and
rebellion, and treated accordingly. By this proclamation it was also
declared "that as the courts of judicature were shut, martial law should
take place till a due course of justice should be reestablished."

It was supposed that this proclamation was a prelude to hostilities; and
preparations were accordingly made by the Americans. A considerable
height, by the name of Bunker Hill, just at the entrance of the
peninsula of Charlestown, was so situated as to make the possession of
it a matter of great consequence to either of the contending parties.
Orders were therefore issued, by the provincial commanders, that a
detachment of a thousand men should intrench upon this height. By some
mistake, Breed's Hill, high and large like the other, but situated
nearer Boston, was marked out for the intrenchments, instead of Bunker
Hill. The provincials proceeded to Breed's Hill and worked with so much
diligence that between midnight and the dawn of the morning they had
thrown up a small redoubt about eight rods square. They kept such a
profound silence that they were not heard by the British, on board their
vessels, though very near. These having derived their first information
of what was going on from the sight of the works, early completed, began
an incessant firing upon them.

The provincials bore this with firmness, and, though they were only
young soldiers, continued to labor till they had thrown up a small
breastwork extending from the east side of the redoubt to the bottom of
the hill. As this eminence overlooked Boston, General Gage thought it
necessary to drive the provincials from it. About noon, therefore, he
detached Major-General Howe and Brigadier-General Pigot, with the flower
of his army, consisting of four battalions, ten companies of the
grenadiers and ten of light infantry, with a proportion of field
artillery, to effect this business. These troops landed at Moreton's
Point, and formed after landing, but remained in that position till
they were reenforced by a second detachment of light infantry and
grenadier companies, a battalion of land forces, and a battalion of
marines, making in the whole nearly three thousand men. While the troops
who first landed were waiting for this reenforcement, the provincials,
for their further security, pulled up some adjoining post and rail
fences, and set them down in two parallel lines at a small distance from
each other, and filled the space between with hay, which, havin