ammunition failing at this critical time, were obliged to give way before
the overwhelming charge of the grenadiers. The Americans escaped in good
order across Charlestown Neck, losing General Joseph Warren, who fell
when leaving the redoubt. Colonel Prescott was in command throughout the
engagement, although both General Warren and General Israel Putnam had
taken a gallant part in the battle, but without any command. The fight
lasted about two hours, and the British lost 1054 killed and wounded out
of about 3000 troops engaged, and the provincials lost 450 killed and
wounded. The British ministry looked on the result as virtually a defeat
for their troops.

* * *

Washington reached Cambridge on the second of July. He found the spirit
of the troops admirable, but their discipline wretched, and the leaders
divided by dissension in regard to the commands. He labored assiduously
and successfully to bring order out of comparative chaos. The Congress
made another effort to prevent a conflict with Great Britain by sending a
respectful statement of America's case in a petition to the King. He
refused to receive it, and issued a proclamation calling for troops to
put down the rebellion in America. King George showed how little he
regarded humanity in dealing with his revolted subjects by appealing to
semi-barbarous Russia for troops to use against the colonists. The
Empress Catharine refused to sell her people for such a purpose, and the
British monarch then turned to the petty princes of Germany, where he
bought 20,000 soldiers like so many cattle for the American war. As many
of these were from Hesse Cassel, they were known as Hessians. It being
now evident that a peaceable arrangement, short of abject surrender,
could not be hoped for, the Continental Congress prepared to push the war
with vigor, and if possible to secure a union of all British America
against the enemy of American liberty.

* * *

The invasion of Canada in the latter part of 1775 by American expeditions
under command of General Richard Montgomery and Colonel Benedict Arnold,
was prompted by expectation that the French inhabitants of that region
would gladly espouse the cause of the colonists, for whom they had shown
sympathy when the people Of Boston were in distress on account of the
closing of their port. Only a few Canadians rallied to the American
standard; the major