Page:Cambridge Modern History Volume 7.djvu/197

 -1775] The battle of Lexington. 165 struggle which was now inevitable, the whole territory between the Hudson and the Chesapeake might be a stronghold of British authority. It would be rash to assume that at this stage the disaffected were the majority even in those colonies which were foremost in opposition. But it is clear that they had that ascendancy of will and that superior form of organisation, which enable, if they do not entitle, a section to speak in the name of the whole community. This was plainly shown by the reception given to Lord North's scheme of conciliation. It was duly submitted to the various colonial assemblies: not one of them showed any inclination to accept it favourably. But by the time when North's proposals reached America, even if the other colonies had been willing to receive them favourably, the action of Massachusetts had wholly altered the situation. On February 26, 1775, Gage sent out a party to seize some cannon at Salem. It was needful for the troops to cross a drawbridge. The country people assembled and held the bridge against the troops, and scuttled the only boat available. At length, persuaded by a peace-loving clergyman, the crowd gave way and allowed the bridge to be lowered ; but it was then too late in the day for the troops to follow up their attempt. Nearly two months passed without any overt act of hostility. On April 19 Gage, hearing that the colonists had collected a large supply of arms and ammunition at Concord, twenty miles from Boston, sent out two detachments, making 1800 men in all, under the command of Lord Percy, to capture these stores. The arrangements of the colonists for spreading an alarm through the colony, on learning the movements of the royal troops, were thoroughly well-organised and effective. At Lexington, about eight miles short of Concord, the soldiers found an armed force drawn up to resist them. A skirmish followed, after which the provincials fell back and dispersed, but resumed the attack nearer Concord. One British detachment, however, kept the enemy in check, while the others destroyed the stores. This they accomplished, but they had immediately to endure another vigorous attack. As Percy marched back to Boston, armed provincials kept pouring in from all parts of the country, taking their places with that readiness and unpremeditated discipline which was largely the secret of the American success through- out the war. Hot and weary, the heavily accoutred regulars toiled along the road, harassed by an incessant fire from houses, walls and hedgerows, and, when they reached Boston at sunset, they had lost 65 killed, and 185 wounded. The provincial loss was estimated at about 50 killed and somewhat fewer wounded. A few days later the colonists struck another blow even more decisive in its immediate effect. A party of volunteers numbering about 150, without any sort of formal commission, though not with- out the knowledge and approval of the government of Connecticut, succeeded in surprising the strong and well-armed fortress of Ticonderoga, CH. V.