IEGE]

When these forts were finished, the town was by no means secure. The
forts commanded most of the northerly and easterly sides, of which the
war-ships commanded the remainder; but the whole western side of the
town, along the Common and the foot of Beacon Hill, was open to attack.
This was, roughly speaking, along the line of the present Charles
Street, prolonged into Tremont Street. The Back Bay beyond this
water-line was so shallow that no war-ship could anchor there; a night
attack, delivered in boats, might surprise the soldiers on the Common in
their barracks or their tents. In order to command the western shore,
and also to quell a possible rising in the town, Gage erected a "small
work" on Beacon Hill. Later in the siege every one of these points was
strengthened; a low hill, near the present Louisburg Square, was
protected; and redoubts were thrown up to defend the shore-line of the
Common. But the four main works, and the Beacon Hill fort, were all that
Gage was able to accomplish before Bunker Hill battle. He managed,
however, to put his army under strict military discipline, which before
the 19th of April he had not imposed on them.

From letters and diaries we get glimpses of the situation of the troops.
They were short of fresh provision, disgusted with their situation, and
at times not a little alarmed. What other unexpected qualities the
Yankees might show no one could predict. They were still, however,
regarded as low in the scale of humanity. On the fifth of May Lieutenant
Barker records the discovery of a "most shocking" plot. "It was a scheme
to cut off all the officers of the Garrison. Upon the 24th, the day we
were to keep St. George's day, the Rebels were to make a feint Attack at
night upon the Lines: a number of men were to be posted at the Lodgings
of all the Officers, and upon the Alarm Guns firing they were to put the
Officers to death as they were coming out of their houses to go to their
Barracks. What a set of Villains must they be to think of such a thing!
but there is nothing be it ever so bad that these people will stick at
to gain their ends." The horrified lieutenant ascribes to this discovery
the fact that Gage ordered the officers to sleep at barracks. It is,
however, more likely that the general paid no attention to the tale, but
thought it time for officers and men to be together.

Once more the army was shocked. A fire broke out near property owned by
Hancock, and in putti