It was not the temper of Washington to remain inac tive. His troops were speedily and regularly encamped before the town of Boston ; and occupied a space of ground nearly twelve miles in length. The English were strongly entrenched on Bunker's Hill, and Rox bury Neck ; and defended by the floating batteries in Mystic river, and a ship of war that lay between Boston and Charlestown. The American general determined, after a long blockade, to force general Howe, who had succeeded general Gage in the chief command, either to meet the provincials in the field, or to evacuate Bos ton ; and with this intention he opened his batteries on the east and west sides of the town, (March 2. A. D. 1776,) and continued the bombardment without inter ruption. Howe, finding that the place was no longer tenable, resolved, if possible, to drive the colonial troops from their works. A vigorous attack was meditated on Dorchester Neck, which they had fortified with great care, and every thing was in readiness, when a dreadful storm prevented the British from making the attempt ; and next clay it was thought advisable to desist from it. altogether. Nothing remained, therefore, but to eva cuate the town. The Americans, however,did not annoy the English in their retreat, as they knew that it was in their power to reduce the place to ashe's ; a loss, which the labour of many years, and the profits of the most successful trade, could not easily have repaired. For this reason, they allowed them to embark with great deliberation ; and to take with them whatever might be thought necessary for their voyage, together with as many of the inhabitants as chose rather to leave their country than expose themselves to the consequences of their attachment to the royal cause. After remaining for some time in Nantasket road, the whole fleet set sail ; and the army of the Americans proceeded in divisions to New York, which Washington supposed to be the place to which the English were gone.
During these transactions at Boston, events, of con siderable importance took place in other parts of America. The fortresses of Crown Point and Ticonderoga having been occupied by the provincials some time before, the reduction of Canada appeared to be more obvious and easy. Three hundred men, under the command of gen erals Schuyler and4lontgomery, were sent by the orders of the Congress into that country, where they were op posed by the English general Carleton, an officer of much experience and activity. The provincials laid siege to St John's, and the British commander made haste to relieve the place. But he was attacked by the provincials with a superior force while yet on his march, and, being utterly defeated, was compelled to retire to Quebec. The garrison of St John's surrendered them selves prisoners of war : Montreal was taken by general Montgomery : Arnold penetrated into Canada with a strong body of Americans during all the severity of win ter ; and after uniting his forces with those of Mont gomery, he endeavoured to take Quebec by surprise. But after a desperate engagement, in which Montgomery was killed, together with the best part of his officers, the provincials were overpowered, and forced to abandon the attempt. Arnold, having removed to some distance from Quebec, was enabled, by the kindness of the peo ple, to indure the hardships of an encampment in the midst of winter, and under a climate, to the rigour of which his soldiers were but little accustomed. Not withstanding his defeat, he was created a brigadier, by the unanimous voice of the Congress. General Sullivan then took the command of the provincial troops : the Americans were defeated with great loss at the Three Rivers, and were finally obliged to retire from Canada.
In Virginia, the war was carried on with great ac tivity, and was in general favourable to the American irate re st.
After all attempts towards a reconciliation with Great Britain appeared to be fruitless, the Congress proceeded in full assembly to renounce their allegiance to the sovereign of that country, and to declare that the United Colonies were independent of all authority in Europe. The following is the conclusion of the declaration, which was published on this occasion. It is at once firm, temperate, and solemn. " We,- the representatives of the United States of America, in general Congress as sembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the World, for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the name and by the authority of the people in these colonies, solemnly publish and declare, that these United Colonies arc, and of right ought to be, free and independent states ; that they are absolved from all allegiance to the Bri tish crown ; that all political connection between them and the state of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved ; and that, as free and independent states, they have full power to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce, and do all other acts and things which independent states may of right do. And, for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sa cred honour." After this declaration of independence, the Americans had to struggle with great difficulties in supporting their pretensions. The king's standard was erected in North Carolina, by Colonel M'Donald ; and Charles ton, the capital of South Carolina, was furiously at tacked by a fleet from England. M'Donald, however, being met by the provincial general Moore, was totally defeated by that officer ; and the bombardment from the ships, though violent and continued for along time, pro duced no great effect upon the town.
But as the chief part of the colonial troops was a, semblcd in the division ()I' New York, tinder Washing ton, their commander, and as that province was most accessible by sea, the English resolved to make an at tempt upon it with all their forces. Six ships of th( line, and thirty frigates, with many smaller vessels, coin posed the fleet. It was under the orders of lord Howe. who had arrived from Europe some time before, and the land army was commanded by sir William Howe. his brother. Soon after his appearance off the coast. lord Howe sent a letter to the American commander iu chief, addressed to " George Washington, Esq." hut th(. general refused to open it, as the address was not in a style corresponding to the dignity of the situation which he held. Another letter was sent directed to " George 'Washington, &c. &c. Ste." but this also was refused. " It did not acknowledge," he said, " the public character with which he was invested by the Congress, and in no other character would he have any intercourse with his lordship." The communication, however, to which these letters gave rise, afforded the British an opportunity of exerting themselves in order to effect a reconciliation. With this view, the American general was informed, that lord Howe was invested with full powers to receive the submission of the co lonists, and to reinstate them in the favour of their law ful sovereign ; but Washington declared, that these powers appeared to consist in nothing but granting par dons ; and that as the provincials, in defending their rights, had been guilty of no crime, they required no forgiveness.