Americans resisted. Several were shot down at Lexington, and in
return the remainder attacked the soldiers with a resolution and skill
which the peasantry of an open country had never before displayed
against trained troops. These farmers had learned fighting from the
Indians, they had learned self-reliance, and each man acting for
himself, seeking what shelter he could find from tree or fence, fired
upon the Britons, until the most famous soldiery of Europe fled back to
Boston "their tongues hanging out of their mouths like dogs."[1]

The astonished Britons clamored that their opponents did not "fight
fair," meaning that the peasants did not stand still like sheep to be
slaughtered, or rush in bodies to be massacred by the superior weapons
and trained manoeuvres of the professional troops. Therein the
objection touched the very point of the world's advance: the common
people, the country folk of one land at least, had ceased to be mere
unthinking cattle; they acted from intellect, not from sheer brute
despair.

Within a week of Lexington an army of the Americans were gathered round
Boston to defend their homes from further invasions by these foreigners.
The English tried the issue again, and attacked the Americans at Bunker
Hill.[2] The steady valor of the regular troops, engaged on a regular
battle-ground, enabled them to drive the poorly armed peasants from
their intrenchments. But the victory was won at such frightful expense
of life to the British that it was not until forty years had brought
forgetfulness, that they tried a similar assault in military form
against the Americans at New Orleans. The farmers could shoot as well as
think. After Bunker Hill the Revolution was recognized as a serious war,
not a mere mad uprising of hopelessness. Washington took control of the
destinies of America. Congress proclaimed its Independence.[3]

At this period Northern America became unfortunately and apparently
permanently divided against itself. Canada, largely from its French
origin and language, had always stood apart from the more southern
English-speaking colonies. There had been repeated wars between them.
But now when England had seized possession of Canada and within fifteen
years of that event the southern colonists were fighting England, it did
seem probable or at least hopeful that all America might unite against
the common foe.

So thought the American Congress, and despatched a force, not against
the inhabita