Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1860-07-14

concerted with fautless ability, and suddenly
executed, had in few hours made his position
untenable. His army at that time was well sup
pied with provisions from vessels which were
constantly coming into portj the Americans, on
the contrary were poorly cared for and poorly
paid the British had abundance of artillery;
the Americans had almost no large guns that
were serviceable the British had a profusion
OF ammunition; the Americans scarce enough
to supply their few cannon for six or eight days;
and yet the British had no choise but to dis
lodge the New England farmers and retreat.
Left very much to himself, Howe knew not
what to propose; neither Burgoyne nor Clinton
was with him to share his responsibility. "If
they retain possession of the heights" said Ad-
miral Shuldham, 81 cannot keep ship in the
harbor." council Of war was called, and it
was determined to assault the Americans. WASH
ington had provided for the contingency; and
had the British made vigorous sally against
the party at Dorchester, the Americans had
floating batteries and boats ready to carry four
thousand men into Boston. All day long the
neighboring hills which commanded a view of
the scene were crowded with spectators, who
watched the hustle, hurry and alarm in the town.
Iwenty-four hundred men were detailed and
put under the command Of Lord Perry to make
the attack but the men were pale and detected;
they shared the general CONSERVATION, and re-
membered Bunker Hill and Perry showed no
heart for an enterprise, which Howe himself
confessed to be hazardous. When they were
seen to enter the boats, the Americans on the
heights, who now expected an immediate attack,
kindled with JOY in their confidence of repelling
them victorously. Washington said: "Remem-
ber, it is.the 9TH of March, a day never to be
forgotten; avenge the death Of your brethren;"
and the words, as they flew from mouth to
mouth Infnn1p1 tha 1,
soldiers. But they were doomed to disappoint-
ment; the British sallying party and Perry, who
did not intend to attempt scaling the heights
till after nightfal, were borne in the transports
to the castle; in the afternoon a violent storm
OF wind came up from the sonth, and about
midnight blew with such fury that two or three
vessels were driven ON shore; rain fell in tor
rents on the morning of the sixth; SO that the
movement against the American lines was still
further delayed, till it became undeniably evil
dent that the attempt must end in the utter ruin
of the British army. "lf we had powder"
said Washington, 81 would give them a dose
they would not well like" Their hostile ap-
pearance subsidized; Howe called second coun-
Gil of war, and its members were obliged to ad-
wise the instant evacuation of Boston,
When the orders for that evacuation were is
sued, the loyal inhabitants and royalists who
had fled to the town for refuge, were struck
with sudden horror and despair as though smit-
ten by thunderbolt out of clear sky. Their
error had grown from their confidence in the
overwhelming force of the British power, which
was to have been able to ravage the country in
undisputed triumph, and restore the safe en-
joyment of their possessions. Some of them
were wretched time-servers, whose loyalty was
prompted by the passion for gain and advance
ment; others were among the wealthiest and
most upright persons in the colony, who from
the principle of honor, had left their homes,
their fortunes, and even their families, to rally
round the standard of their sovereign. Now
the condition of the army was so desperate that
there was no time even to propose capituation
sS alh hfSi s em ma tRf hhs hpa 1T
to the inhospitable shores of Nova-Scotia,
where they must remain cut off from all that is
dearest and pleasantest in life condemned to
hopeless inferiority in dreary place of exile;
foregoing for the future the pride and Joy of
healthful activity; exchanging the delight of
love of country for paralyzing, degrading
sentiment of useless loyalty; beggared in their
sympathies as well as in their fortunes; doomed
to depend on the scanty charities grudgingly
doled out of a monarch for whom they had
surrendered everything, and to find how hard
are the steps of the great mans houses, at which
needy suppants must ever renew their i'm
Dortunities