137.

_Commander of the Army_.
Takes command at Cambridge, 137;
his impression upon people, 137, 138, 139;
begins reorganization of army, 139;
secures number of troops, 140;
enforces discipline, his difficulties, 140, 141;
forced to lead Congress, 142;
to arrange rank of officers, 142;
organizes privateers, 142;
discovers lack of powder, 143;
plans campaigns in Canada and elsewhere, 143, 144;
his plans of attack on Boston overruled by council of war, 144;
writes to Gage urging that captives be treated as prisoners of war,
145;
skill of his letter, 146;
retorts to Gage's reply, 147;
continues dispute with Howe, 148;
annoyed by insufficiency of provisions, 149;
and by desertions, 149;
stops quarrel between Virginia and Marblehead soldiers, 149;
suggests admiralty committees, 150;
annoyed by army contractors, 150;
and criticism, 151;
letter to Joseph Reed, 151;
occupies Dorchester Heights, 152;
begins to like New England men better, 152;
rejoices at prospect of a fight, 153;
departure of British due to his leadership, 154;
sends troops immediately to New York, 155;
enters Boston, 156;
expects a hard war, 156;
urges upon Congress the necessity of preparing for a long struggle,
156;
his growing hatred of Tories, 156, 157;
goes to New York, 157, 158;
difficulties of the situation, 158;
suppresses Tories, 159;
urges Congress to declare independence, 159, 160;
discovers and punishes a conspiracy to assassinate, 160;
insists on his title in correspondence with Howe, 161;
justice of his position, 162;
quiets sectional jealousies in army, 162;
his military inferiority to British, 163;
obliged by political considerations to attempt defense of New York,
163, 164;
assumes command on Long Island, 164;
sees defeat of his troops, 165;
sees plan of British fleet to cut off retreat, 166;
secures retreat of army, 167;
explains his policy of avoiding a pitched battle, 167;
anger at flight of militia at Kip's Bay, 168;
again secures safe retreat, 169;
secures slight advantage in a skirmish, 170;
continues to urge Congress to action, 170, 171;
success of his letters in securing a permanent army, 171;
surprised by advance of British fleet, 172;
moves to White Plains, 173;
blocks British advance, 174;