ed men to surprise and capture a British guard
stationed at Charlestown. His daring exploit was successful, though his
men were fired upon by the garrison of the fort. The thunder of
artillery caused a British officer to believe that the Yankees were in
motion, and he rushed into the theatre, crying, "The Yankees are
attacking Bunker Hill!"

At first the audience supposed that this announcement was part of the
play. But General Howe, who was present, undeceived them by calling out,
"Officers, to your alarm posts!"

The farce turned out to be tragedy, and the curtain fell upon the scene.
The audience scattered like a flock of sheep.

The failure of the British to hold Boston was extremely mortifying to
General Howe and the English Government. When the king's regiments first
took possession of the city, one of the officers wrote home:

"Whenever it comes to blows, he that can run the fastest will think
himself well off, believe me. Any two regiments here ought to be
decimated if they did not beat in the field the whole force of the
Massachusetts Province."

General Gage said to the king, before leaving England to take command of
the forces in Boston, "The Americans will be lions so long as the
English are lambs. Give me five regiments and I will keep Boston quiet."

When General Burgoyne was sailing into Boston Harbor to join his king's
army, and his attention was called to the fact that a few thousand
undisciplined "rebels" were besieging a town garrisoned by five or six
thousand British regulars, he exclaimed in derision:

"What! ten thousand peasants keep five thousand king's troops shut up?
Well, let us get in and we'll soon find elbow-room."

He failed to find "elbow room" until he put out to sea.

To be driven out of Boston, when such a result was considered impossible
by the foe, was doubly humiliating to the sons of Great Britain. It was
proportionably glorious to American patriots, and they took possession
of the city with exultation and devout thanksgivings to God.

Congress unanimously adopted a eulogistic resolution, rehearsing the
valor and achievements of the commander-in-chief, and ordered a gold
medal, with appropriate inscription, to be struck off, and presented to
him as a token of the country's gratitude.

XVIII.

DEFENDING NEW YORK.

"What next?" inquired General Putnam.

"That is a difficult question to answer until I know General Howe's
destination," replied Washington.

"T