ton, and Lord Percy, who was at the head of it, having formed
his troops into a hollow square, enclosed the pursued--who were driven
before the Americans like a flock of sheep, and gave them time for rest.
When they were somewhat refreshed, Lord Percy slowly moved the whole
body towards Boston. But even now they were not wholly freed from
danger. The militia, who had been treading on their rear, were no longer
seen, but every house, every wall, and every tree the troops had to
pass, sent forth upon them bullets and rifle shots; the Americans taking
care not to expose their own persons to danger. When they reached Boston
they had left behind them sixty killed, and forty-nine missing, in
addition to which they had one hundred and thirty-six wounded. The
provincials had about fifty killed, and thirty-eight wounded; but their
loss was more than compensated by the encouragement which this affair
tended to give the Americans in general. Elated with the result, they
termed it "the glorious victory of Lexington;" and they talked of
nothing less than driving the king's troops from Boston, and restoring
the liberty and trade of that town. Instead of an immediate assault,
however, they formed themselves into a blockade. Twenty thousand men,
under the command of Colonels Ward, Pribble, Heath, Prescot, and Thomas,
officers who had served in the provincial regiments during the last war,
put themselves in cantonment, and formed a line nearly twenty miles in
extent, with their left leaning on the river Mystic, and their right
on the town of Roxburghe, thus enclosing Boston in the centre. Their
headquarters were fixed at Cambridge, and they were soon joined by
a strong detachment of troops from Connecticut, under the command of
General Putnam, who, as soon as he heard of the battle of Lexington,
like another Cincinnatus, left his plough in the middle of the field,
in order to fight the battles of his country. Putnam took up such a
position with his detachment as to be able to support any part of
the line that might be attacked; but General Gage remained perfectly
inactive, neither attacking this line, which he might probably have done
with effect, as it was without any military consistency, nor erecting
any outworks to prevent any sudden advance upon Boston-neck.

MEETING OF THE ASSEMBLIES AND OF GENERAL CONGRESS.

While the Americans were thus in hostile array, the provincial congress
of Massachusets adjourned from Concord to Wat