The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1875-04-01
THAT BUNKER HILL POWDER,

"A -, AL AOA1J !, lC'cs
THAT BUNKER HILL POWDER.
Every good'student of history has.
learned that the battle Of Bunker
Hill was lost to the Americans chiefly
because they had not enough pow.
der. ..,.>5 .sscsa ...~ -, "a
The King having opposed, o'by) ev-
cry means in his power, the manufac-
ture Of munitions Of war in the colo.
MES, the patriots, at first found great
difficulty in procuring ammunition ).
and the supplies for the early part Of
the war were obtained in such adven-
turous ways that accounts, ofthese ex-
Ploits are very interesting. Indeed, a
portion Of even the scanty stock.
which our people had at Bunker Hill
had been brought over the sea- to be
used against the enemies Of Great
Britain. -''~
l have only recently found out just
how this powder came to do service
for the patriots, instead of their Brit
ish oppressors; and, being quite sure
that the story has never been fully
told, l have undertaken its recital for
the pleasure of.the numberless young
patriots who read st. Nicholas.
Adjoining the town Of Rye, in New
Hampshire, and directly north of its
noted beach, is the town Of Newcastle:
On the site of the present Fort Consti-
tuition in this town there was, in the
days Of the Revolution, a quite FORM
idable work called .'Fort William
and Mary"
No visit from foreign enemy, be-
ing anticipated, the fort was. manned
at this time by captain and five
privates only. A weak garrison;
surely; but it was supposed that. t. in
case Of danger, the friends sof King
George in the neighborhoed :: would
amply reinforce the guard, ,<even were
there not time for the royal governor,
Wentworth, to bring the militia to
the rescue. AS to any serious attack
by disafected inhabitants, it was too
bold an act for belief; and if it were
possible, in any case, that the militia
should prove insufficient, General
Gage, with three thousand regulars,
was in Boston, and British fleet was
in the harbor.
What subject, however rebellious,
would dare to touch bis Majesty's
property, or its custodians, under
these circumstances The act would
be treason, and the life and possessions
of the offender would be forfeited
and who could save him from the
Kings hand Probably not even the
most ardent patriot thought of it, un-
til Paul Revere came riding into town
from Boston one evening.
The news he brought was startling.
An order had come from the King
that all military stores in the colonies
be seized at once.
Major John Langdon: (afterward
Governor) the same evening received
a call from his friend, Captain Thorn
as Pickering. After the compliments
Of the hour had been passed, the
Captain surprised his friend by an in
vitation to accompany HIM to Fort
William and Mary to take a glass oi
wine with its commander.
ut will not do," replied the Major,
cautiously evading a declaration OF
his own sentiments; 1T will not dc
under the present state of public af
fairs"
Major Langdon's sympathies were
| with his oppressed countrymen and
he revolted at the idea of receiving
the hospitalities of one whose duty il
| might be on the morrow to shoot dewr
his guests as foes of the Government
Captain Pickering next disclosed a
design Of securing the arms and am
munition Of the fort; showing hi
purpose to be quite other than tn
invitation indicated.
eff twenty-eight like ourselve
could be found" said he, II woult
undertake to lead in the capture"
To this purpose Major Langdo,
heartily assented.
| Before noon of the next day a drum
land fife were sounding about town tt
bring the people together; and tn
order of the King for securing tn
ammunition was made known. Tn
effect of this news was increased by
report that the armed vessels Oscar
borough" and "Cauceaux" were o.
| their way from Boston with British
troops to possess the fort and hold tn
town in awe.
When Governor Wentworth hear
Of this meeting of the citizens, h
warned them against committing an,
rash act; and as the people soon dis
persed, it was supposed that nothing
would come of the meeting. But thi
was mistake.
! A little before twelve that night.
it was the 14th of December: 1774-
the nearly full moon looked dow
upon some two hundred men settin,
outin boats from Portsmouth wharves
and heading for Newcastle.
Half an hour later their. boat
grounded near the island, and tn
men waded ashore through the, shal
low water, which .froze upon thei
l clothinp. Vet the LANDING had hee