| Citation |
NYM(G.776.010
12 Feb 1776:32 (1270)
Philadelphia, Feb. 7. Extract of a letter from Cambridge,
January 28. "Last Thursday Capt. Manly took two store ships
loaded with provisions, potatoes, coal, &c. which he carried
into Plymouth, notwithstanding he was attacked by a cutter.
. . [4 lines] It would now be no news to acquaint you with
the burning the houses at Charlestown, or rather at the foot
of Bunker's Hill, but the circumstances being odd and
humorous, shall give them to you; when about 200 of our
people (Colonel Misslin in the number) were performing the
business, the regulars were acting a play, called the Busy
Body, that being finished, the scenes were hoisted to
perform a farce (wrote by the officers) called the Blockade
of Boston; General Washington, with a large wig and a long
rusty sword, had just appeared on the stage, together with
his orderly serjeant, who had a rusty gun of seven feet
long, on his shoulder, at that instant one of the regular
serjeants came running (almost out of breath) on the stage,
on which he threw his bayonet, and hallowed out, Boston is
on fire and attacked in 50 places, those who were
unacquainted with the farce, thought this part of it, but
General Howe cryed out, officers to your alarm posts, which
changed the act to shrieking, crying, fainting, &c. and
indeed the troops on Bunker's Hill were not much less
frighted than they were in Boston, for notwithstanding the
officers ordered the men to preserve their fire, they kept a
continued blaze all round the hill. Colonel Nesbit, who
commanded, was tried for not sallying out on our men, but
have not yet heard his fate.
|