Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1855-07-14


licaied eases of persons restored after drowning,
whcfe life has been temporarily exiinguished in
the full glow Of health. with the faculties, nn-
impaired by disease, in perfect action, that IN
the last few minutes Of conscious existence the
whole series Of the events Of the entire life
comes rushing back to The mind distinctly, but
with ioconceirable raPidiiy--tial tie whole life
is lived over agaln In liomeut. s,urh mar
ratisc, by person Of high official position and
perfect cIedibiliiy, have read We nav we'll
suppose that al this critical moment Of Wash
ingion's life similar concentration Of thought
would take place, and thai the events Of his past
existence, as they had prepared him fur t--his
escape from drowning aud the rife Of the saw
age on his perilous mission TO Veuango--ihe
shower of iron hail through which be rode nm
harmed on Braddock's field, would now crowd
through his memory that much more, also,
the pas, life Of his countryside early stages of
the gre1t conflict now brought TO It's crisis, and
still more solemny the possibilities Of the fu-
ture for himself aud for America would press
upon him-ihe ruin of the patriotic cause il be
failed at the outsei-the triumphant consolida-
iion Of the Revelation IL he prevailed; with
higher visions Of the hopeful family Of rising
Siates-their auspicious growth and prospering
fortunes. lowering like dream Of angels in the
remote prospect--all this, attended with the i'm
mense desire Of honest fame, (for we cannot
think even Washingtons s mind too noble to want
the last infmity,) )-ihe intense inward glow Of
manly heroism about to act his great part on
sublime theatre the sofiness Of the man clias
iening the severity Of the chieftain, and deeply
touched al the sufTerings and bereavemenis about
10 be caused by the conflict Of the morrow ;
the still tenderer emotions that hreaihed their
sancii,y over AL the rest the thought Of the
faithful and beloved wife who had followed him
from Mount Vernon, and Of the aged mother,
whose heart was aching in her Virginia home
for glad iidings Of George, who was always a
good boy, AL these pictures, visions, feelings,
pangs--loo vast for words, too deep for tears
but swelling, no doubt, in one unutiered prayer
to heaven, we may well imagine 20 have filed
the soul Of Washington al that decisive hour,
as he stood upon the heights of Dorchester,
with the holy stars for his campfire, and the
deep folding shadows Of night slooped by the
hand Of God TO the four quarters Of the sky,
for the curtains Of HE tent.
The morning Of the 9th Of March dawned,
and the enemy bcheld with astonishment loom
ing through heavy mist the operations Of the
night. Gen Howe wrote to the minister thai
they must have been the work Of at lcas, IL,
600 men. IN the account given by one Of his
officers and adopted in the annual Register, il
is said that the expedition with which these
works were thrown up, with their sndden and
unexpected appearance, ''recaled to mind those
wonderful stories Of enchantmcnt and invisible
agency. which are so frequen, in the Easter
romanees."
Gen Howe, like gallan, commander, i'm
dslodge the Americans before their enirench
ments should be rendered impregnable A
powerful detachment, led by Lord Percy, drop
ped down TO the castle in the afternoon, to ren
devious there, and thence cross over to Dor
chester point, and storm the heights A heav,
gale, IA dreadful Storm" Il is called, in III,
British accouni,) scattered the baTges and pre-
vented the embaTkstion Of the troops Thh
delay gave the Americans time to perfect thei
works, barrels filled with earth were place,
round the heights, an a5dtfis Of trees dispose,
around the foot Of the hill, reinforcement o
a00O ordered TO the support of Gen. Thomas
and every preparation made for decisive con
/ hct
II was soon understood that the Royal Com
mander not deeming it safe to take the risk o
an engagement, had determined To eyacua,,
Boston. To prevent the destruction OF thI
town, Washington was willing that they shoult
leave unmolested. Finding. however, ahe
3 anuna dave that
made far this purpose, he determined wthou
further delay to occupy Nook's hill and the 9th
er elevations fronting and commanding the town
This produced the desired effect, and Genera
Howe was compelled TO acknowledge the ina
bilily Of powerful land and naval force ufdei
veteran leaders, to maintain themselves agains
uniried leyies whom they were accustomed 4
regard with contempt, led by officers from whom
they affected even 10 withhold the usual title
Of military command. lie was obliged to ae
quiesce in an engagement with the SelectmeI
of Boston, taciily sanctioned by "Mr Washing
ton" that his army should be allowed to depar
without being fred upon, upon condition illa
they would not burn the town.
Thus. on the l7lh Of March, 1870, an elec
iiye force Of 10000 evacuated the town, an,
I with powerful feet and numerous train 0
Transports sailed for Halifax; Putnam, with
detachment of The American army, took posses
sion Of Boston. The beloved commander him
self nude his iriumphal entry the followin.
day, and the frs, great ac, Of the drama of III,
Revolution was Brought 10 a triumphant clos
--on that Dorchester Meek which our father
selected as a place for settlement.
This event dilfhsed joy Throughout the In
ion, and contributed materially TO prepare tn
public mind for that momenious political meas
ure, Of which we this day commemorate tn
18th anniversary. That civil government, how
ever human inhrmilies mingle 10 its organiza
iion, is, in lis ultimate principles, a Divine OF
dinance, will be doubted by no one who believe
in an oveuuling Providence. Bot that eyer
people has a right to interpret for itself the will
Of Providence, in reference 10 the form of gov
ernment best suited to its condition, ,--subjec
to no external human responsibility, is equal
certain, and is the doctrine which lies at III
basis of the Declaration of Independence Wha