own till their opponents were within eight rods, he said, "The liberties of the country are safe." The battle was not claimed as a victory by the Americans; and yet it roused their enthusiasm very much. The ranks of the Continental army were filled up, and the troops were in high spirits. On the other hand, the greatest surprise was felt in England at the courage shown by the Americans in this contest, and the great number of The severe killed and wounded among the. British troops. By the official accounts, the British loss in killed and wounded was more than a thousand (1,054), including an unusually large proportion of officers; being one in four of the whole force engaged. The Americans lost less than half as many, - not more than four hundred and fifty. People in England complained that none of their regi

loss of the British.

ments had ever returned so diminished in numbers from any battle. One came back, for instance, with only twenty-five men. And it was said that "no history could produce a parallel" to the courage shown by the British in advancing beneath such a murderous fire. "So large a proportion of a detachment," it was said, was never killed or wounded in Germany," where the British armies had lately been engaged.

command

Even before the battle of Bunker Hill, the Continen- choice of a tal Congress had voted to adopt the army besieging er-in-chief. Boston, as the national army, and to raise additional troops in other States. At the recommendation of the New England delegates, George Washington was unanimously chosen general-in-chief, with four major-generals, Artemas Ward, Charles Lee, Philip Schuyler, and Israel Putnam. It was thought best that the general-in-chief should not be from New England, because it was wished that all the colonies should join in the war; and, besides, there was no man in America who could claim to equal Washington in military reputation. So he came on from Virginia, arriving July Washing. 2, 1775, and the next day stood under the great elm in command Cambridge (still known as the Washington Elm) to take of the command of the Continental army. No doubt there was great curiosity to see this famous officer; and we can imagine with what eagerness the soldiers looked at him. When they looked, they saw a man forty-three years old, more than six feet tall, broad and vigorous, with large hands and feet, rather clumsy in his movements, yet with great dignity of bearing, and with a noble and commanding countenance at all times. He was dressed in a blue coat with buff facings, buff small

ton takes

army.

Condition

of the Continental army.

clothes, an epaulet on each shoulder, and a black cockade in his hat.

And when Washington looked, in turn, upon his army, he saw, to use his own words, "a mixed multitude of people, under very little discipline, order, or government." They were armed with fowling-pieces or muskets, hardly any two of which were of the same calibre.

Few of the regiments had any uniform: they were collections of men in their old coats or their shirtsleeves, and many of them wearing leather smallclothes. Those who came from a distance had usually some similarity of dress, to distinguish them on the march; and many of the riflemen who soon arrived from Virginia wore hunting-shirts of brown Holland,

"double caped over the shoulder, in imitation of the Indians;" and having embroidered on the breast, in capital letters, "Liberty, or death." But, in general, the aspect of the Revolutionary army was not at all that of disciplined soldiers. And when General Washington went round among the camps and forts, which spread from Cambridge to Charlestown, he found anything but military regularity and neatness. Some of the troops, especially those from Rhode Island, had regular lines of tents; while others lived in little huts, made of boards, or stones, or turf, put in any place where shelter could be found, and sometimes protected at the doors and windows by basket-work. The food was rough Scarcity of and often scanty; and, worst of all, there was a great scarcity of powder. At first there were only seven cartridges to a man. Washington wrote to Congress, "Our situation in the article of powder is much more alarming than I had the faintest idea of." Another officer wrote, "The word 'powder' in a letter sets us all on tiptoe." Another wrote, speaking of General Putnam, "The bay is open: everything thaws here, except old Put. He is still as hard as ever crying out for 'powder, powder! Ye Gods, give us powder !'

By degrees, the army was supplied with many necessary equipments from the store-ships taken as prizes by the Americans, who sent out privateers, and who, after retaking Castle William, put up a British flag there to decoy in the English vessels. But powder was always scarce; and this was the chief reason why General Washington had to be content for many months with keeping the British army besieged in Boston, without trying to take the city. Meanwhile the British troops in Boston be-

powder.