The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1875-06-25
ONEHUNpREp YEARs Aao.

AMo nANNAN " nAAAANN NAAAA-@e Inv |NOn'
tinental Afny--Preliminary Con,
Decentralization Of the Hill--The
Two Assaults.
One hundred years ago the very hou1
these lines reach the eye Of the reader,
were eventful moments to the anxious
citizen of the then unborn Republic.
Rapidly following the affairs OF Lexing-
ton and Concord on the 10Th Of April,
the Continentals had taken measures Of
defense, and the continental Army"
had, by the opening of the month Of
June assumed, what to the inexperienc-
ed Colonists appeared to be formidable
equipment. Actually, the force of men
under arms amounted to small Division,
as for instance, an army was organized
during the war of the Rebellion. Yet it
was an ''army, and boasted of "wings, -
and centre" Exactly, the ''army'
on the 9th of June, 1776, numbered a
total of 7,644, commanded as follows:
The operations had drawn all the troops
centering in and around Boston. The
Right 'wing" rested at Roxbury and
Jamaica Plain, under command of Gen.
John Thomas; the ''left" at Medford,
Charlestown and Chelsea, under Gen.
Israel Putnam; and the "center" at Old
Cambridge, under Gen. Artemus Ward
This was the situation of the militia
troops at the beginning of the second
week of that June which saw the war of
the Revolution fairly begun. The events
of this and the next two weeks run over
the minor actions and skirmishes Incl
dent to the situation of the "Army" and
the closing in of the British "Expedi-
tions were organized, to "keep up the
enthusiasm of the men," Going back
few days, on the 9th of May, the "En-
gagement" ofNoddle's Island took place.
and the affair of Chelsea Neck, and the
first important naval capture-that of the
schooner which fred on the Provincials,
and which some of Putnam's men cap
tured from the Neck-with her arma-
ment of -four six-pounders, 12 swivels.
and some small arms" Here, also, the
usual contradiction as to losses is shown.
Gen. Gage reporting the British loss at
two men killed, and ga few wounded"
while the New Hampshire Gazette, of
June 2, 1775, records the loss thus,
'Tis said between 200 and 800 ia safe
way OF putting itl Marines and Regulars
were killed and wounded, and that
place was dug in Boston 25 feet square
to bury their dead.
OF these events prior to the engage
ment of the 18th, these lines from Trum-
bull, in McFingal:
"Nay, stern with rage grim Putnam boldine.
Plundered both Rogg and Noddle Island
Scared troops of Tories into town,
Burned all their hay and houses down.
"And menaced Gage unless he'd fee
To drive him headlong to the sea;
AS once to faithless Jews q sign,
The De'el turned hog reeve, did the swine.r
1t has been asserted that the records
of the wars do not offer such thrilling
experiences and of intenser interest,
viewed in the light of subsequent events
than those of the "a hours beginning at 6 |
O'Clock of June 16, 1775. The commit
tee of Safety of Cambridge had decided
that the safety of the Provincials de-
manded the defense of Charlestown
Neck, of which, Bunker Hill, was plain
ly the key. At the hour named, 900 de-
vout men assembled on the Common at
Cambridge, armed with inhenching
tools. They were led in prayer to the
God of battles by President Langdon, of
Harvard College. At 9 o'clock the col
umn moved away from town toward the
Neck, led by two sergeants with dark
lanterns. Some wore militia coats, and
some Sunday suits of homespun cloth,
yet it was all one in the double darkness
and at twelve o'clock the column had
reached and begun work on the Hill,
and at break Of day the marine sentries
of the ships in the river discovered the
hill fortified and gave the alarm.