GENERAL GAGE TO THE EARL OF DUNMORE.

Boston, June 26, 1775.

This Town was alarmed on the seventeenth instant, at break of day, by a firing from the Lively, ship-of-war, and a report immediately spread that the rebels had broke ground, and were raising a battery on the heights of the peninsula of Charlestown, against the Town of Boston.

They were plainly seen, and in a few hours a battery of six guns played upon their works. Preparations were instantly made for landing a body of men, and some companies of Grenadiers and Light-Infantry, with some battalions and field artillery, amounting in the whole to two thousand men, under the command of Major-General Howe and Brigadier-General Pigot, were embarked with great expedition, and landed on the peninsula without opposition, under cover of some ships-of-war and armed vessels.

The Troops formed as soon as landed. The rebels upon the heights were perceived to be in great force, and strongly posted. A redoubt, thrown up on the sixteenth, at night, with other works, full of men, defended with cannon, and a large body posted in the houses of Charlestown, covered their right, and their left was covered by a breastwork, part of it cannon-proof, which reached from the left of the redoubt to the Mistick River.

Besides the appearance of the rebels’ strength, large columns were seen pouring in to their assistance; but the King’s Troops advanced. The attack began by a cannonade, and notwithstanding various impediments of fences, walls, &c., and the heavy fire they were exposed to from the vast numbers of rebels, and their left galled from the houses of Charlestown, the Troops made their way to the redoubt, mounted the works, and carried it.

The rebels were then forced from other strong holds, and pursued until they were entirely driven off the peninsula, leaving five pieces of cannon behind them. Charlestown was set On fire during the engagement, and most part of it consumed. The loss they sustained must have been considerable, from the vast numbers they were seen to carry off during the action, exclusive of what they suffered from the shipping. About one hundred were buried the day after, and thirty found on the field, some of whom are since dead. About one hundred and ninety of the King’s Troops were killed, and a great many wounded.

This action has shown the bravery of the King’s Troops, who, under every disadvantage, gained a complete victory over three times their number, strongly posted and covered by breastworks. But they fought for their King, their laws, and constitution.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM A BRITISH OFFICER IN BOSTON, DATED JUNE 26, 1775.

Four days ago I received an order to command three armed vessels, and to put myself under the command of General Gage; as soon as I did I was ordered to be ready at six o’clock next morning, to cover a part of some Troops which were to make an attack on a height on the left side of Boston, and to flank a breastwork and a wood, which was supposed had a number of men in it; but about seven o’clock General Clinton sent to me not to proceed till farther orders from him. Some little time after I was ordered up to General Howe’s camp to lie with the vessels on his right, where I last night left them, having been relieved, as I had not been in bed for four nights. I find, since I came down, the reason of the attack not going on was, that the rebels knew of our coming, and had seven or eight thousand men ready to receive us. I own I could have wished it had went on, as I had placed the vessels in such a situation as must have mowed them down, and done great execution.

I am, &c.

GENERAL WARD TO THE MASSACHUSETTS CONGRESS,

Head-Quarters, Cambridge, June 26, 1775.

SIR: I have this day received by express a letter from the Honourable John Hancock, Esq., President of the Continental Congress, from which I have made the following extract, viz:

Philadelphia, June 20, 1775.

SIR: The enclosed Resolve, which passed yesterday, I have, by order of Congress, forwarded to New-Hampshire, Rhode-Island, and Connecticut, and now send to you for your government.

I am directed by the Congress to inform you of their desire that none of the Troops now before Boston, however large their number, be disbanded, but retained by you in the service until the further order of this Congress, or orders from General Washington.

Resolved, That the Governour of Connecticut be requested to direct all the forces raised in that Colony, not employed at Ticonderoga and Crown Point, or recommended by this Congress to be marched into the Province of New-York, to be immediately sent to join the combined Army before Boston; and it is earnestly recommended to the Colony of Rhode-Island, and Provincial Convention of New-Hampshire, to send immediately to the Army before Boston such of the forces as are already embodied, towards their quotas of the Troops agreed to be raised by the New-England Colonies.

A true copy from the minutes:

CHARLES THOMSON, Secretary.

As there are many that are, and others that ought to be engaged in the service, absent from the camp, I should be very glad if Congress would take such steps as they in their wisdom may judge best, to influence or oblige the Towns to send back to camp such as have left it without leave, that have received the Colony’s money, and such as have not engaged, but ought to be. Nearly a whole company from Bradford, not being mustered and sworn, have left us without leave. I am, Sir, your most humble servant,

ARTEMAS WARD.

To the Honourable James Warren, Esquire, President of the Provincial Congress sitting at Watertown.

COMMITTEE OF NORTHFIELD TO MASSACHUSETTS COMMITTEE OF SAFETY.

Northfield, June 26, 1775.

GENTLEMEN: We think proper to acquaint you that there are two small cannon belonging to the Massachusetts-Bay left at Fort Hummer when that garrison was dismantled, and one at Fort Hinsdale, above Northfield, each four pounders. If it should be judged that there might be no occasion for them on the Western frontiers, they might soon be conveyed to our Army if they should be wanted there. If it should be proper to remove them from the places where they now lie, we shall be ready at the first notice to assist in conveying them to such place as shall be appointed and directed to.

By order of the Committee of Correspondence at North-field:

SAMUEL SMITH, Chairman.

To the Committee of Safety in Cambridge.

P. S. There is one double fortified cannon, a four-pounder, at Fort Dummer, belonging to New-Hampshire.

PLYMOUTH COMMITTEE TO MASSACHUSETTS CONGRESS.

To the Honourable Provincial Congress now sitting at WATERTOWN, the Petition of the Committee of Correspondence for the Town of PLYMOUTH humbly sheweth:

That your petitioners have this day received intelligence that a vote passed your House the—instant, determining to remove to Head-Quarters that part of Colonel Cotton’s Regiment which has been, by order of your most respectable body, stationed in this place, for the security and protection of the lives and property of this greatly exposed and much threatened Town. We, your petitioners, have lately received undoubted intelligence by one of our townsmen, who has been taken by a tender and carried into Boston, that Admiral Graves made particular inquiry into the circumstances of this Town, and said that we were a rebellious people, and that in consequence of our building a fort in opposition to the King’s Troops, it should not be long before he would blow the Town about our ears. Your petitioners are very sensible that should the Troops be called away from this station, the Town of Plymouth, as well as the adjacent villages, will lie open to the ravages of our enemies, and that it will be no difficult matter for them to plunder and destroy us. The poor of this Town are already much distressed by reason of the stop put to the