152] According to Knox's return, given in Frothingham's "Siege," 298,
footnote, the Americans threw only 144 shot and 13 shells. The British
seem to have needed only an occasional stimulus.

[153] This breeze would bring the smoke of the Roxbury cannonade between
the Heights and Boston.

[154] It seems generally to be considered that there was but one fort at
Dorchester. The statement in the text is confirmed by the Revolutionary
Journal of Colonel Baldwin, one of the engineers. "Six works thrown up
this night at different places on the Hills & high ground a very Great
work for one Night."

[155] Washington's letter to Hancock, "Writings," iii, 304.

[156] Colonel Baldwin records that he was on the ground in the
afternoon.

[157] Frothingham says the 7th. But see the diaries of Barker
(_Atlantic_, 39, 553) and Newell (Mass. Hist. Soc. Coll., 1, Series 4,
272).

CHAPTER XV

THE EVACUATION

Washington, looking into Boston from the Heights of Dorchester,
witnessed the confusion of the British at the discovery of his works,
and watched with grim pleasure the preparations made to attack him. The
abandonment of the assault was to him a great disappointment. He had
never seen men more alert and willing than his soldiers on the Heights.
If Howe had sent a small force against them, Washington felt confident
of repulsing it. Had the attacking force been so large as to have
appreciably weakened the army in Boston, Washington would have delivered
his counterstroke by means of the men in boats under command of Putnam.
"He would have had pretty easy work of it,"[158] wrote Washington,
still after nearly a month regretting the issue. He wrote his brother,
"that this most remarkable interposition of Providence is for some wise
purpose, I have not a doubt. But ... as no men seemed better disposed to
make the appeal than ours did upon that occasion, I can scarcely forbear
lamenting the disappointment."

Washington lay for a while inactive while the enemy prepared for their
departure. But upon Howe's shoulders was thrown a tremendous task. He
had under him, in the army and the fleet, about eleven thousand
men.[159] For them he had been gathering military stores and provisions;
he had many horses, much artillery, and at least a partial equipment
for field service, in preparation for the spring campaign. His army had
been at Boston for many months, some of the regiments for nearly two
years; consequently there had been a