people of England and America, and by a petition to the king.

3. By forming an American Association for the enforcement of non-importation. (§ 188).

4. By arranging to keep the rest of the country in touch with Boston, where events were rapidly rushing to a crisis.

Paul Revere brought the news that General Gage was trying to force the people of Massachusetts to submit to the changes in their government, and that they were arming to resist him. The Continental Congress resolved that "All America ought to support them in their opposition." This was a hint to the colonies to meet force with force. The hint was taken and military preparations rapidly followed. The people in every colony agreed to support the acts of Congress.

When

203. Conciliation Fails in England (1775). the king and his friends heard about the Congress they were more determined than ever to make America submit. On the other hand, the English friends of the colonies were also more active.

William Pitt (Lord Chatham) (§ 191) introduced a motion for the removal of the British troops from Boston. He declared: "When your lordships look at the papers (§ 202, 2 and 3); when you consider their decency, firmness, and wisdom, you cannot but respect their cause and wish to make it your own. For myself, I must declare — that for solidity of reasoning, force of sagacity, and wisdom of conclusion no nation or body of men can stand in preference to the general Congress at Philadelphia.”

Later, by the aid of Franklin, who was then in England, Chatham prepared a plan for restoring good feeling between England and her colonies, but Parliament voted it down. Edmund Burke also made a powerful plea for conciliation, but all in vain. Franklin, feeling

that nothing more could be done to prevent a collision, hastened back to America.

THE FIGHTING BEGINS

204. The Rising in 1775; Lexington. General Gage at Boston had found it no easy task to enforce the king's

A MAP OF BOSTON AND VICINITY

Showing plans of military movements during 1775 and 1776

commands.

The patriots had already set up an independent government in Massachusetts, organized companies of minutemen who had agreed to assemble at a minute's warning, and were gathering military stores at various points.

A secret expedition to capture John Hancock and Samuel Adams, who were then at Lexington, and to destroy the stores at Concord, was planned by the British for April 19th. But the patriots were on the watch. The troops were hardly across the Charles River before a signal light from the "Old North Church" sent Paul Revere and William Dawes on swift horses to alarm the country. What a tumult they aroused as the cry, "The regulars are coming!" awakened village and farm! What excitement in the homes as fathers and sons snatched their

firelocks and ammunition bags and hastened to the parade ground! Soon the clang of the alarm bell and

REGULARS

the report of the signal gun helped to stir up the people. Then came the signal fires from the hilltops, to spread the warning. (See map, page 155.)

When the advance guard of the British appeared at Lexington, fifty minutemen were there. "Disperse, ye rebels!" shouted Pitcairn, a British officer. They did not disperse, and a volley was poured into their ranks. Eight fell

dead and others were wounded. The minutemen retreated. As Adams and Hancock escaped across the fields together, the cracking of rifles reached their ears. "Oh, what a glorious morning is this!" said Adams.

205. Concord Bridge. The British, finding the country up in arms, sent back for more troops and hastened to Concord to finish their work. But the minutemen were again too quick for them. Four hundred of them attacked the two hundred regulars guarding the "North Bridge" and drove them back into the town. Companies of militia were constantly arriving.

The British started back toward Lexington and the Americans hastened to attack them. From behind bushes and trees, houses and stone walls, and from hilltops, the "embattled farmers" poured in a deadly fire. The regulars retreated rapidly to Lexington. Here Percy's twelve hundred reënforcements with cannon formed a hollow square and received the exhausted