The Irish standard., 1890-03-15

On board who were informed by. the
lieutenant that he had orders from
Admiral Graves to burn all the towns
between Halifax and Boston. The de
putation with great difficulty obtained
a respite till nine o'clock the next day.
The next day, at half past nine, the
red pendant was run up the mast head
and the signal gun fred. In less than
Eve minutes several houses were ablaZe
from discharge Of carcases and bomb
shells which continued throughout the
dav. One hundred and thirty nine
dwelling houses and two hundred and
twenty eight stores are said to have
been burned. All the vessels in the
harbor are likewise said to have been
burned or carried away prizes Wash
1ngton REFER ing to this barbarity writes:
1.-The desolation and misery which min
isterial vengeance had planned in con-
tempt Of every principle of humanity,
and so lately brought on the town of
Falmouth. know not how sufficiently
to commiserate, nor can my compassion
for the general suffering be conceived
beyond the true measure of my feelings"
After the disgraceful burning of
Falmouth, Gen. Gage was superseded
by Gen. Howe, but outrage went on the
same as before. Howe shocked the
inhabitants of Boston by desecratihg
what was known as the Old South
Church. The pulpit and pews were re-
moved from it, the floor was covered
with earth, and the sacred edifce was
converted into a riding school for Bur
goYue's light dragons. Another church
in the northern part of the city was
entirely demolished, and used for fuel.
Thacher in his Military Journal writes:
THUS are our houses devoted to reli
gious worship profaned and destroyed
by the subjects of his Royal Majesty.
When Boston became untenable to
the Bcitishry Howe determined to
evacuate it, In preparation therefor
be issued proclamation tn the inhabit-
ants ordering them ito deliver up all
linen and WOODEN goods, and all other
goods, which in the possession of the
rebels might be useful to them in carry
Ing ON the war" ''Crean Bush,' writes
Washington Irving, "a New York tory,
was authorized to take possession of
such goods and put them on board two
transports. Under cover of this com
he and his myrmidons broke
open stores and stripped them of their
contents. Marauding gangs from the
feet and from the army followed their
example and extended their depreda-
tions to private houses" The 18th of
March, 1776, Howe in a general order,
declared that the first soldier caught
should be hanged on the
spot. Still on the 10th. houses were
broken open, goods destroyed, and fur
niture defaced by the troops.
The evacuation of Boston began on
the 18th OF March, 1776. The officers
who felt the disgrace of their retreat,
did their utmost to keep up appear
ances. The men who thought they were
changing for the better, strove to take
advantage of the present times, and
were kept f,om plumber and drink with
great difficulty. Whilstthe emtarkation
was going on, the Americans looked on
in silence from their batteries, on Dor
chester Heights, without firing a shot.
A British officer writes: ut was lucky
for the Inhabitants, now left in Boston,
that they did not, for I am Informed
everything was prepared to set the town
in blaze had they fired one cannon, -
Irving.