squadron, the Americans began
work boldly with the islands nearest at hand. Noddle's Island, now East
Boston, stretched within easy cannon shot of the town; it was reached
from Hog Island by means of a couple of fords, passable at low tide. In
broad day, on the 27th, the Americans occupied the islands, and were
promptly assailed by the British in a schooner and a sloop. The skirmish
grew very obstinate, but the schooner was left by the fleet to fight it
out by her own means and those of her smaller consort. As a result, when
she ran aground she was seized, stripped, and burned. On this day the
Americans drove off the stock on Hog Island, which, with their capture
of the schooner, was considered a great achievement. Three days later
the stock was driven from Noddle's Island: "a trifling property," says
Lieutenant Barker, "which we have no connexion with." This nonchalant
dismissal of five hundred sheep and lambs[87] scarcely comes well from
one who had recently recorded that his mess had "luckily got a Sheep."
Within a week other large islands, which the army and the fleet might
naturally have regarded as their own storehouses, were stripped of
livestock and hay. By these means the Americans were made still more
used to war, and according to contemporary accounts acted boldly,
running considerable risks. The total of stock saved by this means was
about twenty-two hundred, and the loss of life trifling.

But the time was coming for more serious work. Gage felt his courage
rise with his strength, and with his major-generals to back him he
planned action. But first he had to fulminate. Much irritation had been
caused by mock proclamations mysteriously appearing on the walls of the
residences of the new generals, and Gage now determined to issue one in
earnest. He called Burgoyne to his aid, and the literary general drafted
a masterpiece. It was published on the 12th of June.

Beginning "Whereas the infatuated multitudes," it proceeded in pompous
style to the statement that the rebels were adding "insult to outrage,"
for "with a preposterous parade of military arrangement, they affected
to hold the army besieged." Gage offered to pardon all who would lay
down their arms, except Samuel Adams and John Hancock, "whose offences
are of too flagitious a nature" for forgiveness.

The bombastic proclamation delighted the Tories, who hoped for results
from it. But it deeply angered the Americans. "All the records of time,"
wrote A