Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1860-03-23
From the Boston Advertiser Of the 18th.
EVACUATION nAY.

From the Boston Advertiser Of the Eth.
EVACUATION DAY.
This dav is the eig~htv-ourth anniversary
n the evacuation Of Boston by the British
under General Howe. The event was effect
ed by the American troops taking possession
Of Dorchester Heights and throwing up en-
trcnchments there with a view. if necessary.
of c~annonadInc tho town in order to expal
the British from Boston. To diver the At
tention of the enemy whilo onr1yod in their
work n sever cann0nada was begun on the
"a Of March from Cobhle Hill. Lochmera's
Point. and Lamb'sD I'M IN Roxburv. and un-
der cover of this fire. which WIS continued
for three nights. General Thomas. with about
two thousand men. six twelve Founders. and
six OF eight field pieces. marched to take pos
session Of the Heights. Acoverinc rar V of
eight hundred men led The way. Then came
the carts with the intrauchinc tools after
these came the main body of about twelve
hundred men a train Of moro than three
hundred carts provided bv General Nifln
and loaded with flscines of hav "closad the
procession" The whole procession moved
with the greatest silencs. ans reached their
destination in about m hour. The covering
party then divided, one half proceeding 'to
] NIN punt iIHtlfNl 10 lhH~'''ls anu kaE N'I'4 .l
that next to the Castle" By ten O'Clock.
so diligently did they labor. two forts were
erected, one upon each hin, sufficient to do
fend them from small arms and grape OF.
The construction Of the works was somewhat
novel and rows Of barrels filled with earth.
were placed around. which presented only
the appearance Of strengthening them, but
which were IN reality designed 90 roll up9n
I the enemy in case Of an attack
II was some time after davbreak on the
morning of the fifth. before the .'mInisterial
troops could clearly discern the newly cree
led forts, which doomed up to great alvint-
age, and which were thought % be much
larger than they really were. Nothing could
exceed the astonishment Of General Howe,
and in great confusion he exclaimed, II
know not what l shall do. These rebels have
done more in one night than my whole army
wOul 4 hive done in months Admiral
Shuldham was also Of oHinion that IL Oh.
Americans were not d~islodgei. NOT one 1f hIs
VI iestys ships could b kept n the harb.r.
( y council Of war was ace rdInglv convened.
and it was decided To force the works. Tie
hurry and hustle in the camp If General
Howe could not be distinctly seen from wit
ont his orders were issued for the prepare
ton Of scaling ladders about ten feet IN
length, and a large body Of troops were di-
rect7d TO embark on board the transports,
with "a view of landing In the hollow between
the lartherest Of the two fortified hills and
the Castle. The men, 1t Is said. looked pale
and detected, and more than one WAS heard
q exclaim. 1T viii be anoth.r BinkCr's
Hill affiir. or worse Tao Americans
watched their movements with no little ca
Cerness. and when the columns appeared on
the wharyes, and passed to the tran-pnrt>.
they '|'clapTed their hands and wis ed them
to come on The surrounding hills were
alive with spectators, and "a more bloody
scene was anticipated than at Charle~tOwn.
But the movements Of the British were de-
layed by a furious wind, which arose in the
afternoon. and blew with such violence as to
prevent the ships from reaching their destj-
nation. The attempt, therefore, was ADAM
doned for that day and on the following
dav the wind continued b0isterouS, and a
storm Of rain set in, which precludcd the
possibility Of renewing it with any prospect
Of success.
The seventh was a day Of hurry and con-
fusion in Boston, and both troops and tories
were as busy as possible in preparing to qplt
the town. and to carry Of all they could Of
their military stores and valuable effects. -
That night Captain Irvine, VINO had been
held as a prisoner, escaped. and. visiting
head quarters, informed General Washington
OF the movements of the enemy. md Of their
intention 10 withdraw as speedily as posi-
bio.
The suspense of the Americans continued
f 7 a week, during whicl time the British
were busily employed in completing their ar
rlngements. All that General Howe now
waited for was a favorable wind TO enable
him TO embark ; but the crisis was Ireciplta-
ted, when, on the morning Of the seven
tenth, he discovered a breastwork Oh Nook's
Hill. entirely commanding the town, and
rendering longer delay both imprudent and
dangerous. The preparations for the embark
alton were therefore FASTENED. and at a
quite early hour on Sunday, the British. sat
lsfed that ''nelther he'll, Hull nor Halifax
afford worse shelter evacuated the
town, with some fifteen hundred Of the to-
ries. leaving behind a number Of cannon,
and two large marine mortars, winch
.hev had attempted in vain to burst. Their
was soon known in the American
lamp, though the garrison at Bunker Hill
sought to conceal their retreat by fixing
some images representing men in the places
If their eentinels. with muskets on their
But the deception was quickly
discovered and while General Putnam lam
led at Sewal's Point, and entered the town
n one direction, = detachment Of Wards
roops from Ro1oury marched in under Col.
and took possession from that quar-
er to the inexpressible joy of the patriot
inhabitants.
The transports of the British, which. with
he other vessels, consisted in all of one hum
lred and forty sail, were detained in the
larbor and roads for several days and dur
ny this period the troops burned the block
and barracks on Castle Island, and
lew UP and demolished the ortifications.-
heir precise destination was not known
Us il was coniectCred by Washington that
heir next attempt would be against New
york or some more southern colony, he was
etermined to be in readiness TO meet them
wherever they might land. For this purpose,
S General Lee had some time before been
rdered thither. the march of the Continent
/ army towards the South was fastened
nd before the month closed several regiments
we're on their way TO New York, while
v ~ashington himself remained for a season to
nature his plans. Thus were the British
xpelled from the soil of Massachusetts,
he refractory colony remained unsub-
ued and the zeal which had been display
A ;nsnired throughout the cou ntrv the