File:Soldiers and patriots of the American revolution (1876) (14772204902).jpg

Identifier: soldierspatriots00banv (find matches)
Title: Soldiers and patriots of the American revolution
Year: 1876 (1870s)
Authors: Banvard, Joseph, 1810-1887. (from old catalog)
Subjects:
Publisher: Boston, D. Lothrop & co. Dover, N.H., G. T. Day & co
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: Sloan Foundation

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IEKS AND PATRIOTS him not to. Then there were our patriot fami-lies. To bombard the enemy, and dislodgethem by fire and sword, would leave many loyalBoston people homeless. Finally, he was loth todestroy American property. Most of the build-ings in Boston, and immense quantities of goods,belonged to our friends, and if Washington hadattacked the town, a great deal of that propertywould have been destroyed. Besides, it wasntknown whether the Continental CouG^ress wouldapprove of it. But finally Washington gottired of simply watching the British. So hewrote to Congress and asked their opinion aboutbombarding Boston. When this letter was readto them, there was a solemn silence in theHouse. No one wanted to take the responsibil-ity of recommending a measure that must costAmericans so much. John Hancock, one of thenoblest patriots who ever lived, was then Presi-dent of Congress. As he belonged to Boston,and owned much real estate there, one of themembers of Congress proposed that he should
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OF THE EEVOLUTION. 87 give liis opinion upon the subject first, beingmore personally interested than any one else.Mr. Hancock rose and said these words. Ihave always remembered them, boys, becausethey made such an impression on me the firsttime I read them. They speak the sentimentof a real patriot. *It is true, said he, that I am personallyinterested in this question. Nearly all theproperty I have in the world, is in houses andother estate in the town of Boston; but if theexpulsion of the British army from Boston, andthe liberty of our country, require their beingburnt to ashes, issue the order for it immedi-atelij! ^ Well, by the middle of February, 1776, itwas determined to attack the town, and drivethe British out. So Washington ordered bat-teries to be planted on the surrounding heights,from which balls and bomb-shells could bethrown, and on the night of the second ofMarch, they opened their fire. The storm of 88 SOLDIEES AND PATEIOTS destruction came furious and fast, and the Br

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