Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1858-07-07
Lexington, Concord and Bunker Hill
by GEORGE BANCROFT.

DY GEORGE BANCROFT.
The period embraced in this volume
reaches from the arrival Of General Gage
in Boston, May II, l774, to the battle of
Bunker Hill. June Il, l775. OF the events
which precipitated the crisis during this
year Of suspense and struggle, the first
was the closing Of Boston harbor, accord
ing to the provisions Of the port bill, which
had been enacted by Parliament in March,
and reached the devoted town May To-
During the time which intervened between
its reception and Xecution-scarccly the
space Of three weeks-the whole conti-
nent was moved in sympathy and indigna-
ton, and as "one great commonwealth
made the cause of Boston its own. The
immediate consequences Of this measure
may be easily imagined.
"0n the first day of June, Hutchinson
embarked for England and as the clocks
in the Boston beltries finished striking l.,
the blockade Of the harbor began. The
inhabitants of the town we're chiefly trad
ers, ship-wrights and sailors and since no
anchor could be weighed, no sail uniurled,
no vessel so much as launched from the
stocks, their cheerful industry was at an
end. No more are they to lay the keel of
the ,leet merchantman or strengthen the
graceful hull by knees of oak, or rig the
well-proportioned masts, or bend the sails
to the yards. The king of that country
has changed the busy workshops into
scenes of compulsory idleness, and the
most skilful naval artisans in the world,
with the keenest eye for forms of beauty
and speed, are forced 10y act of Parliament
TO fold their hands Want scowled on the
laborer, as he sat with his wife and chill
dren at the board. The sailor roamed the
streets listlessly without hope of employ
ment. The law was executed with ricor
that went beyond the intention of its au-
thors. Not q scow could he manned by
oars to bring an OK, or sheep, or a bun-
die Of hay from the islands. All water
carriage from wharf TO whar' though hut
Of lumber, or bricks, or line. was strictly
forbidden. The boats between Boston and
Charleston could not feTJv o parcel of
goods across Charles River. the f-uermCn
Of Marh,Chead, when from their hard uur-
suits they bestowed Guintais Of dried FIJI
upon the poor of Boston, were Obliged to
transport their offering in wagons by a
circuit Of thirty miles. The warehouses
Of the thrifty merchants were at once
made valueless; the costly whQrycs. which
extended far into tie channel. and were
so lately covered with the produce Of tie
tropics and with English fabrics, we're be
coming solitary places; the halbor, Which
had resounded incessautly with the cheer
ing voices Of prosperous commerce, was
now disturbed by no sounds but from
British vessels of war.
AT Philadelphia, tie bells of the
churches were muiled and tol,cl: the
ships in voI' hoisted their colors at half
nHst and niuc.ten;hs Of the houses. oN-
cept those of the Friends. were shut dur
ing the memorable First Of June. In
Virgnil, the population thronged the
churches; Washington attended the SER
vice and strictly kept the fast. No firmer
or more touching words were addressed to
the sufferers than from Norfolk, which
was the largest placeof trade in that we'll
watered and extensive dominion, and
which, from its deep channel and nearness
TO the ocean, lay most exposed TO ships of
war. Our hearts are warmed with affec-
ton for YOU such was the message; we
address the Almighty Ruler to support
N'A Al NOAl dllAlOlllll. 41t hccultil htNhll-
slider you as siifieringin thecommon cause,
and look upon ourselves as bound by the
most sacred ties to support YOU
jefferson from the foot of the Blue
Ridge of the Alleghanies, condemned the
act, which in a moment reduced an an
cient and wealthy town from opulence TO
want, and without hearing and discrimi-
nation, sacrificed property Of the value OF
millions to revenge-not repay-the loss
Of few thousands. IL the pulse of the
people beat calmly under such an expert.
ment by the new and till now unheard OF
executive power Of British Parliament.
aid the young statesman, another and
another will be tried, till the measure OF
despotism be filled up"
Passing over the anxious counsels of the
next ten months, we come to the battle oil
Lexington, April 10, l775, which is de.
scribed in singularly compact narrative
ofwhich we give a few paragraphs Of the
sequel:
ain the disparity of numbers, the Com.
mon was a field of murder, not of battle;
Parker, therefore, ordered his men to dis.
perse. Then, and not till then, did a few
of them, on their own impulse, return the
British fire. These random shots of fugi.
tive or dying men did no harm, except
that Pitcairn's horse was, perhaps, grazed,