your letter of the first ultimo,
had often been agitated by a thought similar to the one you expressed
respecting an old friend of yours: but heaven forbid that a crisis
should come when he shall be driven to the necessity of making a
choice of either of the alternatives there mentioned."

Finding that the lenient measures which had been taken by the
legislature to reclaim the insurgents, only enlarged their demands;
and that they were proceeding systematically to organize a military
force for the subversion of the constitution; Governor Bowdoin
determined, with the advice of council, on a vigorous exertion of all
the powers he possessed, for the protection and defence of the
commonwealth. Upwards of four thousand militia were ordered into
service, and were placed under the command of the veteran General
Lincoln. "His military reputation," says Mr. Minot, "and mildness of
temper, rendered him doubly capacitated for so delicate and important
a trust." But the public treasury did not afford the means of keeping
this force in the field a single week; and, the legislature not being
in session, the government was incapable of putting the troops in
motion. This difficulty was removed by individual patriotism. From the
commencement of the commotions, the citizens of Boston had manifested,
unequivocally, their fidelity to the constitution. On this occasion, a
number of gentlemen, preceded by the governor, subscribed, in a few
hours, a sufficient sum to carry on the proposed expedition.

In the depth of winter, the troops from the eastern part of the state
assembled near Boston, and marched towards the scene of action. Those
from the western counties met in arms under General Shepard, and took
possession of the arsenal at Springfield. Before the arrival of
Lincoln, a party of the insurgents attempted to dislodge Shepard, but
were repulsed with some loss. Not being pursued by that officer, who
could not venture to weaken his post by detachments, they continued
embodied, but did not venture again to undertake offensive operations.

Urging his march with the utmost celerity, Lincoln soon came up; and,
pressing the insurgent army, endeavoured, by a succession of rapid
movements, in which the ardour of his troops triumphed over the
severity of the season, to disperse, or to bring it to action. Their
generals retreated from post to post with a rapidity which for some
time eluded his designs; and, rejecting every proposition to lay