ll the colonies. They had now appointed George
Washington, of Virginia, to be commander-in-chief of all the American
armies. He was, at that time, a member of Congress, but immediately left
Philadelphia, and began his journey to Massachusetts. On the 3d of July,
1775, he arrived at Cambridge, and took command of the troops which were
besieging General Gage.

"O, Grandfather," exclaimed Laurence, "it makes my heart throb to think
what is coming now. We are to see General Washington himself."

The children crowded around Grandfather, and looked earnestly into his
face. Even little Alice opened her sweet blue eyes, with her lips apart,
and almost held her breath to listen; so instinctive is the reverence of
childhood for the father of his country. Grandfather paused a moment; for
he felt as if it might be irreverent to introduce the hallowed shade of
Washington into a history, where an ancient elbow chair occupied the most
prominent place. However, he determined to proceed with his narrative, and
speak of the hero when it was needful, but with an unambitious simplicity.

So Grandfather told his auditors, that, on General Washington's arrival at
Cambridge, his first care was, to reconnoitre the British troops with his
spy-glass, and to examine the condition of his own army. He found that the
American troops amounted to about fourteen thousand men. They were
extended all round the peninsula of Boston, a space of twelve miles, from
the high grounds of Roxbury on the right, to Mystic river on the left.
Some were living in tents of sail-cloth, some in shanties, rudely
constructed of boards, some in huts of stone or turf, with curious windows
and doors of basket-work.

In order to be near the centre, and oversee the whole of this
wide-stretched army, the commander-in-chief made his head-quarters at
Cambridge, about half a mile from the colleges. A mansion-house, which
perhaps had been the country-seat of some tory gentleman, was provided for
his residence.

"When General Washington first entered this mansion," said Grandfather,
"he was ushered up the stair-case, and shown into a handsome apartment. He
sat down in a large chair, which was the most conspicuous object in the
room. The noble figure of Washington would have done honor to a throne. As
he sat there, with his hand resting on the hilt of his sheathed sword,
which was placed between his knees, his whole aspect well befitted the
chosen man on whom his country leaned fo