tenant Barker, "expected the Body at Charles
Town wou'd have fired on the Somerset, at least it was wished for, as
she had everything ready for Action, and must have destroyed great
numbers of them, besides putting the Town in Ashes." But no powder was
burned.

Now it was destined that Charlestown should smell powder enough. On
learning the news of Gage's projected move, the Committee of Safety
called for an accounting of the condition and supplies of the various
regiments, advised an increase in the army, recommended that all persons
go armed, even to church, and finally on the 15th of June took the
decisive step of advising the seizure of Bunker Hill. "And as the
particular situation of Dorchester Neck is unknown to this Committee,
they advise that the council of war take and pursue such steps
respecting the same, as to them shall appear to be for the security of
this colony."

Thus inadequate was still the American military organization: Ward was
too old and too weak to assume actual leadership, and we find two
consultative bodies advising each other, with no responsible head. Up to
this time the Massachusetts congress had hoped that the second
Continental Congress, now in session in Philadelphia, would adopt the
army as its own and send it a general; but so far no answer had come to
their requests. Nevertheless, even with this deficient organization
something was effected. A detachment was made up, consisting on paper of
fifteen hundred men, but in fact of about twelve hundred. These were
placed under the command of Colonel William Prescott of Pepperell, a
veteran of Louisburg and an excellent soldier. Assembling on Cambridge
Common on the night of the 16th, "after prayer by President Langdon,
they marched to Bunker Hill."[91]

FOOTNOTES:

[73] Bancroft, iv, 535.

[74] Bancroft, iv, 536.

[75] "Memorial History of Boston," iii, 15.

[76] Frothingham's "Warren," 467.

[77] Revere's narrative.

[78] Frothingham's "Siege," 95.

[79] "Familiar Letters of John and Abigail Adams," 54.

[80] Lieutenant Barker makes a suggestion that must have been popular
among the officers. "I wonder the G----l will allow any of their people
to quit the Town till they return the Prisoners; one wou'd think he
might get 'em if he'd try."

[81] "Memorial History of Boston," iii, 77.

[82] Curwen's "Journal," 25.

[83] Current newspapers, quoted in Frothingham's "Siege," 114.

[84] "There was hardly a leading man among th