kingdom from which we derive our origin, to request such a reconciliation as might in any manner be inconfiftent with her dignity or her welfare; and, the apprehenfions that now oppress our hearts with unspeakable grief being removed, your majesty will find your faithful subjects on this continent ready and willing at all times, as they have ever been, with their lives and fortunes to affert and maintain the rights and interests of your majesty and of our mother country. We therefore befeech your majesty, that your royal authority and influence may be graciously interposed to procure us relief; with all humility submitting to your majesty, whether it may not be expedient that your majesty be pleased to DIRECT fome MODE by which the united applications of your faithful colonifts to the throne may be improved into a happy and permanent reconciliation." To this petition, which Mr. Penn delivered into the hands of the earl of Dartmouth on the Ift of September, he was, after a short interval, informed that "NO ANSWER WOULD BE GIVEN!"

Sanguine hopes had been entertained by the English court, that the inhabitants of Canada might be induced to take an active part in this war against America: and twenty thousand stand of arms were actually fent to Quebec, for the use of the Canadians. But a very general discontent pervaded the minds of the people on account of the late bill; and the militia of the province, on being applied to by the governor, general Carleton, absolutely refused to pass the limits of itdeclaring, that this was a quarrel which did not concern them, and in which they were determined to take no part. The dispositions of the Canadians being thus afcertained, a project was formed for the invasion of that province, which, as no danger was apprehended, was protected by a very inconfiderable force. General Montgomery, with an army not exceeding 3000 men, being appointed to conduct this expedition, immediately proceeded to St. John's, situated on the banks of Lake Champlain, before which he encamped on the 17th of September 1775. After a very gallant defence,

Y 2

fence, that important fortress was surrendered on the 2d of November; Chamblée being also in the mean time captured by a separate detachment. General Montgomery now preffed on to Montreal, which being deemed incapable of refiftance, general Carleton quitted it with precipitation one day, and the American general entered it in triumph the next. Nearly at the time that these tranfactions took place, Ticonderoga and Crown Point were furprifed by an irregular band, haftily collected, of Green-Mountain-men, and other inland settlers, under the command of a bold partifan, styled by his followers colonel Allen: and on the other fide colonel Arnold, an officer of diftinguished courage and activity in the service of the congress, after fuffering incredible hardships in traversing a rude and pathlefs wilderness during a march of thirty one days, afcending by the Kennebeck, and descending by the Chaundiere, at length reached Point Levi, on the fouthern bank of the St. Laurence, where he expected the arrival of Montgomery. General Carleton was_now reduced to a very critical situation. Immediately on the evacuation of Montreal, he was conveyed in a boat with muffled paddles down the river to Quebec-a precaution very neceffary, as the Americans had by furprising exertions made themselves masters of the navigation of St. Lau

rence.

The governor now made every poffible preparation for a vigorous defence. On the 1st December, general Montgomery joined colonel Arnold before Quebec, the garrifon of which consisted, including provincials and marines, of about one thousand fix hundred men. Notwithstanding the extreme severity of the season in this inclement climate, general Montgomery immediately began erecting his batteries, which, by a perfect novelty in military science, being composed of snow and water, soon became folid ice. But finding his artillery make little impression, he determined on a gene ral affault; this was attempted in two different quarters of the town, the several divifions being commanded by colonel Arnold and the general in person. In the first onset general Montgomery, leading on his men with undaunted resolution,

was

was killed by a discharge of grape shot; and his troops falling into immediate disorder, were repulsed with much slaughter. On the other fide colonel Arnold, by great exertions of courage, forced the first barrier; but before he could attempt the second, the whole strength of the garrifon, in confequence of the catastrophe in the opposite quarter, was collected against him. Colonel Arnold himself received a dangerous wound in the leg by a musquet ball, and was compelled to retire to the camp. The Americans of this division, being now attacked both in front and rear, were, after a brave resistance, at length obliged to lay down their arms, and furrender themselves prisoners of war. This was a very complete victory on the part of the governor, whose skill and courage on this occasion merited every eulogium. Nevertheless, to fortune was he in a great degree indebted for his success, the fall of the American commander being absolutely decisive of the event. The character of general Montgomery, judging from the uniform tenor of his conduct throughout this memorable expedition, and from the united teftimony of all America in his favor, could not easily be eftimated too highly. To the courage of the soldier he joined the military fkill of the general, and the virtues of the man. He is faid to have possessed a mind highly cultivated, and a person and address easy, graceful, and manly. He was of the number of those favored and exalted few, "whom both MINERVAS call their own." When his body was taken up, his features were not in the least distorted, but his countenance appeared regular, placid, and serene, He was interred with all military and funeral honors by the governor, who had the magnanimity to esteem and acknowledge superior excellence even in an enemy. What appears most astonishing is, that colonel Arnold, with the shattered remains of his troops, now far inferior in number to the garrifon, was yet able to continue the blockade of the city, and to reduce it to great distress for the want of provisions.

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It is necessary to cast a tranfient view at the state of affairs at this period in the principal provinces of the continent. Lord Dunmore, governor of Virginia, had adopted the refolution, in consequence of the disputes long fubfifting between him and the people, and which rosfe by degrees to the greatest violence, to take refuge on board the Fowey man of war, in the month of June; to which he strangely attempted to transfer the fittings of the assembly-a requifition with which the legislative body absolutely refused compliance. His lordship being divested of his authority carried on a fort of predatory war against the province, proclaimed martial law, and immediate emancipation to all negroes and indented fervants able and willing to bear arms in his majesty's service -a measure which caused the greatest irritation and resentment, without being productive of any adequate advantage. At length an event took place, which completed the alienation of the Virginians from the English government. A demand was made by the shipping in the bay of Chesapeak, to the inhabitants of the town of Norfolk, for provisions and other supplies for his majesty's service; which being peremptorily refused, a heavy cannonade was commenced against the town, the richest and most flourishing in the province, and in a few hours it was reduced to ashes the loss being estimated at three hundred thousand pounds. In the adjacent country of Maryland the wisdom and moderation of governor Eden prevented these fatal extremities; and, when the British government was at length entirely superseded, he retired from the province, carrying with him the esteem and admiration of every party, and almost of every individual. In the Carolinas, lord William Campbell and governor Martin, adopting the policy of lord Dunmore, were also compelled to withdraw for fafety on board the king's ships lying off the coast. In Pennsylvania, a military afsociation was established throughout the province; and a fimilar spirit, indicating itself in different modes, pervaded the whole chain

of

of colonies from the frozen deferts of Nova Scotia to the burning sands of Florida.

In the Massachusetts Bay, the town of Falmouth, from fimilar causes of offence with that of Norfolk, was set on fire, and destroyed by a tremendous cannonade, in the course of which above three thousand shot, befides bombs and carcafses, were thrown into the place. The garrifon of Boston was maintained at an incredible expence by supplies from England, a great proportion of which was intercepted by the American cruizers; and the town continued closely blockaded during the whole winter. Towards the end of February 1776, it was determined by general Washington to take poffeffion of the heights of Dorchester, situated in a peninfula stretching into the bay to the south of Boston. All the previous preparations being made, a party of two thousand men, on the evening of the 4th of March, passed in profound filence the neck or isthinus, followed by three hundred carriages with entrenching tools. It being bright moonlight, they continued working till day break, when two redoubts were completed, as if by the power of enchantment, to the inexpressible aftonishment of general Howe, who was informed by the admiral that he could not, while the enemy possefsed those heights, be responsible for the safety of his majesty's ships in the harbor. A resolution was inmediately taken by the general, now chief in command by the departure of general Gage, to diflodge them: but a prodigious storm of wind, fucceeded by a deluge of rain, effectually prevented the meditated attack; and the works, having been nevertheless carried on in the mean time with unremitted diligence by the Americans, were now judged too strong to be carried by a coup-de-main, and it was determined to evacuate the Another work being thrown up, which from its proximity had the entire command of Bofton-neck, this determination was most precipitately carried into execution early in the morning of the 17th of March 1776; when the whole of the troops, together with such of the inhabitants as