Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1876-03-18
MARCH, 1870.
An Eventful MOnth---The beginning Of the
History of the United states.

Ine moon tnab rose tul upon the |
hight of March 4, 1776, saw the figure |
If destiny, wan with patriot vigils, stride
up from the Cambridge meadows,
mount to the crest of Dorchester heights,
md from that holy spot stretch strong
hand of deliverance to the imprisoned
own that slept below. 1t was the eve
Of the anniversary of the "Boston
and the suspicious moment
chosen to accomplish the final indie
pendence of the New England colonies.
Rise, sharply defined from thy sisters of
an au-glorious part, o night that first
limned to the eye of prophecy the
shadow of the Washington that was to
be, and draw again before these reve-
rent times thy memorable panorama
Behold in the town of Boston, British
army at nightfall given up, with scorn-
full Indifference to the power of the
Yankee militia, to passingrevels, desecrat-
ing the Old South church, perhaps.
with play, or the Province House with
a masquerade behold, in the harbor,
Admiral Shuldhams fleet, riding
drowsily at anchor; save for the sharp
play of the batteries, replying with
thoughtless voice to the American can
non at Cobble Hill, Lechmere's Point
and Roxbury, Lord Howe's slumbers
would be this night unbroken, for
neither to soldier nor citizen is there
consciousness of other danger than of
roof or two riddled in the thick of the
firing. But look across the neck yon-
der, where the heavy frost lends friend
ly mist to vail shadowy something
that produces no sound, yet seems
possessed of motion
Draw nearer, and you shall see first
some eight hundred ragged Continen-
tails marching to preoccupy the two ex
tremities of Dorchester Heights; be-
hind them, q force of twelve hundred
more, equally quick with the spade or
the rifle; last of all, train of carts,
drawn by oxen and laden with bundles
of hay and other light material, such as
make fair cover for a redoubt. The
sharp temper of the atmosphere lends
EXPLANATION to the men, while the wind
which blows from the west carries off
from the town all sounds of footsteps,
the rumbling of carts and the goading
of the plodding cattle. We see the pur-
pose of this hurried march when the
line defects along the brow of the hill
and General Thomas orders his men to
throw up the redoubts. The scene is
only martial in its consequences. Here
the sentry walks his rounds to note the
first sign of British wakefuluess; there
the walls of chandeliers, fascines and
screwed hay rises steadily higher; to and
fro the carts roll, and the barrels which
they bring are filed with earth and
stone, to be hurled on any assaulting
party that may dare the slope; an ada
cent orchard supplies trees for the con-
struction of strong abattis at the foot
of the ridge; toward three o'clock re-
lief force arrives to complete the forti-
flea ions. The whole night is filed
with tina presence of Washington, and
the dawn reveals him to the wondering
villagers in the surrounding hamlets and
the incredulous army in the town be-
meath, the predestined deliverer of his
people. The histories detail the rest;
how the British general, in the free of
tempestuous weather and the memories
of Bunker Hill, finally had not the heart
to attempt the dislodgmento of the Amer
leans; how the latter, steadily advancing
their lines, and only prevented from en-
gaging the enemy in battle by the lack
of ammunition, finally so completely in
vested the town that the British were
forced to beat precipitate retreat.
On the morning of the seventeenth
they hastily embarked, and after 9
weeks lettering in Nantasket road to
take on water and repair their battered
transports, set sail for Halifax, leaving
behind them among other supplies two
hundred and fifty pieces of cannon and
seven times as much powder as their con.
querors had altogether. Gould the news
of this humiliation have been flashed, as
now, by cable to the Parliament, the
madness and overweening confidence Of
the ministry in its power to humble the
American rebels might have had effectu
al estoppel. But that was not to be-
and when, on the twentieth, Washington
entered Boston at the head of the New
England soldiery, approved by
Heaven" as the resolutions of the Legis
lature voted nine days later, "reveret
by all good men, and dreaded b,
tyrants," the English king had fnall,
hardened his heart against the colonies
and was already Boosting of the speed,
s1bjugation that was sure to be accom-
plished by his twenty thousand Hessial
hireiings; and when, the following May
the news did reach England, the eloquen
protests OF the Duke of Manchester ant
the Marquis of Rockingham were power
less to stay his folly. History has n,
parallel for this achievement, so poten
and enduring was its effect upon the for
tunes of the colonies; go incommensur
able with its cost in life and property
for the death-roll of the whole campaig
il honored with but twenty names, an,
scarcely building of any Importance il
Boston was destroyed in tho siege. Re
leased from the surveillance of all armeO
enemy, the New England colonies quiet
ly but diligently set about establishing
on sure footing their necessary Stat
and local governments, perfectipg thei
coast defenses, accommodating the sinew
of war, and during the months of imme
dlate peace that ensued thoroughly pre-
pairing themselves for the state of indie
pendence to which all events coml inc
to speed them. AS for Washington
they deemed no honor too imposing fo
his merits, nor any confidence to
weighty to be imposed within him, an
in the darker hours, which latter eve
the great commander could not escape
the faith of New England remained
him inviolate.
Turning to the proceedings of tn
Congress for the month, we find ther
pervaded by an increasing sentiment {
open and concerted resistance to th
rule of the mother country; the leave
of such souls as the Adamses, Wytht
Henry and Lee had begun to work th
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