CHAPTER II. 



Revolutionary Portents. Division of Parties. Governor 

 Wentworth. Thompsons Visits to Portsmouth. Mili- 

 tary Review. Intimacy and Favor with the Gov- 

 ernor. Commissioned Major. Jealousies and Enmi- 

 ties. Accused of Toryism. Meditated Outrage. 

 Flight from Concord. Refuge in Woburn, Charlestown, 

 and Boston. His Petition and Examination. Letters 

 to Mr. Walker. Visits the Camp. Seeks Employ- 

 ment. Departure. Newport. Secret Residence in 

 Boston. Sent to England. Confiscation of his Prop- 

 erty. Proscribed. 



THE genius of which young Thompson had given 

 such early and marked tokens might possibly 

 have found at the time a sphere for its development 

 and culture in his native country, either in peace or in 

 war. The revolutionary struggle which began with his 

 opening manhood, continuing for seven years, and clos- 

 ing with heavy exactions upon all men of mental vigor 

 and executive faculties in the arduous work of organ- 

 izing an infant republic, would certainly have afforded 

 for him a field in which he would as certainly have en- 

 gaged his eminent abilities and won high distinction. 

 It seemed as if accident, or rather the influence of cir- 

 cumstances independent of, and even in opposition to, 

 his own avowed inclinations, decided for him the issue 

 whether he should side with his native country or 



