New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-03-17

that city to-day SalutcS will be fired at sunrise
and at sunset by an artillery company, and there
will be q parade by several regiments. a meeting
will be- held in the Old South Church from 10 to II
g. m. The Women's Centennial Committee, VINO
manage the celebration in the church. have an
nounccd that short speeches may be expected from
the Rev T. f. Hale. DR.. Samuel Eliot. the Rev
James Freeman Clarke, the Hon. JOSIAH Quincy
and the Rev. Phillips Brooks. The buildings OF the
City Government will be illuminated at night.
HOW THE BElTISH WERE DRIVEN OUT.
POSITION OF TIE BRITISH AND HE AMERICAN
TEOOP,-SCARCITY OF FOOD IN THE ClIl-DoR-
CHESTER Nights FORTH OF
THE BRITISH ARMY AND FLEET.
Among the centennial anniversaries winch are
now 40 frequently occurring few are more interest
ING than that of the abandonment of the town Of
Boston by tho Ministerial Forces on the 18th of
March, 1916. The moral and material results OF the
event were considerable. il was the first military
success of Washington during the war, and it main
tanned at q critical moment the reputation which he
had in other contests acquired commander OF re-
markable sagacity and prudence. and of irstrate if
not consummate, ability TO the town itself the
relief must have been very great. For eleven
months an ins0cnt soldiery had held it IN subjcc-
ton. Its homes had been invaded. its churches
dcsecratod its Inhabitants iusucd, and its business
suspended Somethi like famine had been threat
encd and the cheapest articles of food sold at eXor-
bant prices. SO common a necessary rs tlewood
had reached the price of lis. Sd. the cord. and
finally il was not to be procured at any price.
Even the British masters Of the town eN-
pcrcnced great harlshipS. Numbers of the
poorer people had been expelled. The royal troops
on Bunker Hill remained under canvas the whole
Winter and suffered severely. The blockade main
tanned by the American forces was of the stuctest
descrip.ion while the British officers strove to tenn
per the aUSertieS of the siege by various festivities
and the diversion of amateur theatrical perform
ances. An amusing anecdote connected with these
* related. On the evening ot the Sth OF February,
Minor KnowltOn of the patriot service had made an
iucurSiOn into CharlcstOwn and burned aooni zen
houses 10 deprive the enemy of their use. On the
same evening the British officers were performing
farce said to have been written by Gen. Burgoyne.
Just - a burlcsgue figure of Gen. Washington was
exciting the laughter of the audience. soldier
rushed upon the stage and exclaimed, " The Yankees
are attacking our works Bunker Hill! There
was a good deal of mcTimcnt until Gen. Howe
called ont " Officers, 10 your alarm posts! when all
was confusion and diSmay. How pure eNcialInN
old DR. Thachcr lin his Military Journal, " the
satisfaction to a great mind employed in hurlc,qning
these Yankees by whom they are bcsiceed'
BESIEGEES AND BEsIrGED.
of October. 1775. and the command Of the British
army had dcvolved upon Gen. William Howe. His
strength may he stated roUndy at about l2,uoo
men. u part of them strongly intrenched upon Bun
ker Hill. Washington. 9th July, NO. com
pntod hs own force at 10000 men. " But then,
ne writes 10 John Augustine Washington. we nave
To guard a Sem-ciTCle Of eight or nine miles, 10
every part of which We are obliged 10 %" equally
attentive: while they, situated they are in the
L.. ian Fltl.F ff IT con.
nland OF the water can bend their whole force
against any one part Of il with equal facility. lh'
render, orr situation not very agreeable But
Waslu. t.'I had other diicGtics In letter Z" tAt
Congress he significantly deploroN the want oil
military chest lie writes that confusion anu ass
cord prevail in every part OF III" army Many Oh Ms
men ne SAYS were destitute of clothing lie SENDS
TO Gen. Truinhull of Connecticut for supply oi
.to,y clofh for the purpose of making Indian or
brntipg Shirts He hesrech"> Gov. Cook" OF Ehode
Island ID save him every pound OF powder or lead III
tb,t colony which can possibly be spared
m cuautity however small beneath no
,,cer Tie trouble in the assignment OF commissions
WAS infinite and the jealOu,ics between the colonies
,,o,stan, and warm. Even the Congress itself mol
ov.rv ise wa, beginning to be suspicious oil the IN
fueuce o! tic military power, and had very uh-
necessarily limited Gen. Washington TO --,poO lleh
IN Ma,sachus-ttS-an excess oI caution aud very
dubious policy. zen. W dNhlhetpN eH"l'N ~ mani
tain the discipline of the army were unceashg ana
extremely judcious; but the men seem 10 nave
come and gone somewhat at their pleasure and Ill
fod ill-clothed, and ill-pad, they were constantly
longing TOR home, and often departed for II without
ANY REGULAR furlough. Under these circumstances,
true to his theory that nothing was more adN"h-
tageous to an army than action even with bul par
rial succe,S. Washington had done AL in his power
to bring on a general engagement, with the enemy
In Auou,t. 1873. he had fortified hill within point
blank shot of the enemy'5 lines on Chaile>t"wn
Neck. but nothing came Of it save severe cannon
ado for 4 day or two. lie was puzzled. he says, to
know what the British "wcrc staying there for or
,,bv "as they affect to dcspj,c ihc Americans they
do not come forth and put an end 10 the contest NJ
once Biit tLcv had no stomach- for repetition OF
Lexington and Bunker Ill., and kept close Oh The
two ncpiDsulas of Boston ard ChaIlcStown sur
rounded by ships Of war aud floating battcres, with
rho pecks Of land strongly fortified. Nith IT, leit
wing upon the bedford River its center occupying
Coubr,dec and its right win" at RoXbuTy, the
American army left 10 way OF cglc>S to Gen. Howe
.xrent by sea. Supplies by land were ont OF the
o,ostio,. while the supplies by water were dii"ioiI
and ipsufi,icut The contempt entertained by the
mother country AT the start for The courage ana re-
sou,ces of the colonies wa, bearing rs l"uimaI"
frnit. The royalsts had committed the mos ia'a'
ofmiIitary bluldcrs. for thcy had moderated 'h'h
adyersarics In March 171G Washington by TIE
po4t unvcaricd industry aud anxious care ha"
h,,roit tine American army ntoa state Of to,''a"r
,roctiycnr.. Al Winter nc had waited IN vain Tor
scgr,. If cold which sho,!d frvDzc the waters OF
- harbo. and oi tie riycia flowing into At 80 iIiu
I, might cross the arm of the sea Wilch
,,.,t.. ~. rcuiusula FROM the continent.