setts; but before they reached Quebec, the British were reinforced, and the Americans were retreating. The men under General Thomas were worn down by the fatigue of a long march through an unsettled country; and the officers advised to retire to Montreal. The whole number of American troops did not exceed two thousand, and scarcely three hundred were fit for active service. The time for which some of them had enlisted was expired. They therefore retired to Montreal, and thence to Crown Point. General Thomas was seized with the small pox, and died before the troops reached the last named place. The retreat was conducted with good judgment; and much caution and promptness were necessary to avoid the superior force of the British.

General Thomas was a native of Plymouth county, and of a very respectable family. He was in the campaigns of 1758-60, when his conduct, both as an officer and a man, was highly honorable, and received the special commendation of Governor Shirley. General Thomas was succeeded by General Sullivan, for a few months, when General Schuyler, of New York, was appointed to the command in the northern department. But the British soon recaptured all the fortified places on the lake.

During the sitting of the general court, in May, 1776, they passed an order, calling on the people to express their opinion, as to the formal and entire separation from Great Britain, and requesting them to instruct the representatives, then about to be chosen, on the subject. The question of independence became a topic of very general discussion. A reconciliation with the government of England was at this time expected by very few. But it was thought most proper to have the sentiments of the people, expressed in their primary assemblies. The town of Boston, and many others in Massachusetts, declared themselves in favor of the measure; referring the subject, however, to the continental congress, in whose patriotism and intelligence, they said, they had perfect confidence. Some of the leading characters wrote to the delegates in the general congress, and urged to a formal act of separation from Great Britain. It was believed, that such a measure had become necessary. condition of the colonies was such as to expose them to the heavy charge of rebellion; and a civil war was odious to the minds of many. There was no hope of a restoration of former rights and privileges; and it was said, that the people would act with more decision if they were wholly separate from England, and a distinct nation. They were ready for a revolution; and a formal declaration of independence would place them in

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an attitude different from that of rebels. On the fourth of July following, the continental congress, after most mature consideration, declared the American colonies to be Sovereign and Independent States, and asserted their right and title to all the attributes of such a station, among the nations of the earth. The intelligence was received in all parts of the country with great welcome and rejoicing; but in none more than in Massachusetts.

There were, in all the colonies, a greater or less number who disapproved of the opposition made to the parent government, and who, on this account, were obnoxious to the great body of the people. But there were different classes among them. Some were chiefly apprehensive of the consequences of opposition, and believed it would be impossible to succeed: others, who were mostly officers of the crown, were more bitter and virulent in censuring the friends of liberty. The latter joined the British in Boston, for safety, and went with them to Halifax. A part of these never returned, and were supported' by the British government: others came back and threw themselves on the mercy of the government. They were imprisoned for a few months; and it was long before the prejudices of the people against them were entirely eradicated.

Several months before the declaration of independence, the general court of Massachusetts voted, to alter the style of writs and other legal processes, substituting "the people and government of Massachusetts," for "George the third;" and in dating public official papers, the particular year of the reign of the king, which had been in practice, was omitted. A law was made, for the training and discipline of the militia. They were liable to be called for, at any hour; and it was judged important to have them instructed, in some measure, in the military art. The system of military discipline and exercise prepared by Colonel Pickering, in the fall of 1774, with some improvements, which he had made in it, was adopted for the guide of the militia, by authority of the general court.

After the British troops left Boston, the general court of Massachusetts was relieved, in some measure, of the great care and anxiety which had rested on it, to provide for the defence of the country. Yet the duties still to be performed were but a little less onerous than during the first of the war. The year enemy invaded New York, in June, with a large army from Halifax and England; and a great force from Canada was also advancing on Lake Champlain. The fear of another attack on Boston was removed; but great exertions were necessary to raise the proportion of men, required to act against the

British in other parts of the country, and to pay the amount called for by congress, to support the continental army.

Soon after the British arrived at New York, General Washington called on congress for more troops, and they recommended to the several states to furnish them. The general court of Massachusetts voted to raise five thousand men, on this occasion, for the term of six months. The time was critical, and demanded extraordinary efforts. The British army at New York consisted of twenty thousand; and a large force was advancing from Canada, at the same time. In the preamble of the resolve for raising these men, it was said, "the unrelenting spirit of the British ministry was pushing them on for the destruction of America and to enslave us forever; but we trust, that a manly and brave resistance will defeat their wicked design: though the number of men called for is large, this is not to be regarded, when we consider the noble object we have in view. We trust our fellow-citizens will not confer with flesh and blood, but will readily and promptly fill up the regiments required, that we may be able to defeat the plans of our cruel oppressors. £50,000 were voted for bounties, and the advance pay for one month. The general court also consented, that two of the regiments, left for the defence of Boston in the spring, should proceed to join the main army at New York, and ordered the militia to be in readiness to march for the protection of the metropolis, whenever it should be necessary. In addition to all these efforts, other regiments of militia were soon after ordered to New York, from Bristol and Plymouth counties; and some from Berkshire and Hampshire counties, to reinforce the northern army.

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In September, another call was made by General Washington, for more of the militia; and the general court ordered every fifth man to march. The enemy soon after appeared off Rhode Island, and a part of the militia were ordered to proceed for the defence of that place. General Lincoln was appointed to command those destined for New York; and marched, with a great number, as far as Fairfield, in Connecticut. But the British, at the time, discovered no design to penetrate into the country, and the men were discharged within three months, the term for which they were enlisted.

Nothing but a most devoted spirit of patriotism, and a strong love of liberty, could have prompted to such sacrifices and efforts. In other times, the expenses and exertions of the year 1776, alone, would have discouraged the inhabitants. The greater part of the whole male population was engaged in the public service, in the course of the year. It also required large

numbers to attend the waggons of provisions and stores; shipcarpenters were sent to the lake to build boats; and women and children were obliged to perform the ordinary labor of agriculture.

While the general court was so much occupied in providing for the military service, their attention was also required to the internal affairs of the state. The people were so pressed with public claims, that they were unable to meet private demands. Laws were made for their relief, by suspending legal processes for the collection of debts. The paper money depreciated; and the soldiers and their families suffered much by it. A committee was appointed, to meet others from Connecticut, Rhode Island and New Hampshire, to adopt measures for preventing the depreciation of the bills, and a spirit of monopoly and speculation which prevailed: the committees had two meetings, but it was found impossible to remedy the evil.

The efforts of General Washington, in the summer of 1776, to check the British at New York, were ineffectual. Their army numbered more than twenty thousand; and the American regular troops were but little more than half that number, to which may be added the militia for short periods; but whose term of enlistment often expired when they were most wanted. A large part of the American troops were then at the north, under Schuyler and Gates, to oppose the British from Canada. General Washington could only give the enemy some check in their movements, and make good a retreat, when they approached with a formidable force. There were several engagements between large portions of the two armies, in the course of the season, on Long Island, at and near the city of New York, and in the country near the Hudson; in which many were killed on both sides. But the British generally succeeded in driving the Americans from the forts and positions they had taken; and General Washington was obliged to retire through New Jersey, and cross the Delaware. There he formed the bold plan of recrossing the river, and making an attack on the enemy, who had pursued him to Trenton, though he had only about two thousand two hundred men. It was the last of December, and the most of those then with him would soon finish their term of service. He recrossed the Delaware, near Trenton, with great difficulty,* as there was ice in the river; and surprised and captured a large body of the enemy. He pursued those who retired, to the vicinity of Princeton, and there gained a second victory. These daring attacks induced the British to

* Two detachments of the American troops were not able to pass over.

go into winter quarters; revived the almost expiring hopes of the Americans; and gave opportunity to fill up the enlistments for the future. Congress had, before this time, recommended to the states to raise seventy-five thousand men, for the term of three years, or during the war. And the portion for Massachusetts was fifteen regiments, being more than a sixth part of the whole number required. The following year, two more regiments were added from Massachusetts, one of which was artillery. A bounty was also given, to induce men to enlist; and in most cases clothing was furnished, and some pay advanced by the state.

The British sent a fleet, with six thousand troops, to Rhode Island, who landed at Newport, in December; which gave great alarm to the people of that state and of Massachusetts. The militia were called out in great numbers, to check the enemy, on this occasion. The militia in Berkshire were ordered to be in readiness, to march whenever called for, to recruit the army near Lake Champlain; and were furnished with arms at the expense of the state.

At the close of 1776, it was found that £150,000 had been expended by Massachusetts, to comply with recommendations of the continental congress, exclusive of various expenses for the defence of the state, and of the services of the militia at Rhode Island. On application to congress, for a reimbursement, £100,000 was received. General Washington bore testimony to the promptness of Massachusetts at this time, and to the activity and bravery of the militia which were furnished. Early in 1777, two thousand of the militia of Massachusetts were sent on to join Washington in New Jersey. His army was still very small: for the enlistments of regular troops were not so readily made as had been expected. In all the states, the men engaged for three years, and during the war, with great reluctance. The general court of Massachusetts offered an additional bounty, to be paid by two instalments, and furnished a large number of blankets; so that the poor soldiers had not to pay for them with depreciated paper. Still it was a dong time before the full number could be raised; nor was this effected till orders were issued for the several towns to raise their proportion by classes, and to engage them on such terms as they might be able. The regiments raised in Massachu setts were marched chiefly to the north-west, to oppose the British in that quarter; and the others were ordered to the south, to join the main army under General Washington.

In the spring of 1777, General Ward resigned his command