OF ACCOMPANYING ANIMALS AND PLANTS. 1035 



"April 19th" (Stiles, and Holmes), troops on their way to seize military stores meeting armed 

 militia at Lexington, fired on them (initiating open war. At Concord the troops were fired upon, but 

 accomplished their mission, and the distance being too great for a circuit, were obliged to turn their 

 backs, and were harassed on the way as though in retreat. The approach to Charlestown led among 

 thousands of resident militia-men, but they were withheld by their commander, perhaps on account of 

 the naval threat, To bombard Boston. C. P.). 



"May loth'' (Stiles, and Holmes), Ticonderoga and Crown Point, posts commanding Lakes 

 George and Champlain, seized by colonists under Ethan Allen. 



"June 16th," (the British troops being prevented from making excursions into the country, a party 

 of colonists set out on this evening to throw up intrenchments on Bunker hill ; a plan that might not 

 have led to immediate collision. But the commander Col. Prescott had more serious thoughts, and 

 passing Bunker hill threw up earthworks on a lower eminence much nearer Boston. In the morning, 

 the British commander surprised made an inconsiderate attack, and though the works after much 

 bloodshed and repeated checks were carried, the British empire in America was YJrtually at an end. 

 C. P.). 



The Second Congress meeting, bills of credit for " three millions of dollars " were issued, with 

 " twelve confederated colonies " pledged for their redemption. Union being especially desirable, New 

 England officers were excluded, and George Washington elected commander in chief. He joined the 

 army in Cambridge "July 2d ; " and on the " 20th," the adhesion of Georgia was received by Congress 

 (Stiles, and Holmes). 



Not later than this date (see Spreng.), Hill kew. 57. pi. 5 describing " carthamus laevis " Stokesia 

 cyanea of Carolina. He died before the close of the year. 



"The same year" (Humb. iii. 8), in Northwest America, the mouth of the Columbia river dis- 

 covered by Quadra. 



"The same year" (Pauth. 454), the Miao-tseu, wild mountain tribes of Sse-tchouan in Western 

 China, subdued by the emperor Kien-Loung. 



" In this year" (Winckl.), Joh. Dan. Leers publishing his Flor. Herbornensis, enumerating Carex 

 stellnlata. 



"In this year" (Winckl.), F. A. Scholler publishing his Flor. Barbyensis. — He died "in 1815." 

 "Aug. 14th" (trav., and flor. Jap.), Thunberg arriving in Japan, landing at Nagasaki.* — He left 

 "in 1776." 



"1776, March 17th" (Holmes), Boston evacuated by the British army. Washington next pro- 

 ceeded to New York city, where he established his head quarters "April 14th." The British govern- 

 ment employing foreign mercenaries against the colonists; a pamphlet by Thomas Paine, entitled 

 "Common Sense." 



Thus far the colonists had been fighting for their rights as Englishmen, but the question of con- 

 ciliation arising and Parliament being distrusted, the subject of Independence was introduced on 

 "June 7th" into Congress. On "July 4th," the Declaration of Independence was adopted almost 

 unanimously (see Holmes). 



The colonial army having been driven from Long Island, Washington was compelled to withdraw 

 from New York: which city was occupied by the British "Sept. 15th," and was held by them as a 

 base of operations. "Oct. 4th," articles of "confederation and perpetual union between the United 

 States of America" were signed by all the delegates in Congress: but the colonial army retreating 

 Southward, the vicinity of Philadelphia soon became the seat of war; and "Dec. 12th," Congress 

 adjourned to Baltimore. "Dec. 25th," Washington turning upon his assailants, captured a body of 

 about a thousand Hessians at Trenton: which revived the drooping spirits of the country (Holmes). 



By the Second census of Massachusetts (coll. hist. iv. 198, and Holmes 1784), the number of 

 Whites ascertained to be " three hundred and forty-three thousand eight hundred and forty-five ; " and 

 of Blacks " five thousand two hundred and forty-nine." 



" In this year" (J. E. Smith, and Spreng.), Pollich publishing his Plant. Palatin. — The publica- 

 tion was completed in " 1777," and he died in " 1780." 



T> ifolium elegaus of the Mediterranean countries. Annual, termed " t. hybndum by 1 ollicn, — 

 Roth and DesfonLines, " t. isthmocarpum " by Brotero (Steud): observed by Savi pi. 1 around Pisa 

 in Italy (Pers.) ; by Sibthorp, and Chaubard, in the meads of the Peloponnesus. Regarded as exotic 

 in Britain, maintained there by the continued importation of seed for cultivation (Wats., and A. 

 Dec.) ; in Sweden (Chaub.) also doubtless exotic. 



* Pinus parviflora of Japan and the Kurile Islands. Much resembling and mistaken for P. cem- 

 bra by Thunberg, - distinguished by Siebold as observed on Japan and the Kurile Islands (Endl. 

 conif. 143, and A. Dec). 



