Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1825-03-29


| The towns people now began TO pour from their
dwellings in eS; aud Lionel initiated their exam
pie, aud took hiscou SC towards the adjacent heights
ol Beacon-hl. He tciled his way up the steep
cent, in company with twenty more, without en-
changing syllable with men who appeared as mucI,
astnnshed as himself at this early interruption of
THEN sunbers, and III few minutes be stood on the
little grassy platform, Surrounde by ii hundred in
tercsted gazrrS. The sun had Just lifted the thin
veil ot mist from the bosom of the waters and the
eve was permitted to range "A wide field benea IN
the light vapor Several vessels were noored i'm the
channels ui the Charles and Mystick, to cover the
northern approaches to the place; and as he brh.id
the column Ofwhite smoke that was wreathed about
the InaSts of Il trigatc among Them, Lionel was no
longer at loss TO comprehend whence the firing
proceeded While he yet gazing, uncertain o.
the reasons winch demanded this show of war, im-
mcuso fields of smoke burst from the side of n shin
of the line, who also opened her deep mouthed can
non, and presently her example followed by
several floating batteries, and lighter vessels, until
the vide amphitheItre of hills that emcc!ed Boston
were filled with the echoes of hundred pieces OF
artillery.
"N hat can it mean, SIR" exclaimed Young Off
Ger of his own regiment addressing major Lincoln
-"the sailors in downright earnest, and they
scale their guns with shot, know by the rafting of
the reports:
II can boast of "a vision no better than your own"
returned Lionel; for enemy can | see. As the
guns pointed at the opposite peninsula i, is
lprobablt party of the Americans are attempting
TO destroy the grass which lies newly mown in the
meadows"
The young officer in the act of asserting TO
this conjecture, when voice was heard above their
heads, shouting
There goes gun from COpp's! They needn't
think to Tighten tie p, ope with their rake-heIv
noises; let them blaze away till the dead get out of
their eravss-the Bay-meu will keep the hill.'
Every eye was Immediately TUNED upward. and
the wandering and amused spectators discovered
JOB Pray, seat i'll the .g,ate OF the Beacon his
countenamce, usually vacant, cleaning " it'll en-
ultatum. while he continued waving his hat hiub in
air as gun after gun added TO the uproar of the
v cannonade.
I "liow now, fellow exclaimed Lionel; what see
you; and where the Day-mem of whom YOU
speak"
"Nhere, returned the simpleton, clapping his
hands with childish deligAt--"why. where they came
at Clark midnight, and where they II stand at omen
noon day! The bay-men can look Into the windows
OF old Funnel street, and now let the rep'lars
come on, aud they II teach the goddess murCerers the
law!
! Where are those Bay-men, / once more asks
There! repeated job, pointing over tine low roofs
oil tie town, III the direction of the opposite PENN
Suia They dug their cellar on Breeds and now
they are fixing their under pinnn, and nest you'll
see what Il raising they II invite the people TO-"
n instant the spot was named, ali those ewes
Which mad hitherto gazed al the vessels themselves
instead OF searching the object of their hostility
were turned to the green emInence which rose lit
tie to the right of the village of Charestovn, and
| every doubt was once removed bv the discn-
/ very
We find that our limits will not permit us to ex
tract mo of the preliminary description of this in
teresting event The busy note of Preparations and
lhe rafting "l the cannon the pavement were
n-slHH "a nHt I,.s,. Ill.
diery, and,(as Byron has it,
"lhe mounting in hot haste; the steed
= he nusiein ing squadron, and the Gathering car
Wv emf pouring forward with impetunus speed
e And swiftly forming in the ranks of war;
E And the deep thunder peal on peal afar:
land near, the beat Of the alarming drum
housed up the soldier ere the morning star;
while thromgd the citizens with terror dumb
"Or whispering, with white lips--"The foe.
They come! they come"
1t IS all finely desc Ibed in the work. but we must
pa this as well the proceedings at the Co,uciI
ho"rn' the assignment of Howe to the Command Of
tie British forces, and the meeting on Copp's hill of
Lincoln, Burgoyne and Clinton as spectators of the
app oaching contest Howe, had formed his men
with all the pageantry of war, and with military
precision, which was III perfect Contrast with tie IT.
regular and undiSciplined patriots, with whom they
were about to engage.
The troops formed with beautiful accuracy. and
md
took their assigned stations under cover Of rIe bro
OF the cmlnence. Their force was in some measure
dyi0eH one m"iety attempting the toisonIe ascent
"i the hill, and the other moving along the bea cb
OF III the orchards OF the more level ground, towards
the huSo"ndmen on the meadows. The after soon
disappeared behind some fruit-trees and the hrick
kins iust mentioned. The advance of the rovaI co
iumns up the ascent slow and measured giying
time 10 their field guns add their efforts TO The nm
roar OF the cannOnade, which broke out witt, ne w
fury as the battaons prepared to march When
each column arrived al the allotted point il sprea
tt gallant array of its glittering warriors under
f bright sun.
at is glorious spectacle" murmured tre orace-
iui chealn by the side of Lionel keenIy alive IN
all the poetry of his aurng professions: show ex
rethinS soldier-likc and with what accuracy his
first arm ascends the bill, towards his euemy.''
the intensity his feelings prevented Major Lin
CON from repiyiug and the other soon forgot that he
haH Spoken III the overwhelming anxiety of the mo-
ment. The advance OF the British line, so beautI-
id and slow, resembled her the ordered sieadness
OF a drill than an approach to deadly strupule-
I"cir standards fluttcred proudly above them and
there We're moments when the wild music of their
bands was heard rising on the air and tempeing the
ruder sounds of the artillery. The voung and
thoughtlesS III their ranks turned their faces back
ward, and smiled exungly as thew bebeld e. o.
pies, rUois masts, and heights, teeming with their
thousands OF eyes bent the show of their br,g,t
array. AS the British lines moved in open view of
the little redoubt and began slowly to gather around
ITS different faces, gun after gun became silent and
the curious artiefiSf, or tired eamen la evteno
on his heated piece, gazing in mute wonder at the
spectacle. There was Just then a minute when the
roar ofthe cannouade seemed passing away like the
rumbling of distant thunder
"They will not fight, Lucon," said the animated
leader at the side Of Lionel-"the military front of
Howe has chilled the hearts of the hnaves, and our
ft.r,f rrrt1l l,,,, I, Ill