began to ring and cannon to fire the alarm, which soon spread far and wide.

1775

6. At eleven that night some royal grenadiers and light infantry left Boston, and by marching all night came near the scene of action about five in the morning. There was a small 'muster of the colonists on the road, and afterwards on the bridge north of the town of Concord; but April 19, they were driven from their position by the royal troops, who, entering the town, began to do what they had come to 'accomplish. They spiked two twenty-four pound cannon-that is, hammered large nails into their touch-holes; they threw a quantity of bullets into the river; and they destroyed a great many barrels of flour.

A.D.

7. During all this time the colonists were flocking from every quarter, with their rifles in their hands, driving into Concord before their narrowing circle the light infantry, who had spread out as skirmishers on every side. Dead men, in British uniform and in American dress, already strewed the fields.

8. The British then began their retreat, the line of which lay between clumps of trees and other places of shelter, of which the Americans took full advantage. The colonists were used to shooting deer in the forests; and they now shot men with unerring aim. Their bullets brought down the officers in great numbers; and their knowledge of the country was of great advantage to them. If Gage had not sent two field-pieces and some soldiers to meet the 'retreating force at Lexington,

May, 1775

A. D.

41.-THE BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL.

1. In May the American yeomanry, to the number of nearly 20,000, blockaded Boston, where Gage's garrison had been 'augmented to 10,000 men. The American intrenchments formed a line twenty miles long, south-west of Boston. North of Boston, and separated from Charlestown by an inlet, are two hills, the higher of which is called Bunker Hill, and the lower Breed Hill. As these hills completely command the city, the Americans resolved to seize and fortify the former. It is said that Gage had resolved to occupy these heights on the night of the 18th June; but Gage was habitually too late.

2. On the evening of the 16th, 1,200 Americans, under General Prescott, mustered on Cambridge Common, and marched to the top of the hill without being discovered. Intrenchments were hastily thrown up; and in the morning Gage was astonished to see earth-works and swarms of armed

men where, the night before, there had only been untrodden grass.

3. Gage determined to carry the works by assault. On the afternoon of the 17th, 3,000 picked men under Generals Howe and Pigot left Boston and were landed on the peninsula. The plan of attack was simple enough. The English were to march straight up the hill and drive the undisciplined Americans away. But the task was not so easy as it seemed. The day was "exceeding hot." June 17. The English soldiers were heavily laden with

provisions and other equipments, to enable them to hold the heights when they had gained them. The hill was steep, the grass was long, the enemy was watchful and resolute.

4. While yet a long way off, the English opened a harmless fire of musketry. There was no reply from the American lines, for the men had been ordered to withhold their fire till they could see the

white of the Englishmen's eyes, and then to aim low. When within one hundred and fifty yards of the works, the column received a volley so close and deadly as to send its sadly 'diminished numbers reeling down the hill.

5. Again they advanced almost to the American works, and again they 'sustained a bloody 'repulse. Then stripping off their greatcoats, and leaving them with their knapsacks at the hill-foot, they resolved to end the fight with the bayonet. The ammunition of the Americans being 'exhausted, they could give the enemy only a single volley. The English swarmed over the parapet. There was a brief handto-hand struggle. The Americans fled down the hill, and across the Neck to Cambridge, the English ships raking them with grape-shot as they ran.

6. They had done their work. Victory no doubt remained with the English. Their object had been to carry the American intrenchments, and they had carried them. But much greater than that was the gain of the Americans. They had proved to themselves and to the world that, with the help of some slight field-works, it was possible for undisciplined 'patriots to meet on equal terms the best troops England could send against them. Henceforth the success of the Revolution was assured. "Thank God," said Washington, when he heard of the battle; "the liberties of the country are safe."

as-ton-ished, surprised. aug-ment-ed, increased. di-min-ished, reduced.

in-trench-ments, field-works; lines of defence.

pa-tri-ots, lovers of country.

e-quip-ments, preparations; out- re-pulse', defeat.

fit.

ex-haust-ed, done.

sus-tained', bore; suffered.
un-dis-ci-plined, not trained.

42.-BUNKER HILL.

1. It was a starry night in June, the air was soft and still, When the "minute-men "1 from Cambridge came, and

gathered on the hill;

Beneath us lay the sleeping town, around us 'frowned the fleet,

But the pulse of freemen, not of slaves, within our bosoms beat;

And every heart rose high with hope, as fearlessly we said, "We will be numbered with the free, or numbered with the dead!"

2. "Bring out the line to mark the trench, and stretch it on the sward!"

The trench is marked, the tools are brought, we utter not a word,

But stack our guns, then fall to work with 'mattock and with spade,

A thousand men with 'sinewy arms, and not a sound is made;

So still were we, the stars beneath, that scarce a whisper fell;

We heard the red-coat's2 musket click, and heard him cry, "All's well!"

3. See how the morn is breaking! the red is in the sky : The mist is creeping from the stream that floats in

silence by ;

The Lively's hull looms through the fog, and they our works have spied,

For the ruddy flash and round-shot part in thunder from her side;