New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-06-21
AFTER BUNKER HILL.


GAGEMENr.
To the EDITOR Of The Tribune.
SIR: The official account of Gen. Gage was
written June %, I775 and reached London just one
month after this date The following notice appeared
July 20. 1775
WHITEHALL July %, 1775.
This morning arrived Capt. Chadds OF HIS Mvess,ys
ship Cerberus with the following letter from tue h0
Lieut. Gen. Gage 70 the ri OF Dartmouth one vi lie
Majestys principal Secretaries or state
Then follows the official accounted Gen. Gage, which,
although audatory of the courage OF the Brteh troops
indirectly praised the pluck and heroism OF the Amefi
cans At once the press teemed with the severest et
cism on the course pursued by Cen Gage The Following
extracts of these criticisms written rev years
after will show the spirit OF much that was written ana
said when the news OF the battle reached England
These extracts taken fr m The London Chfo4'ce OF
Aug 3, 1879. The whole communication may Do Iouhu
in Frothingham's " Siege OF Boston," p $685.
II tho English General had had his choice given him OF
the ground upon which he should find bis enemy he
could not have wished 10 place tie rebel. IN situation
Sr csI ~ Runhs Hill Aud yet from fatality
in our m Or oarh of 70 Ina have proved
destructive them proved only 20 to the Royal army
After abiding TO tho great mistakes OF the British
General in not landing his army on the isthmns when
Joined Charcstown to the continent, thus cutting OF the
retreat OF the rebels" the writer goes on TO say
The General unhappy chose 10 Ian in the face OF the
rebel ntrenchmcns, and Mt the greatest possible as
lance from the Neck isthms and thereby ei inc way
in~ nothing Of lie ground attempted to march the troops
in part where they had 10 II rows of railing to clam
Der over-the lands between Carlestown and the beach
being for the coIlven OF the inhabitants. divided
into narrow slips not more than from 10 10 80 ros over
These posts and rails too strong for the column 10
push down. and the march was so retarded by te Getting
over them that the next ,ney Tert r @
well known to the inhabitants OF boston, ply 'ney
erI as Mr. Howe must bet er than they; And all
this might have been known ana ought 70 ha.e pcea
known. TO the English commander H. hslean
OF having sacrificed the lives of thousand brave
men by the want OF al previous d0tGT ru
and inattention had shut up the whole rebel force
in the peninsula, aud destroy ed ana taken mat wnole
army, there be no doubt hut that we might tneh na;e
pursued advantage and that II We had mhaehed tt
Roxbury and Cambrdgc the troop, wna prooap , ho
have found man there to oppose them, ~ e5s ia ,iat
general CONSERVATION they might very easily nave DcIn
Joined them we should probably have heard nothing
of the rebellion. IL was SAID al the Time, na'e
ate; but hope no military would offer to give such
For regular British r@Tp5 to be o nd that III sh had
never fired gun. and had 10 honor TO iJse i .
they should fight too desperately Tor sh, IN arr mean t
to be trusted in the Kings service The rebels c0uld not
army in their march and ye, they The instant
them; ihis then polnt 81 hnnOrf
Mad thcy found themselves cut on from all possibility
of retreat by armys landing at the isthmis. IN III
probability they wOil have instantly thrown down tnrir
arms and submitted. II they had not, they must then
have come OF their intrcnchments aud fought their
way through Onr army 10 get 10 me sthnis lnat 10 70
say. chose 10 land and march up 10 their lhtehch
mcnts and fight under every possible ds1dyaliage TOT
fear that landing the Neck should nave
them to come their Entertainments and fight us upon
equal terms, eY"n upon what disadvantages me Gen
able er"rs Of that dsy If they had been known in time
might have sufficiently convinced ns how little was 10 DC
ca ected from an army so comnanded'
The following which find in AlmOp's Remembrance.
vol l. D. 129 Is a specimen Of the kind OF intelligence
that was sent England this time 1t must have con-
vcycd TO the minds of the supporters OF the Government
anything but agreeable idea OF the heartness win
which officers and men engaged in the work OF putting
down rebellion in America. The extract give pro-
csses to he taken from genuine letter from an officer
on board OF the Kings ships at Boston to his friend
in London dated June 49, 1775 less than week after
the battle II Bunker Hill After referring to the landing
OF the British troops and the rciase which they met
tho writer says:
The Americans Tar from rctreating, AS we expected.
narcbed toward us with the utmost GOODNESS and regu
iarty. Nothing could exceed the panic and apparent
gagIneu even at the landing several attempted I" run
away and I've actually took to tLet nees ID Sf hac 70
and two of them were immediately hung up az trrorcm
10 the rest They for the most part openly express. dls-
Ike 70 thc service in which they engaged and nothing
the fear of military punishment prevents tIer day
and fought Ike men Who had for their persons;
HEY Disputed every inch 81 gsoGni ana thcir humDcs
Won and Tie rst Of my friends, and the frat opportunity
that offers win sell out and return, for ut the best only
disgrace eau arise in the service of such cause as bat
in which we are engaged The Americans are not those
noltrcons / myself opce taught 70 believe them to
mir very characteristic tholo Of liberty and though
am M officer under the King of Great Britain tacy
admire their resolution and Perseverance asalnst lhe
present oppressive measures OF the British Government
In his Memoirs Of George III. Scott aludes TO the
bappy frame mind Of His Majesty when he read the
news aud his determination 10 regard the Official report
o Gen Gage as Indicating in no sense reverse OF for
tune On tue contrary he announces as his fixed pur
,oac TO 90 on with the ~ hazards, and matter
N what cost OF men mcaus Bu il is very plain where
the sympathes of the great mass Of the people were In
he Crisis of Saturday, July II, l775 we find the FOL
lowing give il exactly as II published:
Notwithstanding the Royal lying Gazette has given
ms an Account signed by that BLOODY Monster in
Human shape. OeRerdi cage OF another Massacre In
America the 18th Of June last herein he modern hr6
cxtols his Oicers and Morcenary Soldiers stimulated by
Lamar and Promises of Plumber TO slaughter Their rel
i Subjects for their ValOur aud Bravery and boasts
his having gained something Ike victory over Ihc
brave ond Virtuons Americans fighting for LIBERTY,
whom that Wretch calls REBELS. Yet the Public may
~ ~ H. a1ir@rs and Mighty Victory is LYE and it will
oaon I've proved from unlues'onabe Authority that he
h,. LOST sniac Hundreds 81 hts Men, more hah ~ men
TONED in the gazette of Iresay last which contains tne
the Public calculated TO deceive the People here ana TO
Spirit up thc few remaining llqors we na.e 10 e Id ~
StGbfcr In America there To fall Just Sacrifice 10 the
Injured Laws and glorious liberties OF me BRUSH hm
,,r. II will likewise appear that General Gage Army
viii ali the Advantages OF Artillery and the assistance
Of several ships Of War and armed Vessels was Obliged
~ retreat 20 their BarIacks aud sneakng Holes III BIOS
ION under protection OF the Men OF war
whether the King and his councillors were terrified by
is fearful use of Zig letters and hhsoundng epithcs
the Muse of History does not inform us. More troops
ware sent 10 America. In duc timo Boston was evacu-
aed The seat Of transferred TO other sections
NJ inc country amid the excitement OF other and most
stirring scenes Bunker Hill for the time forgotten
Proridenee, H. l., June "A. 1873. LOB
JOSEPH WARREN.
MEMORIAL POEM BY OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES.
H.. The Boston Surgical Journal June IT,