Knollenberg Bernhard. Growth of the American Revolution: 1766-1775
Подождите немного. Документ загружается.
whom they call an Independent Company...to be employed against Govern-
ment, if occasion require,” Force I .
The references to the arming, equipping, and drill of independent companies in
Washington’s correspondence and diary from Oct., , to March, , Hamil-
ton Letters to Washington V – passim; Washington III – passim; Washing-
ton Diaries II – passim; Knollenberg Washington , .
Va. convention’s resolutions for preparedness for war, March , , Force II
–.
James Parker to Charles Steuart Apr. , , quoted in the text, Mag. Am. Hist. III
–. Parker, a Tory, was not a member of the convention. I have found no sim-
ilar account by any member of the convention, but the resolutions of the conven-
tion quoted in note below are consistent with his account.
On March , the convention chose a committee, including Patrick Henry,
Richard Henry Lee, Robert Carter Nicholas, Benjamin Harrison, Lemuel Rid-
dick, George Washington, and Thomas Jefferson to prepare a plan for the army,
and disciplining such a number of men as would put the colony immediately “into
a posture of defence,” Force II –.
The speech of Henry referred to by Parker probably was the one in which, ac-
cording to a much later version, he exclaimed “as for me, give me liberty or give
me death!” Parker’s only comment on Henry’s speech was “You never heard any-
thing more infamously insolent than P. Henry’s speech: he called the K
——— a
tyrant, a fool, a puppet and a tool to the ministry. Said there was no Englishmen,
no Scots, no Britons, but a set of wretches sunk in Luxury; they had lost their na-
tive courage and unable to look the brave Americans in the face...,” Mag. Am.
Hist. III –.
Parker to Steuart, Apr. , , same –. The persons referred to in Parker’s
letter as defeating Henry’s plan were Nicholas (“the Treasurer”), Harrison,
Richard Bland, and Riddick. All except Bland were members of the military
committee described in note below.
In replying Jan. , , to the letter from Ward to him, summarized earlier in the
text of this chapter, Dickinson explained that in Pa., “a Party who have consider-
able weight in our Assembly” was so alarmed by the recent action of the Pa. con-
vention of Jan. – ( Force I –) in voting unqualified approval of the pro-
ceedings of the First Continental Congress, that “a good deal of delicacy” would
be required to prevent the Pa. Assembly from giving “very restrictive instructions”
to the delegates to the Second Congress, Knollenberg Ward .
The N.Y. delegates were instructed “to concert...such measures as shall be
judged most effectual for the preservation of American rights and priviledges and
[italics added] for the restoration of harmony between Great Britain and the col-
onies,” Journals Cont. Cong. II ; and the delegates “to concert...such further
measures, as shall appear to them best calculated for the accomodation [italics
added] of the unhappy differences between Great-Britain and the Colonies, on a
constitutional foundation,” same , .
Speech of James Duane of the N.Y. delegation in the Second Continental Con-
gress May , , quoted in the text, Burnett Letters I .
Chapter
Resolution of the Worcester County convention in the town of Worcester Aug. ,
, referred to in the text, Mass. Cong. Journals . Similar resolutions of Suffolk
and other Mass. County conventions in Aug. and Sept., and recommendation of
Middlesex County convention at Concord Aug. , for a provincial meeting to be
held there Oct. , same – passim.
Assembling of the First Mass. Congress at Concord Oct. , . Over dele-
gates from all thirteen counties of the province, except Nantucket and remote Lin-
coln in the present state of Maine, were elected, but I have not found how many
attended, same –, . There had been a preliminary meeting at Salem on Oct.
–, of ninety members of the House of Representatives, same –, who had as-
sembled there despite a proclamation of Gov. Thomas Gage Sept. , canceling
the meeting of the House, Force I –.
Election of officers and Committee on the State of the Province described in the
text, Oct. and , , Mass. Cong. Journals –.
The Congress sat at Concord Oct. –, , and at Cambridge, Oct. – and
Nov. –Dec. , same .
Congress’ resolutions of Oct. , , and , , calling upon constables and
Collectors to withhold from the provincial treasurer taxes received by them and
pay them instead to a Receiver-General, Henry Gardner of Stow, chosen by the
Congress, same , , –. Later resolutions indicate difficulties in securing
compliance with this requisition, same –, , . A report of April , ,
states that only £, of the £, in taxes due for had been paid over to
Gardner at that time, same .
Resolution of Oct. , , as to replacement of officers of the militia, and the
Congress’ election (Oct. and Dec. ) as general officers of those named in the
text, same –, , . I have found no evidence that Jedediah Preble, the first-
named general officer, accepted the appointment or ever served.
Resolution of Oct. and Dec. , , for recruiting and equipment of men to
be ready to serve “on the shortest notice,” same , . The journals of the Con-
gress first referred to “minute men” in a resolution of Nov. , same ; but the term
was earlier used in resolutions on Sept. , of the Worcester County convention,
same –.
Establishment of a Committee of Safety Oct. and , , and its responsibil-
ities and members, same –. The first names and residences of the members are
known from the list of members of the Congress and the towns they represented,
same –. Any five members were authorized to act for the whole, provided that
not more than one of the five was from Boston.
Resolutions for defense other than those mentioned in previous paragraphs, same
– passim.
Resolutions adopted by the Congress, as stated in the text, Oct. , Dec. , and
Dec. , , same –, , . Delegates to the Mass. Congress were “to be cho-
sen by such only as are qualified by law to vote for representatives in the general
assembly,” same .
Motion of Oct. , , concerning slavery quoted in the text, same . The mo-
tion was in response to a letter from an unidentified writer to the Reverend Dr.
Nathaniel Appleton, Congregational minister of Cambridge, “brought into Con-
gress” by Joseph Wheeler, delegate from the town of Harvard, same .
Vote of the Congress, Oct. , , that the proposal to “take into consideration
the state and circumstances of the negro slaves in this province” should “now sub-
side,” same .
Gage to Lord Dartmouth Feb. , , as to the election of many new, less “vio-
lent” delegates to the Second Mass. Congress, quoted in the text, Gage I .
About a fourth of the delegates to this Congress had not been members of the
First. Lists of members, Mass. Cong. Journals –, –. John Hancock and Ben-
jamin Lincoln were reelected President and Secretary, same –.
Various resolutions of Feb. –, , described in the text, same – passim.
Resolutions of Feb. and , , concerning the Committee of Safety, same ,
. Jabez Fisher of Wrentham was elected to fill Norton Quincy’s place on the
Committee of Safety and, on Fisher’s asking to be relieved, Thomas Gardner of
Cambridge was chosen in his place, same , , . Again, any five members of
the committee, provided not more than one was from Boston, were authorized to
act for the whole, same –.
Adjournment Feb. , , to reconvene at Concord March , same .
James Warren wrote John Adams Jan. , , “Is it consistent with prudence that
we should hold our Sessions at Cambridge?...if we mean to do anything im-
portant, I think it too near the whole strength of our Enemies. If not, I shall repent
leaving my friends at this severe Season,” Warren–Adams I .
Gage to Dartmouth Jan. , , and Major John Pitcairn to Lord Sandwich Feb.
, quoted in the text, Gage I and Sandwich I –.
The Essex Gazette of Feb. , , reported the impending embarkation in Ireland
of four regiments to reinforce Gage. The Committee of Safety’s minutes of Feb.
state, “on certain intelligence, or such as appears to the committee to be such,
of the reenforcements coming to General Gage, that then the committee,” etc.,
Mass. Cong. Journals .
Resolutions for war measures of the Committees of Safety and of Supplies Feb.
–, , described in the text, same –. Two more of the cannon men-
tioned in the text were assigned to the Boston artillery company, which apparently
had not yet elected a new commander in place of Major Adino Paddock, a Tory.
Joseph Hawley’s warning letter to Thomas Cushing Feb. , , quoted in the
text, same –. Hawley pointed out that the Continental Congress’ resolution
of Oct. , , “this Congress approve of the opposition by the Inhabitants of the
Massachusetts-bay to the execution of the late acts of Parliament; and if the same
shall be attempted to be carried into execution by force, in such case all America
ought to support them in their opposition,” Journals Cont. Cong. I , was “far too
loose” to be considered a definite commitment.
Resolution of March , , concerning what should be considered a hostile
move by Gage justifying armed opposition, French Day of Concord , quoting the
Heath Papers at M.H.S. The resolution was mentioned but not recorded in the
journals of the Congress, Mass. Cong. Journals . The resolution further stated that
on a hostile move by Gage, “the Military Force of the Province ought to be as-
sembled, and an Army of Observation immediately formed, to act solely on the
defensive so long as it can be justified on the Principles of Reason and Self Preser-
vation and [no?] longer.”
James Warren at Concord to his wife, Mercy Warren, Apr. , , “Last Satur-
day [April ] we came near to adjournment, were almost equally divided upon the
question,” but a majority decided to sit a little longer awaiting news from England,
Warren–Adams I .
James to Mercy Warren Apr. , , concerning the alarming news that arrived
from England on Apr. , Warren–Adams . Gage wrote Dartmouth April , “Two
vessels arrived from Falmouth at Marblehead on the nd Instant and brought Pa-
pers which...throw them [“the Faction”] into a Consternation...,” Gage I .
The reports from England described in the text were published in the Essex Gazette
of April , , which also gives other details of the reports and of the vessels
bringing them.
A New York letter of Nov. , , reported that Gen. Guy Carleton, Governor of
Quebec, was prepared, if requested, to send a force of Indians, as well as ,
Canadians, to reinforce Gage, Willard Letters . As brought out in Chapter ,
Gage had recently sounded out Carleton as to the possibility of a reinforcement
of Canadians and Indians and had received a favorable reply.
Resolutions of the Congress April –, , described in the text, Mass. Cong. Jour-
nals – passim. The vote on April , given in the text: “present , in favor ,”
same . This is the only record in the Journals of the number of votes on any reso-
lution. If the Essex Gazette’s report of March , that nearly members were then
attending, is correct, there evidently was a large exodus between then and April .
Evidence of the recruitment and officers of the minute men and some of the diffi-
culties encountered, French First Year –. James Warren wrote John Adams
May , , “We are embarrassed in officering our Army by the Establishment of
Minute Men. I wish it had never taken place, and the necessity of having Field
Officers appointed [italics added] is every day seen, and indeed in my Opinion that
should have been the first thing done,” Warren–Adams .
The Mass. Congress’ resolution of April , , states, “That a committee [the
Committee of Safety]...apply to a suitable number of persons, to be in readiness
. . . to act as field officers: such officers, in conjunction with the committee, to ap-
ply to proper persons as captains, and they do determine on such subaltern offi-
cers as may be necessary...,the committee and officers, caeteris paribus, to give
the preference to persons who have been chosen officers in the regiments of
minute men,” Mass. Cong. Journals . Appointment of these officers, April –,
same , , .
Congress’ advice of April , , to all the towns of Bristol County to “exert your-
selves that the militia and especially the minute men of your county be found in
the best posture of defence”; but “whatever patience and forbearance it may re-
quire for the present, you would act on the defensive only, until the further direc-
tion of this Congress,” same . Similar advice to a number of other towns was
adopted the next day, same .
Resolution of April , , adjourning the Congress until May , but with the
provision for a call to reassemble sooner, described in the text, same .
Gage to Dartmouth April , , and James to Mercy Warren April , as to flight
from or non-return to Boston of Samuel Adams, John Hancock, and other radi-
cal Whigs, Gage I and Warren–Adams I . The question of whether or not
Adams’ chief lieutenant, Dr. Joseph Warren of Boston, was there on April , is
discussed in the appendix to Chapter .
The reputation of Adams and Hancock as the outstanding rebel leaders is evi-
denced by Gage’s proclamation of June , , offering amnesty to all rebels who
would “lay down their arms and return to their duties of peaceable subjects, ex-
cept only...Samuel Adams and John Hancock,” Force II .
Chapter
The Sixty-fourth Regiment drawn from Halifax in to replace the Fourteenth
at Castle William, Gage I , was still stationed there as late as July , , same
II . Arrival at Boston of the Fourth, Fifth, Thirty-eighth, and Forty-third from
England and Ireland in June and July, , is recorded in Gage to Dartmouth
June and July and , same I –, and John Rowe’s diary for June to July
, Rowe Diary –. Arrival at Boston of sixty artillerymen from New York
City, Gage to Dartmouth May , , Gage I .
In Knollenberg Origin –, I discussed various possible motives of the British
government’s decision in to increase greatly the pre-war force of British
troops in North America even though the recent cession of Canada to Great
Britain had minimized the threat of French invasion of the old British North
American colonies. After the widespread opposition in the old colonies in to
execution of the Stamp Act, one of the chief motives almost certainly was to en-
sure obedience of the old colonies to British rule.
Transfer of the regiments and companies of infantry named in the text from Hal-
ifax, Quebec, and elsewhere in North America to Boston, Aug. to Nov. , Dart-
mouth to Gage Aug. to Nov. , Gage I – passim. (There had been a brief
transfer of the Forty-seventh from N.J. to N.Y. before its transfer to Boston, same
, , .)
Gage wrote Dartmouth May , , “General [Frederick] Haldimand took the
Opportunity of a Vessel in the Service to send a Detachment of Sixty Artillerists
and eight Pieces of Ordance from New-York...,” same I . Col. Lord Percy
wrote from Boston to the Duke of Northumberland Aug. , “I have now...
pieces of cannon,” Percy ; and on Oct. , Capt. William Glanville Evelyn wrote
the Reverend William Evelyn that “more artillery” had recently arrived, Evelyn .
Gage to Dartmouth Nov. , , stating that on the landing of the Tenth and
Fifty-second Regiments at Boston he would have “a Force of near three Thousand
Men exclusive of a Regiment for the Defence of Castle William,” Gage I . The
authorized strength of a regiment was men (Shy Toward Lexington ), but
some if not all the regiments evidently were much below their authorized strength.
Gage’s return of troops dated July , , shows that his infantry regiments then
ranged from to men, Gage II .
As noted in Chapter , Dartmouth wrote Gage Oct. , , that he was sending
him a detachment of marines to Boston that would “probably not fall much short
of Men,” same II . The Massachusetts Spy of Dec. reported that marines
were being landed, Clark Naval Doc. I , but Gage wrote Admiral Samuel Graves
March , that “not quite four Hundred” had in fact been landed, Gage II .
Admiral Graves’ “List of the North American Squadron,” Jan. , , reports the
Preston, Somerset, Boyne, Asia, Mercury, and Glasgow, ships of war, and the schooner Di-
ana, as stationed at Boston, Clark Naval Doc. I .
Members of the Crown-appointed Mass. Council appointed pursuant to the Reg-
ulating Act held sessions in Boston on Aug. and , , Matthews “Mass.
Royal Council” –, –. Matthews gives records of several more meet-
ings (same –), but not until after April, . But Gage was unable even in
Boston to secure execution of provisions of the Regulating Act concerning juries,
since the judges of the court sitting there “could get neither Grand, nor petit Jury,”
Gage to Dartmouth, Sept. , Gage I .
Gage to Dartmouth Sept. and Oct. , , stating his policy was to avoid, if
possible, a clash with the rebels, while awaiting instructions from the administra-
tion, same –, .
Gage’s seizure of powder at Quarry Hill, Sept. , , John Andrews to William
Barrell Sept. , “Andrews Letters” ; Gage to Dartmouth Sept. , Gage I ;
Ezra Stiles’ diary Nov. , Stiles Diary I ; newspaper account Sept. , Force IV
. Estimates of the powder carried away varied from half-barrels to nearly
barrels. The spreading of an erroneous report that this powder raid had been
accomplished by a British cannonade of Boston and the killing of six of its inhab-
itants and the effect of this report in the First Continental Congress were described
in Chapter .
The work on the fortifications on Boston neck, Andrews to Barrell Sept. and ,
, “Andrews Letters” , . Protests, beginning early in Sept. and continu-
ing until late Oct., against the work on these fortifications, by the selectmen of
Boston, the Suffolk County Convention of Sept., , and the First Mass. Con-
gress, as well as Gage’s temperate replies can be followed in Gage to Dartmouth
Sept. , Oct. and , Gage I , , ; Mass. Journals , , –, ; Jour-
nals Cont. Cong. I , –; Force I .
The threat of “the country people” to drive the British troops from Boston, An-
drews to Barrell Sept. , , and , , “Andrews Letters” –; Gage to Dart-
mouth Sept. , Gage I .
Lieut. John Barker’s last comment in his diary on work on the fortification is Dec.
, , Barker . His earlier comments on this are in same , . (The British offi-
cers who acted as “assistant engineers” on the project apparently were very ineffi-
cient as engineers, same ; Mackenzie I .)
The detachment sent to Marshfield under Capt. Nisbet Balfour in Jan., , and
maintained there until after April , Gage to Dartmouth Jan. , Gage I , and
documents from Jan. to Apr. , Clark Naval Doc. –, , , , , .
Withdrawal of this detachment April , Graves to Gage Apr. , same , and
Stiles’ diary for April , Stiles Diary I .
Intelligence report to Gage Feb. , , that “Twelve pieces of Brass Cannon
mounted are att Salem & lodged near the North River, on the back of the Town,”
Clark Naval Doc. I .
Expedition to Salem, Feb. –, , Gage to Dartmouth March , Gage I ;
Essex Gazette Feb. and Boston Evening Post March , reprinted in Clark Naval Doc.
I –, –; Ezra Stiles’ diary for March , Stiles Diary I –.
The successful expedition to Fort Pownall on the Penobscot in the present state of
Maine, then part of Mass., launched April , , correspondence and list of can-
non and other military supplies secured by the expedition, Clark Naval Doc. I –
, , , , , –.
Gage’s shipment of arms and ammunition to Col. Thomas Gilbert at Freetown,
Admiral Graves’ “Narrative” March , ; Rose’s log (“Remarks”) March ;
Gilbert to Capt. James Wallace, commander of the Rose, March ; Gage to
Graves March , Clark Naval Doc. I , , , , ; Stiles’ diary for March
, Stiles Diary I . About , rebels surrounded Gilbert’s men on April ,
and captured “about thirty” of them; Gilbert himself escaped, Stiles’ diary for
April , same .
Gage wrote Governor Gen. Guy Carleton, of Quebec, Sept. , , “As I must
look forward to the worst...I am to ask your Opinion, whether a Body of Cana-
dians and Indians might be collected, and confided in, for the Service in this
Country should matters come to Extremities...,” to which Carleton replied
Sept. that he could, with proper inducements, raise several dependable battal-
ions of Canadians and that “the Savages of this Province, I hear, are in a very good
Humor...but you know what [undependable] sort of People they are,” S & D
Doc. II –.
Reports of Gage’s informers from March to April , , are in French Gage’s
Informers –; also Gage to Dartmouth Feb. , and March , , Gage I –
.
Gage’s instructions of Feb. , , to Captain William Brown (Browne) and En-
sign Henry De Berniere (Birniere) to “go through the Counties of Suffolk and
Worcester, taking a sketch of the country as you pass...,[and] mark out the
Roads and Distances from Town to Town...,” Force I . Berniere’s undated
report of his and Captain Brown’s survey is in same –. Gage had issued a
call for volunteers for such service, Jan. , , diaries of Lieuts. John Barker and
Frederick Mackenzie for Jan. , Barker ; Mackenzie I .
Detachments sent out frequently for marches in the vicinity of Boston, Dec. ,
, to March , , Andrews to Barrell “Andrews Letters” –; Barker’s
diary, Barker , , , , ; Mackenzie’s diary, Mackenzie I , , ; Letter from
Boston, April , Force II .
Gen. James Wolfe’s disparagement of colonial troops quoted in the Introduction
is matched by statements of other British officers who served in the French and In-
dian War. When British and colonial troops were serving together, British officers
were prone to excuse defeats by unfairly attributing them exclusively to the mis-
conduct of colonial officers and men, but letters of some colonial officers (e.g.,
Washington’s in Fitzpatrick Washington II –) indicate that British disparagement
of colonial troops, particularly colonial militiamen, was not wholly unwarranted.
Capt. Evelyn to William Evelyn, July , , calling the rebels “rascals and
poltroons,” Evelyn . Evelyn’s career was cut short in Nov., , by a fatal
wound received in battle near New York City, same .
Evelyn to Mrs. Leveson-Gower, wife of Captain John Gower, R.N., Dec. , ,
hoping for orders to chastise the villainous rebels, same –.
Evelyn to William Evelyn Feb. , , hoping for early orders to scourge “the up-
start vagabonds...with rods of iron,” same . Earlier in this letter Evelyn had
written “We...consider it as the most fortunate opportunity for Great Britain to
establish her superiority over this country; even to reduce it to that state of sub-
jection which the right of conquest may now give her the fairest title to; at least,
to keep it in that state of dependency which they are now avowedly trying to free
themselves from...,” same .
Col. Lord Percy to the Duke of Northumberland July , , and to Henry
Reveley Aug. , expressing his contempt for the cruel and cowardly New England-
ers, Pe rcy , . Percy, dissatisfied with General William Howe’s treatment of him,
was given leave to come home and returned to England in June, , Lewis Wal-
pole () n.; Lord George Germain to the King June , , Geo. III III
.
Percy to Thomas Percy Nov. , , and to Gen. Edward Harvey, Feb. , ,
denouncing the rebels as “the most designing Artfull Villains in the World” and
expressing his hope for “pointed and effectual” orders from England to strike at
them, Percy , .
Maj. John Pitcairn to Lord Sandwich Feb. , , hoping for orders to seize “the
impudent rascals” in the Mass. Provincial Congress and “send them to England,”
Sandwich I –. The resolves enclosed in Pitcairn’s letter were those of the First
Mass. Congress for the payment of taxes to the Receiver-General chosen by that
Congress and for preparations for defense, which the Second Mass. Congress or-
dered on Feb. , to be published and distributed throughout the province, Mass.
Journals .
Pitcairn to Sandwich March , , predicting that “one active campaign,” etc.,
would “set everything to rights” with the cowardly rebels, Sandwich I –. (Pit-
cairn was killed at Bunker Hill the following June ; Major John Tupper, Pit-
cairn’s second in command, wrote Sandwich June that Pitcairn “was wounded
a few Minutes before the Attack was made on the Redoubt and he died about two
or three hours after...,” Clark Naval Doc. .)
Gage wrote Barrington Feb. , , “I have hitherto Observed a Conduct...by
which...the hot headed Leaders [were] baffled in their Projects. Your next Dis-
patches will probably require a different Conduct, and I shall wait for them Im-
patiently...for to keep quiet in the Town of Boston only, will not terminate
Affairs; the Troops must March into the Country,” Gage II . To similar effect,
Gage to Dartmouth Jan. and , same I , .
Arrival per the Nautilus on April , , of a copy of Dartmouth’s letter of Jan.
, and of the original per the Falcon two days later, Gage to Dartmouth April ,
same I . For further details, Alden’s important essay “Why the March to Con-
cord?” –. The long delay in Dartmouth’s letter reaching Gage is explained
in a letter from Philip Stephens of the Admiralty to John Pownall Feb. , report-
ing that the Falcon, carrying Dartmouth’s letter, had been “driven back to St. Hel-
en’s by contrary winds,” Dartmouth () .
Chapter
The proclamation referred to in Lord Dartmouth’s letter was issued by Gage Nov.
, , forbidding the people of Mass. to comply with various measures pro-
posed by the First Mass. Congress, Force I –.
Dartmouth’s direction to arrest the principal rebels even though this might be “a
signal for Hostilities” referred to a letter of Sept. , , to him from Gage stat-
ing he had not acted on suggestions “to apprehend a certain number of people”
because this “wou’d be the Signal for Hostilities, which they seem very ripe to be-
gin,” Gage I .
Dartmouth to Gage Jan. , , quoted in the text, giving him carte blanche to
strike and implying that he was expected to, same II – at –. Gage had
written privately to the Secretary at War, Lord Barrington, Aug. , , propos-
ing that the radical leaders in Mass. be arrested and sent to England for trial, Gage
Papers, summarized and quoted in part, Alden Gage . (Barrington himself fa-
vored use of the British navy only, Barrington to Gage Nov. , Gage Papers, and
to Dartmouth Nov. and Dec. , Dartmouth Papers I:: and Barrington
Barrington –.)
The First Continental Congress had passed a resolution Oct. , , “That the
seizing, or attempting to seize, any person in America, in order to transport such
person beyond the sea, for trial of offences, committed within the body of a county
in America, being against law, will justify, and ought to meet with resistance and
reprisal,” Journals Cont. Cong. I . Gage’s seizure of any Mass. rebels would doubt-
less be assumed by colonial Whigs to be in order to send them to Great Britain for
trial.
Gage wrote Dartmouth Jan. , , that “it’s the opinion of most People, if a re-
spectable Force is seen in the field, the most obnoxious of the Leaders seized and
a Pardon proclaimed for all others that Government will come off Victorious, and
with less Opposition than was expected a few Months ago,” Gage I . However,
this was written before the Mass. Congress had decided to remove its place of
meeting from Cambridge, only a few miles from Boston, to Concord.
On April , , the Mass. Congress adjourned until May , Mass. Cong. Journals
–. An undated message received by Gage on April , from one of his in-
formers, reported that the Congress was to rise on that date, French Gage’s Inform-
ers .
Though spurred to action by Dartmouth’s letter, Gage may also have learned and
been influenced by criticism in London of his seeming timidity. Hutchinson’s di-
ary for Dec. , , to Jan. , , records such criticism by at least six persons,
including Lord Chancellor Apsley and Gen. Lord Loudoun, Hutchinson Diary I
, , , , . See also Secretary of State Lord Suffolk and Under Sec-
retary John Pownall to Dartmouth Nov. and Dec. , , Dartmouth ()
and Dartmouth () . Pressure from Mass. Tories also may have contributed
to Gage’s decision.
An informer writing on March reported the concentration of provisions and mil-
itary stores in Concord, and another, in an undated report, received by Gage on
April , stated that the provisions and some of the military stores were still there,
French Gage’s Informers –, –.
Lieut. John Barker’s diary for Apr. , , records “Genl. Orders. ‘The Grena-
diers and Light Infantry in order to learn Grenadrs. Exercize and new evolutions
are to be off all duties ’till further orders’,” Barker .
I have found no official statement of the number of officers and men in the expe-
dition. The estimate of probably around men is from Boatner Encyclopedia of
the Am. Revolution and sources cited therein.
Gage’s choice of Lieut.-Col. Francis Smith as commander of the expedition to
Concord, with Major John Pitcairn second in command, Gage to Smith April ,
, same, and Lieut. William Sutherland’s statement of April , Sutherland . I
have found no evidence as to why Pitcairn, an officer of marines, was chosen sec-
ond in command of a detachment which apparently included no marines. Perhaps
the inclusion of the marines in the reserve to be sent to support Smith, if necessary,
prompted this choice.
There were two good reasons for Gage not to include pieces of artillery, as distin-
guished from artillery men, in Smith’s detachment. Inclusion of artillery would
tend to slow up the ferrying and march of the detachment, and Gage had been in-
formed by one of his informers in a message received April , , of the Mass.
Congress’ resolution (described in Chapter ) that the militia was not to attack
Gage’s troops on marches into the country unless they were accompanied by ar-
tillery, French Gage’s Informers .
Gage’s instructions to Smith Apr. , , same –. Gage’s description to Smith
of the stores at Concord tallies with the report from an informer, published in same
–, referred to in note .
Statements of Adm. Samuel Graves and Capts. Edward Le Cras, James Montagu,
and James Robinson Apr. and , , concerning the British navy’s ferrying
of the detachment from Boston to Phipp’s Farm on the night of April –, Clark
Naval Doc. I , , .
John Hancock to Elbridge Gerry Apr. , , and minutes of meeting of Com-
mittees of Safety and Supplies April , as described in the text, Gerry and Mass.
Cong. Journals –. Some of the resolutions at this meeting as to removal or hid-
ing of supplies at Concord suggest that the committees had got wind of the in-
tended expedition to Concord, but this is countered by other resolutions at this
same meeting for transferring supplies to Concord, same –.
Paul Revere to Jeremy Belknap Jan. , , states that on April , , Dr.
Joseph Warren in Boston dispatched him and another messenger to Lexington to
warn Hancock and Samuel Adams of the expedition, Goss Revere I . I am skep-
tical that Warren, one of the outstanding radical Whigs in Boston, should have
risked being there as late as April ; I have found no contemporary evidence of
his presence there later than April , when he wrote letters headed “Boston,”
Frothingham Warren –.
The best-known account by Revere of his ride as one of the messengers is in his
letter to Belknap of Jan. , , Goss Revere I –, but Goss prints two other un-
dated statements by Revere concerning the ride, same –.
John Andrews to Joseph Barrell April , , states that the preceding evening,