566 A. D. 1775. 



i'hc former reftruining laws, which were expeifted to crurti the Tpirlt of 

 oppofition, had lerved only to add fuel to the fire, and inftead of divid- 

 ing the colonifts by the expedlation of advantages, which might accrue 

 to other places from the annihilation of the trade of Bofton, they excit- 

 ed a generous fympathy for the fufferers in, what was confidered as, the 

 sreneral caufe of America, with a determination to aflift them bv all 

 poflible means, and to fland or fall together. In fhort, the northern 

 and fouthern colonies, who had fcarcely ever before harmonized toge- 

 ther, were now knit into a band of brothers, prepared with the mofl 

 determined refolution to brave every ftorm of adverfity, and to run 

 every riik of life and fortune, in defence of the liberties and privileges 

 they claimed as their birthright. General Gage, the governor of Maf- 

 fachufets bay and commander in chief of all the Britifli forces in Ame- 

 rica, had for fometime thought it necellary to ad: in mofi: cafes as if in 

 tin enemy's country. The people on the other hand were bufily em- 

 ployed in learning the military exercife, and in procuring or manufac- 

 turing arms and ammunition of all kinds *. The fortification of Bof- 

 ton neck, and the feizure of the provincial ammunition and ftores lodg- 

 ed at Charleftown and Cambridge (both near Bofton) by General Gage, 

 and the feizure of the cannon belonging to government by the people 

 of Rhode-ifland, and of a fmall fort called William and Mary by the 

 people of New Hampfliire, accelerated that crifis, to which every adion 

 on either fide had for fome time been rapidly tending. At laft the appeal 

 was made to the fword in the celebrated fkirmifli at Lexington, wherein 

 above fixty men were killed on each fide, and about twenty Britifti fol- 

 diers were taken prifoners by the American militia (April 19"'). Imme- 

 diately afterwards the king's forces were befieged in Bofton, where they 

 fufFered great hardlhips for want of room, and for want of frefli provifi- 

 ons and vegetables, hitherto fupplied from the adjacent country f . The 

 military ardour fpread over all the provinces, and the army of The 

 United colonies j ftarted into exiftence, and was organized at the voice 

 of the congrefs, who now ifiiied a paper currency for the general ufe of 

 the whole confederacy, eftablifhed a general poft-office, and, in fliort, 

 aflumed all the fundtions of government. In the month of July the 

 province of Georgia joined the confederacy, which thenceforth took the 



♦ Mr. Penn, proprietor of the province of Penn- the ciiftoms, who, when the harbour of Bofton was 



fylvania, in his evidence before the houfe of lords fhut up by law, had removed to Salem, whence (the 



on the lO'h of November 1775, faid, that they non-importation agreement rendering their refid- 



had the means of cafting iron cannon in great ence unnecefTary, and the temper of the people 



plenty in Pennfylvania, and that they had already rendering it unfafe) they returned to Bofton to be 



caft brafs cannon, and made great quantities of under the proteftion of the army, and there ex- 



fmall arms of a very good quality. hibited the fmgular fpedacle of a cuftom-houfe at 



f To add to their hardships, a large reinforce- a port, where no (hips were permitted to enter or 



ir.ent arrived to crov/d them through the fummer : clear out. 



and what ought not to be omitted, they had the % That was the appellation then alTumed by the 



company of the comraiflioners and other officers of confederated provinces. 



