in America)
commences the first attack upon the Colonists, by
ordering soldiers at night to seize Colonial arms
and ammunition; sends 800 soldiers to Concord for
that purpose; driven back to Lexington with
heavy loss; loss of the Colonists 460
The affair of Concord and Lexington followed by the
Battle of Bunker's Hill; numbers engaged on both sides 460
In the Battle of Bunker's Hill, as well as the previous
conflicts, the first shot was fired by the British
soldiers upon the Colonists, who, by order and policy,
acted strictly on the defensive 461
English account of the Battle of Bunker's Hill, by the
royal historian, Dr. Andrews (in a note) 461
Lord Dunmore, Governor of Virginia, about the same
time, committed outrages upon the inhabitants of
Virginia similar to those which General Gage
committed upon the people of Massachusetts 462
Traditional and deep loyalty of the Virginians, and
their aversion to revolution, but resolved to
defend their rights 464
Lord Dunmore (by order of the Secretary of State)
assembles the Burgesses of Virginia, to deliberate
and decide upon Lord North's so-called "conciliatory
proposition" to the Colonies; the proposition
rejected; Mr. Jefferson's report upon, quoted;
an admirable document, eulogized in the strongest terms
by the Earl of Shelburne; how viewed by the French
Foreign Minister, Vergennes (in a note) 464
Lord Dunmore issues a proclamation to free the slaves;
on the night of the 20th of April sends a body of
marines to seize and carry off a quantity of gunpowder,
belonging to the Colony, stored in a magazine at
Williamsburg; excitement of the inhabitants, and
their demand for the restoration of the powder; Lord
Dunmore threatens, but is at length compelled to
return the value of the powder 465
Lord Dunmore's threat to free the slaves, and letter
to the Secretary of State, as to how, with aid "of a
small body of troops and arms," he could raise an
ample force "among the Indians and negroes and other
persons" 466
Horror and alarm in the South at Lord Dunmore's
threat to free the slaves, and preparation for
resistance (in a
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