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the evening of the 16th, the detachment marched under the command of Colonel Prescott; but instead of halting at the designated hill, they advanced to Breed's hill, where in the course of the night, they threw up a redoubt and an entrenchment or breastwork, extending from its northern angle fifty or sixty feet towards Mystic river.

Four days previous to these transactions, Dr. WARREN had been appointed by the provincial congress, a major-general of their forces; we are not informed whether he assisted at the council of war, mentioned above, but think it most probable he did, and that it led to the conversation alluded to in Austin's life of Elbridge Gerry, and which together with the subsequent events, has been narrated by one of his biographers as follows: "On the 16th of June, he had a conversation with Mr. Gerry, at Cambridge, respecting the determination of congress to take possession of Bunker's hill. He said that for himself he had been opposed to it, but that the majority had determined upon it, and he would hazard his life to carry their determination into effect. Mr. Gerry expressed in strong terms his disapprobation of the measure, as the situation was such, that it would be in vain to attempt to hold it; adding, 'but if it must be so, it is not worth while for you to be present; it will be madness to expose yourself, where your destruction will be almost inevitable.' 'I know it,' he answered; 'but I live within the sound of their cannon; how could I hear their roaring in so glorious a cause, and not be there!' Again Mr. Gerry remonstrated, and concluded with saying, 'As surely as you go there, you will be slain.' General WARREN replied enthusiastically, 'Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori.' The next day his principles were sealed with his blood. Having spent the greater part of the night in public business at Watertown, he arrived at Cambridge at about five o'clock in the morning, and being unwell, threw himself on a bed. About noon he was informed of the state of preparation for battle at Charlestown; he immediately arose, saying he was well again, and mounting a horse, rode to the place. He arrived at Breed's hill a short time before the action commenced. Colonel Prescott, 'the brave,' (as Washington was afterwards in the habit of calling him) was then the actual commanding officer. He came up to General WARREN to resign his command, and asked what were his orders. General WARREN told him he came not to command, but to learn; and having, as it is said, borrowed a musket and cartouch box from a sergeant who was retiring, he mingled in the thickest of the fight, animating and encouraging the men more by his example than it was possible to do in any other way. He fell

after the retreat commenced, at some distance in the rear of the redoubt. A ball passed through his head, and killed him almost instantly. His body was thrown into the ground where he fell."

After the British troops had evacuated Boston, General WARREN'S remains (which were identified by a particular false tooth) were exhumed and removed to Boston by the free-masons, and interred with their usual solemnities; and a eulogy was pronounced by Perez Morton, Esq., in presence of a numerous assembly in the stone chapel, beneath which the remains were finally deposited. General WARREN held the appointment of grand master of masons for the continent of America, by warrant from the earl of Dumfries, grand master of Scotland. The fraternity erected a monument to his memory on the battle field, which has given place to the magnificent pile, the corner stone of which was laid by Lafayette, in 1825, on the fiftieth anniversary of the battle.

On the 8th of April, 1777, the general congress passed a resolution to erect a monument to the memory of General WARREN, who "devoted his life to the liberties of his country, and in bravely defending them, fell an early victim." It was also resolved to provide for the education of his eldest son; and in July 1780, they further resolved to allow the half pay of a major-general, from the time of his death, until his youngest child should be of age for the education and maintenance of his three youngest children. These latter resolutions were accordingly carried into effect.

"Let laurels, drenched in pure Parnassian dews,
Reward his memory, dear to every muse,
Who, with a courage of unshaken root,
In honor's field advancing his firm foot,
Plants it upon the line that justice draws,
And will prevail, or perish in her cause.
'Tis to the virtues of such men, man owes
His portion in the good that Heaven bestows;
And when recording history displays,
Feats of renown, though wrought in ancient days;
Tells of a few stout hearts, that fought and died
Where duty placed them, at their country's side;
The man that is not moved by what he reads,
That takes not fire at their heroic deeds,
Unworthy of the blessings of the brave,

Is base in kind, and born to be a slave."-CowPER.

6

THE MERK

PUBLIC ERARY

ASTOR, MOX TILDIN EGINDA IONS

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HENRY KNOX.

WHEN We contemplate the lives of the leaders of our army, we are irresistibly attracted by their valor and the glory of their exploits. But in confining our admiration to their deeds of heroism, we rob them of half the meed of applause which they have justly earned. They not only fought our battles, but for eight years were the watchful guardians of their country. It is not merely their physical aid to which we are indebted; it is also to their moral worth, their integrity and firmness, which saved us from the open assaults of the foe, and the covert and more dangerous designs of domestic treachery. Eight years witnessed their entire self-devotion, in which property, health, personal safety, and the pleasures of domestic life, were exchanged for the scanty and unpalatable rations of the soldier, the diseases incident to exposure in every season and climate, the dangers of the battle, and the cheerless shelter of the tented field. And for all these services, all these sacrifices, as well as positive suffering, what was their compensation? As far as it can be estimated in dollars and cents, it was “ poor indeed." Yet they reaped that harvest which was more to be envied than any reward which wealth could have bestowed, in the consummation of their most sanguine hopes, in approving consciences, and the gratitude of a nation.

There are few of our revolutionary patriots who are more deserving of having their names handed down to the love and admiration of posterity, than the late General KNOX; and very few to whose memory so little justice has been accorded. The limits of the present sketch will permit but a brief outline of the life and services of this eminent man, whose virtues and talents well entitle him to a more copious and extended biography, which is loudly called for by his friends and the public. At present it will be sufficient to say that of the many who devoted themselves to the noble cause of their country's freedom, none engaged in it with more ardor and enthusiasm-with more entire dedication of all the powers of body and

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