quished altogether.

What was to be done? The shells thrown from the heights into the town
proved that it was no longer tenable. The fleet was equally exposed.
Admiral Shuldham, the successor to Graves, assured Howe that if the
Americans maintained possession of the heights, his ships could not
remain in the harbor. It was determined, therefore, in a council of
war, to evacuate the place as soon as possible. But now came on a
humiliating perplexity. The troops, in embarking, would be exposed to
a destructive fire. How was this to be prevented? General Howe's pride
would not suffer him to make capitulations; he endeavored to work on
the fears of the Bostonians, by hinting that if his troops were
molested while embarking, he might be obliged to cover their retreat
by setting fire to the town.

The hint had its effect. Several of the principal inhabitants
communicated with him through the medium of General Robertson. The
result of the negotiation was that a paper was concocted and signed by
several of the "select men" of Boston, stating the fears they had
entertained of the destruction of the place, but that those fears had
been quieted by General Howe's declaration that it should remain
uninjured, provided his troops were unmolested while embarking; the
select men, therefore, begged "some assurance that so dreadful a
calamity might not be brought on, by any measures from without."

This paper was sent out from Boston, on the evening of the 8th, with a
flag of truce, which bore it to the American lines at Roxbury. There
it was received by Colonel Learned, and carried by him to
head-quarters. Washington consulted with such of the general officers
as he could immediately assemble. The paper was not addressed to him,
nor to any one else. It was not authenticated by the signature of
General Howe; nor was there any other act obliging that commander to
fulfil the promise asserted to have been made by him. It was deemed
proper, therefore, that Washington should give no answer to the paper;
but that Colonel Learned should signify in a letter his having laid it
before the commander-in-chief, and the reasons assigned for not
answering it. With this uncompromising letter, the flag returned to
Boston. The Americans suspended their fire, but continued to fortify
their positions.

Daily preparations were now made by the enemy for departure. By
proclamation, the inhabitants were ordered to deliver up all linen and
woollen goods, and