Year: 1872

CHAPTER V.


The war of the Revolution had now begun
in earnest; all hopes of reconciliation had
vanished; the fetters which had bound the
colonies to Great Britain were cast off; sep
arate and independent government was estab-
lshed, which to maintain would require sue
cess in bloody struggle with powerful
nation.


At the commencement of this war the colo
nists saw before them and sensibly realized
the painful trials they would have to endure,
but this did not daunt them; they, in spite Of
the forebodings of great tribulation, stood
firm in the determination not to give up the
liberty for which they had undergone SO
much misery and SO many privations to OBJ
tain. Repeated attempts to enthrall them
had carTed the colosaies to throw off the Brit
ish N,se aasl declare their independence
They 'ad lived for liberty and now


Throughout the land arose the cry,


"For independence we will die"


Yes, they esteemed death an honor if it only
could be said they lost their lives while fight
ing boldly for liberty. Instances are recorded
of parents expressing themselves proudly
satisfied of having lost their, perhaps, only
son in the cause of freedom. Nor is it sur
prisng that they should become so desper-
ately bold in opposing that power which
would unscrupulously misuse and oppress
them, when we consider for moment their
nature and the character of their surround
ings, the study of which formed sdimportant
a part Of their education.


They were as general thing a law abid-
ing, peace admiring and liberty loving peo-
pie, who had braved the hardships of opening
up savage wilderness that they might en-
JOY these virtues undisturbed. Once settled
in their new homes and tasted the sweets of
liberty unadulterated, their love became an
intensified passion, inspired by every object
around them. The unvisted peaks of the
mountains on which they loved to gaze at
evening when the valleys were shaded by
departing day and their SUBMITS were beau
tifuly illuminated by the last lingering rays
of the setting sun, inspired them with love
for liberty; even the brooks and rivers as
they wound their way from the mountains to
the sea, filled the valleys through which they
passed with their murmurings of liberty; the
majestic forest trees which lowered above
their heads proclaimed to them a lesson of
liberty; the air they breathed, as it went
huryinglby, was heard occasionally to whistle
forth blast of liberty; the songs ofthe birds !,
as they were echoed from the neighboring
woodland, proclaimed liberty in every note,
and the roar of the wild beasts, as it died
away on the stiffness Of the night, did not
fail, in spite of the momentary fear produced,
to leave on their minds the sweet impress of
liberty. All nature proclaimed liberty; the
newcomers drank in the sweet inspiration
and became, before they were aware, slave
even unto death in defense Its cause Thus
welded to virtue so commendable, and one
which was never known to forsake its lovers,
it would have been wiser for England to try
to drag the stars from the armament than
attempt to induce them to submit to tyran-
ncal oppression. She must fail; she de-
served to fail, and she did fail; and as a
result of that failure was established one of
the wisest and best governments on the face
of the earth.


The Americans for some time after the
battle of Bunker Hill remained full Of hope,
and, Notwithstanding the odds against them,



them! They did not dream how soon the
tables would be turned; they did not realize
how soon, when within the pales of cruel war,
their shouts of exultation might be turned to
waiings and their joy to grief. This, how
ever, was soon the case. The British, hem
med in on all sides at Boston, deemed it
expedent to evacuate. Accordingly, on the
18th of March, 1776, the whole of the British
forces, accompanied by many citizens who
still adhered to the King, set sail from Bos-
ton and betook themselves to the high seas.
After visiting Halifax and other points on
the coast and recruiting his army with re-
cruits from the old world until 1t numbered
80 900 efficient mon, Howe, who, it must be
known, commanded the British, set out for
New York, which was then held by the
Americans under General Washington The
American commander. thinking his forces too
weak to make successful resistance, sta
toned part of his army on Long Island un-
der General Putnam, and with the rest moved
northward. Hence, the British entered New
York without resistance. After becoming
settled in their new home Howe laid willy
plan for cutting off and capturing the Amer.
lean forces on Long Island. Though the at
tempt to carry out this plan was not entirely
successful the contest that ensued proved
more disastrous to the American cause thar
any battle Of the war. The Americans lost
1000 of their best men, while the loss o.
the enemy did not exceed 400, The inter
position of Providence alone saved this par
of the American army from utter destruction
and prevented the designs of Howe from
proving entirely successful.


Now came trying times for the Americans.
The confidence Of the people began to waver
some began to think their cause hopeless
one; many who heretofore had been unde.
cided and doubtful at once took sides with
the British; desertions from the army be-
came numerous; the time for which many
had enlisted was expiring, and for a time ii
did really seem folly to attempt to hold out
lon0av