ty must every Man have been cut off if the Brigade had not
fortunately come to their Assistance."

Speaking for the reinforcing brigade, Lord Percy confessed that he had
learned something. "Whoever looks upon them [the Americans] merely as an
irregular mob will find himself much mistaken. They have men among them
who know very well what they are about, having been employed as rangers
against the Indians and Arcadians.... Nor are several of their men void
of a spirit of enthusiasm, ... for many of them concealed themselves in
houses, and advanced within ten yards to fire at me and other officers,
though they were morally certain of being put to death.... For my part I
never believed, I confess, that they would have attacked the King's
troops, or have had the perseverance I found in them yesterday."[72]

This was the day which Massachusetts now celebrates as Patriots' Day. Of
her sons forty-nine were killed, thirty-nine were wounded, and five were
taken prisoners. Berniere's figures of the British losses are 73 killed,
174 wounded, and 26 missing. The totals, for a day more important, as
says Bancroft, than Agincourt or Blenheim, are very small. But the
significance of the day was indeed enormous. Previously, said Warren,
not above fifty persons in the province had expected bloodshed, and the
ties to England were still strong. Within ten weeks Warren himself had
written of England as "home." After this day there was no turning back
from bloodshed, and no American ever again spoke of Britain by the
endearing name.

And the military situation was entirely changed. In the morning Gage was
still the nominal governor of the province, free to come and go at
will. At night he looked out upon a circle of hostile camp-fires. "From
a plentiful town," says Berniere mournfully, "we were reduced to the
disagreeable necessity of living on salt provisions, and fairly blocked
up in Boston."

FOOTNOTES:

[61] Revere's narrative.

[62] Clark's narrative.

[63] Clark's narrative.

[64] Clark's narrative.

[65] Clark's narrative.

[66] Letter of Amos Barrett, privately printed.

[67] Frothingham's "Siege," Appendix, 369-370.

[68] "Feekelness," Emerson's letter, "Source Book of the American
Revolution," 146.

[69] This quotation from Stedman, himself a British officer, is perhaps
as well known as Revere's midnight remark, already given.

[70] "The plundering was shameful," says Lieutenant Barker indignantly.
See also depos