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THE MINUTE BOYS OF BOSTON
AMERICAN HISTORY STORIES FOR BOYS
THE MINUTE BOY SERIES
By Edward Stratemeyer and James Otis
The Minute Boys of Lexington The Minute Boys of Bunker Hill The Minute Boys of the Green Mountains The Minute Boys of the Mohawk Valley The Minute Boys of the Wyoming Valley
THE MEXICAN WAR SERIES
By Capt. Ralph Bonehill
For the Liberty of Texas With Taylor on the Rio Grande Under Scott in Mexico
DANA ESTES & COMPANY Publishers Estes Press, Summer St., Boston
"AND WE DID CHECK THEM!"]
The Minute Boys of Boston
BY
JAMES OTIS
Author of "The Minute Boys of Long Island," "The Minute Boys of WyomingValley," "Boys of '98," "Teddy and Carrots," "Boys of Fort Schuyler,""Under the Liberty Tree," etc., etc.
_Illustrated by_
L. J. BRIDGMAN
BOSTONDANA ESTES & COMPANYPUBLISHERS
_Copyright, 1910_BY DANA ESTES & COMPANY
_All rights reserved_
THE MINUTE BOYS OF BOSTON
_Electrotyped and Printed by__THE COLONIAL PRESS__C. H. Simonds & Co., Boston, U.S.A._
CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
I. WHY WE WERE ENROLLED 11
II. RAISING A COMPANY 29
III. THE WAR BEGUN 48
IV. THE PRISONER 71
V. SUSPICIOUS INFORMATION 89
VI. A CLOUDY NIGHT 104
VII. THE SUMMONS 126
VIII. HOG ISLAND 144
IX. ON SPECIAL DUTY 163
X. ON BREED'S HILL 183
XI. THE RETREAT 203
XII. IN BOSTON TOWN 222
XIII. GRAVE DOUBTS 242
XIV. THE SECRET PASSAGE 261
XV. AN AWKWARD CAPTURE 279
XVI. IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS 298
XVII. HIRAM'S VENTURE 316
XVIII. TURNING THE TRICK 334
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
PAGE
"AND WE DID CHECK THEM!" (p. 195) _Frontispiece_
"I COULD HAVE TOSSED MY HAT ABOARD THEIR CRAFT" 27
"I LEAPED THE FENCE" 61
THE ENCAMPMENT AT CAMBRIDGE 83
"THE SECOND FLASH OF LIGHTNING SHOWED ME THIS SCENE" 117
"'WHO SHALL SAY NOW THAT WE HAVEN'T THE RIGHTTO CALL OURSELVES MINUTE BOYS?'" 157
"MASTER LORD HELD UP THE UNSCREENED LANTERN" 229
"'WOULD YOU DO MURDER?'" 282
THE MINUTE BOYS OF BOSTON
CHAPTER I
WHY WE WERE ENROLLED
Archie Hemming is as straight-headed a boy as was ever raised in Bostontown, and he insists that, while we are seemingly idling our time awayhere in the Cambridge camp, I ought to set down what small share we ladsof Boston have had in beating the lobster backs, for certain it is wehave done our share, and no less a man than General Israel Putnam hastold us plainly that we have already been of great aid to the Cause.
After such praise as that it would not be strange if we allowedourselves to be puffed up with pride, more especially because we canrecall many a time since a baker's dozen of us took the high soundingname of "Minute Boys of Boston," when we have come off best in a tusslewith the king's soldiers or the rascally Tories.
It may seem a matter of surprise to those who have not had a hand inteaching his majesty a long-needed lesson, that there should be in thiscolony of ours, men, and boys too, who could be so evil minded as to doall they might against those who were shedding their blood, orimperilling their lives, to release them from the oppressive yoke ofEnglish misrule, but such was, and is, the fact.
During my short life, for I am not yet turned fifteen years, I have beenin more danger, and suffered more of hardships from and through Tories,our own neighbors and alleged friends, than ever came my way by theefforts of the red-coated soldiers who allowed to whip us off-hand,before getting a taste of our metal at Breed's hill--I can never bringmyself to speak of that battle as having taken place at Bunker hill, forthe simple reason that we did not fight there.
Archie, who is sitting nearby with Silas Brownrigg, looking over myshoulder to make certain I keep steadily and correctly at the task hehas assigned me, says that he did not count on my beginning the story insuch a roundabout way, for he wants to see in black and white, as soonas may be, an account of what we Boston Minute Boys have done thus farin the war against the king.
Now it seems to me that I ought to begin this tale with the reason whysome of us Boston lads decided it might be possible for us to work inbehalf of the Cause, and in order to do that I must hark back to whathas been done these two years past to us of Boston by the king, andthose hangers on of his who counted on grinding us into the dust as ifwe were made of baser stuff than they.
We lads, being young, did not realize all the iniquity of which GeneralGage was capable, when his acts were purely political, and, perhaps,gave but little heed to our elders when we heard them predicting that hewould ruin the colony if it should not be possible to check his unlawfulcareer; but when on the first day of June, in the year of grace 1774,he closed our port of Boston to all vessels save those of the king's,shutting us up like mice in a trap to starve, or leave the colony asfugitives, then did we realize that the moment had come for somethingmore than talk.
General Gage had brought soldiers from Halifax, Quebec, New York andeven Ireland, to keep us of Boston in subjection to him, until thelobster backs out-numbered our people two to one, or so it seemed to me,and when he had us cooped up, through having set his hirelings to guardthe Neck, thereby preventing us from going out, or our friends of thecountry from coming in, then did he crown the height of his oppressionby making declaration that the port was closed to all.
He had under his command ships of the king enough to enforce thisunrighteous act, and there we were, much the same as tied hand and foot.The poor people became beggars because there was no work by which theycould earn money to buy food, while the rich found that with all theirwealth it was impossible to purchase what was not for sale because ofthe scarcity, and meanwhile the king's lobster backs fed on the fat ofthe land, devouring us and our substance as did the locusts that weresent to aid the children of Israel.
Had it not been for the people in the other colonies who sent us rice,wheat and even money, there were many in our town of Boston who wouldhave died of starvation. Why even the charitable men of London, who musthave understood that we were being wronged, subscribed one hundred andfifty thousand dollars for the poor among us.
I have heard it said that even the most cowardly animal will fight whenhe is cornered and his life threatened, and so it was with us. The menbanded themselves together as if for war, and made ready for thestruggle which all knew must be near at hand, unless his majesty shouldsucceed in gaining better sense than he had shown since our people builtup for him a nation in this New World.
We lads did not believe it possible we could do anything at such a time;but looked forward to the day when, having come to man's estate, wemight enlist as soldiers to drive out General Gage, a
nd such as he, fromamong us.
Then the fortifications on the Neck were strengthened, the better tohold us prisoners; all the gunpowder belonging to the province that hadbeen stored at Charlestown and Cambridge was seized by the man who hadmade of himself our jailor, and we were terrified by rumors that theking's ships were about to open fire on the town because our people werearming themselves.
The true men of New York, Connecticut, Vermont, and from all the countryroundabout Boston, rose up in their might, marching at their best paceto our assistance, and General Gage must have understood that he wasstirring up a hornet's nest, for the rumors were denied, and those whowould have begun the war then and there, returned to their homes.
If you will believe it, there were, at the close of the year 1774,eleven regiments of British soldiers in Boston, to say nothing of allthe artillery, and yet more were coming. Five hundred marines werelanded from the Asia Man-of-War, and thousands of lobster backs werevoyaging from the Jerseys, New York, and Quebec!
Was it any wonder that we of Boston were the same as eaten out of ourhomes? These men wearing red-coats were not suffered to lack for thebest of food; but it mattered little what we colonists had, and yetthere were those among us, born and bred in Boston town, who claimedthat General Gage was acting the part of an honest man!
At the beginning of the year 1775 no less than an hundred and fiftysoldiers were on duty at the Neck night and day, and yet our people wereable to send past them secretly such of weapons and ammunition as wereto provide us, at a later date, with what might be needed to uphold ourrights. Even the youngest among us understood that the day was not fardistant when we must stand face to face with the lobster backs in battlearray, if we would preserve our own rights, and every article whichmight be used in the coming struggle was smuggled under the noses of theguards.
Our fathers sent out muskets in loads of manure, cartridges in candleboxes, pistols and swords in the baskets of such market women as werepermitted to enter the town that they might bring provisions for theking's soldiers, and the loyal men of Boston had collected at Cambridgequite a store of what would be needed when the time came that blood mustbe shed. Then, suddenly, the thick-headed lobster backs discovered whatwas being done, and scores upon scores of firearms were captured bythem.
Many of our people had fled the town by this time; but a large numberyet remained. My father, Samuel Wright, had lately gone to Cambridge onbusiness. We were then living on Lyn street, close by the old ship-yardnear Hudson's point, and not far away, that is to say, on Hull streetopposite the burying place, was the home of Archie Hemming, the lad whosits near me at this moment watching every motion of mine lest I falterin the task he has set me. Silas Brownrigg lived on Salem street nearbythe corner of Charter, and we three were close friends in those darkdays when the king's men swaggered through the town, cuffing or kickingany of us lads who chanced to be in their high and mighty way.
Now it was on a certain evening near the middle of June that we threelads chanced to come upon Amos Nelson near the city dock. He, like allhis father's brood, was that miserable thing known as a Tory, and we hadno idea of bandying words with him, believing it beneath us to talk withsuch scum; but he was minded to pick a quarrel, believing that GeneralGage would soon drive us, who claimed to be true to the colony, from ourhomes.
Because of what happened shortly afterward, I believe the Tory cur hadheard at home some inkling of what was to be done by the lobster backs,for never had I seen him so bold, who was ever somewhat of a coward.
I was the one he pitched upon to vent his spite, and when we would havepassed him, he shouted in that squeaky voice of his which ever set mynerves on edge:
"Hi! there, Luke Wright, has that scurvy father of yours mended his waysyet, or does he think the king's officers will wait awhile beforesending him to the gallows where he belongs?"
Now while I hold that no lad should take part in a street brawl, I askwhat would any boy have done whose father had been thus assailed by onewho was not fit to speak his name? I set upon the miserable Tory sosuddenly that he, taken unawares, so to speak, went down beneath me, andthen I pummelled him as he deserved, until the cur howled for mercy,Silas and Archie standing by with hands in their coat pockets lest AmosNelson should say afterward that the three of us had attacked him.
"You'll hear from me one day, in a way that won't be to your liking,"Amos cried threateningly after I had allowed him to get up, and he hadtaken to his heels until having gotten a safe distance away. "We'll seewhat General Gage has to say when he knows how the king's friends aretreated by you, who would be rebels if you had stomach enough to useyour hands as well as you do your tongues!"
"You one of the king's friends!" Archie cried derisively. "If he pickshis intimates from such spawn as you there's good reason why he hasallowed these colonies of his to come to open rebellion againstinjustice."
"You've said it! You've said it!" the Tory cur cried as if in delight."You've admitted that you are rebels, and the king's officers shall hearof what you say, for the time has come when they are marking such as youfor future punishment."
"And what have they marked you for?" Silas asked with a laugh. "Are youcounted on being able to act the part of a half-way decent scarecrow, orare you ranked as a lickspittle to some lobster back who hasn't yetlearned to speak English?"
"Before we're many days older you shall come to understand some of themarks, and I'll be the one to explain them in a way that won't be toyour liking," Amos shouted, and just then he was bowled over by a clodof earth that Archie flung with an aim which would have done your heartgood to see.
"There's what you call a rebel mark," the dear lad cried with a laugh athis own success, "and I'm counting you'll carry it longer than shall wethat which the tyrant Gage puts upon us."
At that instant Archie was seized by the collar from behind, and I wasnear to letting out a cry of fear, for I counted as a certainty thatsome lobster backs, having overheard our words, were come to lend theTory lad a hand.
Luckily the cry was choked before it escaped my lips, else I should havebeen bowed with shame, for on the moment I saw that it was none otherthan Doctor Warren who had seized Archie, and we lads knew him for onewho would cut off his right hand rather than take the part of a Toryagainst a so-called rebel.
"Is it well to spend your time brawling on the streets with such as thatlad, when there is work you might do in behalf of the Cause?" the doctorasked sharply, and, twisting himself round that he might look the goodman squarely in the face, Archie cried:
"What is there that lads like us might do at such a time, sir? We arewilling enough; but lack opportunity."
"I came out in search of one who can be trusted to carry a message intothe country; but fail to find him. It strikes me that lads like youcould be employed in such tasks, and thus give men full grown theopportunity of doing braver work though nothing could be more importantthan my business of this night. Think you it would be possible to leaveBoston within the hour, and without attracting the attention of theguards?" the doctor added after a brief time of thought.
"Ay, we can go out of Boston a dozen times over, 'twixt now and sunrise,without any lobster back being the wiser," I cried, determined if therewas aught to be done in behalf of the Cause that night, I would have ahand in it.
"Are you the son of that Samuel Wright who lately left home to go toCambridge, and has not yet returned?" the doctor asked, releasing hishold on Archie's collar that he might wheel about to face me.
"Ay, that I am, sir," was my reply, "and that he has left Boston onhonest business Master Hancock himself can testify."
"There is no need of testimony as to his character so far as I amconcerned," the gentleman said with a kindly smile. "I can trust hisson, surely, knowing the father as I do. Now how might it be possiblefor you to leave this town secretly?"
"I have a boat hidden at the old ship-yard where the lobster backs willnever be able to find her, and we three have been to Roxbury in her halfa dozen time
s since the guard at the Neck have had their eyes opened,without any one's being the wiser. If so be you would send a message, wethree can carry it, sir," and so eager was I for him to accept myservices that I trembled like one in an ague.
"And who may this young gentleman be?" the doctor asked as he pointed atSilas Brownrigg, who was striving to make himself look as large aspossible to the end that he might attract attention.
"My father is Robert Brownrigg, who has been enrolled among the MinuteMen these many days, and has called himself a Son of Liberty since I canremember."
"I know him well, and now believe that one or all of you can serve mewell and faithfully, meaning that you will be serving the Cause. Idesire to send a message with all speed to Colonel James Barrett, whocan be found about a mile this side the town of Lexington, at SamuelHadley's home."
"We will carry your message, sir, and bind ourselves to deliver itbefore sunrise," I cried, burning with the desire to have a finger inthis pie of rebellion against the king and General Gage.
"It is a written message I would send, and it will not be necessary forall three of you lads to undertake the journey--one can perform the taskas well as a dozen."
"We three have always been close comrades, sir," Archie interrupted,"and while it may not be necessary that all should aid in carrying themessage itself, two more hands in the skiff will shorten the journey tothe Penny ferry, for there it would be well to take to the shore, ratherthan striving to work entirely around this town in order to gain theCambridge river."
"The three shall have a part in the work," Doctor Warren cried, as if hehad but just understood how eager we were to be of service to the Cause."It is important that Colonel Barrett receive the missive beforesunrise, and you are to set about the task as seems best to you, withthe understanding that all are of equal rank in this matter. I will callyou Minute Boys, and pledge my word that by seeking out the colonel atthe earliest possible moment, you will be doing as valuable work as anyMinute Men in the colony."
There was little need for him to say more. We were literally burningwith desire to be off on our first task that had to do with the Cause,and he could not have worked us up to greater enthusiasm had he preachedall night.
"You have first to make your parents acquainted with what you are aboutto do," the doctor said with a smile because of our eagerness. "I havethe message with me; but there is no good reason why you should carry itwhile making arrangements for departure, lest it be lost or seized,therefore do what may be necessary, and meet me at this place in half anhour."
We could hardly have moved more quickly if each had been provided withwings. In a twinkling the three of us were off, every lad headed towardhis own home, and for my part, I know that it seemed as if I hardly gavemyself time to breathe, so eager was I to return to the rendezvous inthe shortest possible space of time.
As I look at the matter now, I can understand why my mother cried outagainst the venture, declaring it was work that should be undertaken bymen, when I repeated to her what the doctor had said, and the tears camevery near my eyelids as I pleaded with her, for it seemed just then asif I should never again have such an opportunity of serving the Cause. Iurged that we had given our word to Doctor Warren; that we would beshamed, and he have reason to set us down as cowards, if we failed to doas had been promised, winding up my entreaties with the assertion thatif father was at home he would insist most strongly upon my doingwhatsoever little I might in behalf of that effort to teach the king alesson which seemed so near at hand.
I believe it was this last part of my argument which had most weight,for no sooner had I spoken of what my father would have me do, than shegave way, setting about making ready for me a small parcel of foodbefore having said that she gave her permission.
Wild with delight, I gave little heed to the loving kiss she bestowedupon me, hardly returning it so eager was I to be again at therendezvous, and taking the parcel without a word of thanks for herloving thoughtfulness, I hurried away at full speed, coming up withArchie in Salem street.
He also carried a parcel under his arm, and without slackening speed Iranged alongside him, asking, with difficulty because of my heavybreathing, if his mother had made any protest against his acting thepart of messenger.
"At first she cried out that I should not risk my neck in a tom-foolmatter; but when I made her understand that it was no less a man thanDoctor Warren who required our services, she held her peace; yet I tooknote that the tears came into her eyes, as if she believed the businessmight be of danger."
"And so it is until we are ashore beyond Charlestown," I said with nolittle of satisfaction, for it pleased me to believe we were staking ourlives, perhaps, on this venture which had to do with the Cause. "If ourskiff is overhauled by the guards--"
"There isn't a king's boat, no matter of how many oars, that canoverhaul us this night if we get well away from the ship-yard," the dearlad interrupted sharply. "Give us three minutes the start, and I'llagree that the whole boiling of his majesty's navy may come full cryafter us."
It would have pleased me better if he had allowed that there was much ofdanger in the enterprise; but I would not speak further of suchpossibility lest he believe I had grown faint hearted with thinking ofwhat might be, and in silence we continued on our way, arriving at theappointed meeting place only to find Silas there awaiting us. He hadbeen even more eager than we, if that could be possible, and wasreturned a full five minutes in advance, despite all our efforts to moveswiftly.
Doctor Warren did not show himself until after what seemed like a verylong time of waiting, and we had grown impatient, fearing lest he hadfound some other who might be more to his liking, to carry the message.Had we been shut out from the enterprise just then, I know for my partit would have seemed as if all the world had gone wrong, therefore itwas that I could have cried aloud with joy when he came toward us as ifhaving walked down Union street.
"Are you lads ready for the journey?" he asked, speaking softly andlooking around cautiously like one who fears his words may be overheard.
"We will set off in one minute after receiving your directions, sir," Imade haste to say, speaking hurriedly because I was in haste to have himcommit the message to us at once so we might know none other could getin ahead of us.
"It is only that you deliver this into the hands of Colonel JamesBarrett, who may be found 'twixt now and sunrise at the home of SamuelHadley, near Lexington," he said, taking a folded paper from the innerpocket of his coat. "In case you arrive at whatsoever point you havedecided upon, in safety, it will be well for one to procure a horse andrush on in advance, otherwise you may arrive too late--"
"We can trust our legs for getting us there as quickly as any farmer'snag could carry us," Archie interrupted with a laugh, and I was puffedup with pride when the doctor gave the paper into my keeping as he saidgravely:
"It would work ill to the Cause if this was read by our enemies,therefore it must be destroyed in case you are like to be taken by anyof the king's mercenaries."
"We won't be taken, sir," Archie said, speaking as if he was one whocould read the future, like the witches they hanged at Salem. "Once weare under way in the skiff there is nothing in Boston harbor that canovertake us."
"Do not be over-confident, young gentleman," the doctor said in a toneof mild reproof. "While I do not admit that you will be in any seriousdanger, it is the part of a wise man to count all the cost, and give dueheed to every possibility. Come to an end of your journey at theearliest moment, and until the message has been delivered, put no trustin strangers however fair they may speak you."
He stood looking at us as if everything necessary had been said, and,fortunately, I had wit enough to motion that my comrades follow me as Iwent toward the ship-yard without any other word to Doctor Warren, forat such times he who shows himself too ready to spend time in talking,gives proof that he may not be depended upon to work quickly.
The doctor made no effort to detain us; but, looking back over myshoulder, I
saw that he remained as we had left him until the gloom shuthim out from my view.
"I would we had been asked for a service of more importance than simplycarrying a written message," Silas said in a tone that was almost one ofdiscontent, as we made our way toward the place where my skiff washidden, and Archie, ever cautious and wise, added in reproof:
"It is not well we say anything which might show that we are bent on anerrand of importance, for no one can tell how many Tory ears may behidden hereabout. We are going out for a sail, pleasing ourselves byshowing that we three can leave this town of lobster backs whenever itis our pleasure to do so, and of more than that it is not necessary tospeak."
I understood by the lad's tone that he looked upon this mission of oursas something which might be of vital importance to the Cause, and thefact that he deemed it dangerous for us even to discuss the business inthe streets, went farther toward rendering me cautious than any words ofthe doctor's might have done.
Citizens of Boston, save they were rank Tories, were not given toroaming the streets of the town after nightfall, therefore we met butfew while making our way to the ship-yard, and those few gave no heed tous. At this time the so-called rebels were so small in numbers ascompared with our oppressors, that, save to make us the object of theirsport, as Amos Nelson had attempted to do, little attention was given tous, most like because it was believed we could not break through thenet General Gage had thrown around us.
We arrived at the ship-yard without interruption, and then it behoovedus to move with more of caution, for if so be the guards saw three ladsembarking in a skiff, there would be little delay in halting them bymeans of a bullet.
Under what remained of a small wharf which had fallen into decay longbefore I could remember, we kept the craft, so securely hidden that hewho would seek her out must needs have sharp eyes, and we had pulledaway the timbers in such manner that it was possible to get on board andmake ready for hoisting the mast and sail before hauling her out intoview of any passer-by.
After making certain that we had not been observed, the three of us letourselves down between the rotten timbers into the skiff, and whileArchie and Silas took up the oars, I made ready for hoisting the spar,which was of no great weight or size.
"Now then!" Archie whispered. "It is not so dark but that we can be seena long distance away, and until we are sheltered by the shore ofCharlestown, it will not be well that we indulge in much speaking."
He gave way on the oar at the same moment; Silas did the same, and wewere no more than well out from under the old timbers than I saw, evenwhile raising the short spar, one of the guard-boats within less than anhundred feet.
It was the only time we had ever come upon the king's men in the dozenor more voyages we had made from Boston town simply through a spirit ofbravado, and my heart leaped into my mouth, so to speak, for it seemedcertain we were about to be called to an accounting before having gottenwell started on our first mission in behalf of the Cause.
"I COULD HAVE TOSSED MY HAT ABOARD THEIR CRAFT."]
Fortunately Archie was a quick-witted lad, as I have said before,otherwise we should have been made prisoners in a twinkling; but hebacked water with his oar before we were well out from the shadow of theold dock, thus forcing the skiff among the timbers instantly, and wethree sat like statues, our hearts thumping loudly as trip hammers,waiting to learn whether the enemy had seen us.
There were no less than ten men in the guard-boat, and they were sobusily engaged trying to explain one to the other exactly what GeneralGage ought to do in order to put a speedy end to the rebellion, as tohave given no heed to anything near them.
They passed so near the head of the ruined wharf that I could havetossed my hat aboard their craft, and the only screen we had was theshadows cast by the timbers; but they saw us not. Going on their way inignorance, and happy in the belief that at the first overt show ofrebellion we of Boston would be crushed out of existence, the king's mencontinued their round, and verily it seemed as if the good God hadinterposed to render it possible for us lads to carry the message whichhad been entrusted to our keeping by Doctor Warren.
Not until they were so far in the distance that it was no longerpossible to hear the sound of their oars, did we venture to draw a longbreath, and then it was that Archie said in a whisper:
"Now then, Silas, pull well out into the current, and the sooner Lukegets the mast into place, the quicker we'll be heading towardCharlestown. Put a hand over your oar to prevent any creaking, anddon't open your mouth save when it is necessary to breathe."
Both Silas and I understood that Archie was the one who should act ascommander of our small expedition, and we obeyed in silence, the skiffdarting ahead once she felt the weight of the wind, as if understandingfull well the need of speed.
Not until we were well off Morton's point did either of us venture tobreak the silence, and then Silas asked suddenly, as if he had beenstewing over the matter for some time:
"Why shouldn't there be Minute Boys as well as Minute Men, and why,since we have begun to work for the Cause in good earnest, shouldn't weraise a company?"