Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 2).djvu/602

570 for the Canadian archives, and calendered in the annual report of the archive department. In a letter to Ilaldimand from London, 4 April, 1774, Gage writes that he has been ordered to Boston with four regiments, to bring the people to sub- mission and enforce the coercive measures of the government. He arrived in Boston on 13 May, 1774, and on the 17th, having spent four days with Hutchinson at Castle William, was received with ceremony by the council and civil officers, and tiie proclamation of his commission was signalized by volleys of nnisketry and cheers of tlie populace. In a public dinner in Faneuil Hall he proposed "the prosperity of the town of Boston." But the hopes entertained of his acting as an adjuster of the differences between the colonies and the mother country were short-lived. He came to Boston as the civil, but in reality military, governor of the province. He had some acquaintance with the Bostonians on a visit in 1768. when lie came at the request of the king to quell the disturbances in regard to quartering of the British troops. The results of his observations are given in two pub- lications, entitled " Letters to the Ministry from Governor Barnard. General Gage, and Commodore Hood," and " Letters to the Earl of Hillsborough from Governor Barnard, General Gage, and the Council of the Province of Massachusetts Bay" (Boston, 1769). The aspersions on the people of Boston in those letters drew out an "Appeal to the World " by Samuel Adams. Immediately upon re- ceiving official notice of their passage, Gage pro- ceeded to put into effect the Boston port bill, and the offensive measures of the regulation act. On 30 June, 1774, he issued a proclamation denouncing the solemn league and covenant as unwarrantable, hostile, and traitorous, and threatening its pro- moters with arrest. The text of this document is printed in the " Massachusetts Historical Society's Collections," vol. 13. During the summer months of 1774, Gage had his headquarters at Salem, that being, under the port bill, the capital, and the man- damus council being held there. Early in 1775 he sent expeditions to Marshfield, Jamaica Plain, and Salem, to seize military stores and disperse the mi- litia. On the night of 18 April a large force de- parted from Boston, on what Gage intended to be a secret expedition to Concord and Lexington, to get possession of cannon and ammunition belong- ing to the Provincials, and on the following day took place the memorable conflict between the minute-men and Gage's soldiers, which resulted in the discomfiture of the British. Gage's account of the battle of 19 April is printed in fac-simile in the " Memorial History of Boston." On 12 June he gave vent to his displeasure at the state of affairs in another proclamation, characterizing those in arms as rebels and traitors, but promising pardon to all on submission, excepting Samuel Adams and John Hancock. The Americans fortified Breed's (Bunker) Hill on the night of 16 Jime, and on the following day Gage sent Gen. Howe with a large force to dislodge them. In spite of contrary advice, Gage determined that the works should be attacked in front. A Tory historian relates that he told his advisers he was going " to take the bull by the horns." and adds : " It is remarkable that the general, during the continuance of his command in America, never once ventured an attack upon American intrenchments ; he had fatally experi- enced the consequences of taking the bull by the horns." Immediately upon receiving Gage's ac- count of the battle of Bunker Hill, the government ordered his recall, and he sailed for England, 10 Oct., 1775. A brief review of his services in Amer- ica, in his own words, is given in " Queries of George Chalmers, with the Answers of Gen. Gage, in Relation to Braddock's Expedition, Stamp Act, and Gage's Administration of the Government of Massachusetts Bay," published in the " Massachu- setts Historical Society's Collections," vol. 34. His subsequent career was uneventful. In April, 1782, he was appointed colonel of the 17th light dra- goons, promoted to the rank of general in Novem- ber, 1783, and in 1785 was transferred to the 11th dragoons. He married, 8 Dec, 1758, IVIargaret, daughter of Peter Kemble. president of the coun- cil of New Jersey. One of his sons became third Viscount Gage. The following works represent contemporaneous publications relative to his con- duct of affairs at the opening of the Revolution: " General Gage's Instructions of 22 Feb., 1775, to Captain Brown, whom he ordered to take a Sketch of the Roads, etc., from Boston to Worcester " (Bos- ton, 1775 ; reprinted in the Collections of the Mas- sachusetts historical society, vol. 14) ; " Narrative of the Excursions and Ravages of the King's Forces, under Command of General Gage, 19 April, 1775 " (Worcester, 1775) ; " Lord Ch m's Proph- ecy, an Ode to Ijieutenant-General Gage " (Lon- don, 1776); "Letters of the Two Commanders-in- Chief, Generals Gage and Washington " (New York, 1775); " Detail and Conduct of the American War, under Gen. Gage " (London, 1780).

GAGNON, Lucian, Canadian patriot, b. in Pointe-à-la Mule, parish of St. Valentine, Canada; d. in Champlain, N. Y., 7 Jan., 1843. He was among the first to take part in the agitation in Canada against the British government, was present at the assembly of the six confederate counties at St. Charles, 23 Oct., 1837, and left the meeting convinced that insurrection was the only remedy for Canadian grievances. He then travelled through every part of the parish of St. Valentine and the neighboring parishes, preparing the people for the struggle. The chiefs of the insurrection, who had fled to the United States on being defeated at St. Charles, decided, after reaching Swanton, to return to Canada, as they were convinced that Robert Nelson was waiting for them at St. Cesaire at the head of a considerable force. As they were not numerous enough to venture on such an incursion, Gagnon offered to go to Canada and return with a sufficient number to give the enterprise a chance of success. He crossed the frontier during the night, raised his native parish, as well as the surrounding ones, and succeeded in organizing a band of fifty determined men with whom he managed to recross the frontier, although it was well guarded. The band entered Swanton, where it was received with enthusiasm by the refugees and by the Americans who at this point did everything to help the insurgents. Between 70 and 80 men passed into Canada; but, on their way to join Nelson, they met 400 volunteers who were waiting for them at Moore's Corner. In the fight that ensued, Gagnon was twice wounded, and escaped across the frontier with great difficulty. He was soon afterward joined by his wife, her mother, and his eight children, who had been driven, almost naked, from their home under circumstances of great barbarity. On 28 Feb. he attempted to enter Canada with a band of 300 men which had been organized by Nelson. They were arrested at the frontier by U. S. troops, and tried for violating the neutrality laws, but, as they were without arms, they were acquitted. Gagnon afterward entered Canada and was charged by Nelson with the duty of keeping up free communication between Rouse's Point and Napierville. He was present at the fight