o very satisfactory condition.
Much had been done, but still more remained to be done. Complaining of
his numerous deficiences, he thus wrote to congress:--"We have no store
of ammunition, no tools for intrenching, no engineers to direct the
construction of military works; we have no money, and want clothing:
there is a total laxity of discipline; and the majority is not to be
depended on in another action." If the English had, at this time, made a
general assault, the Americans must inevitably have been driven from all
their positions, and the war would soon have been over. After the battle
of Bunker's Hill, however, the same listless inactivity prevailed as
before, as though the capture of that hill was a full and final triumph.
Thus favoured, Washington set about remedying his defects in good
earnest. During the summer and autumn, he was occupied in organising his
troops, collecting his military stores, and concentrating his forces.
Perceiving that it would be madness to attempt an assault on the
positions of the British troops, as some advised, he directed the
formation of entrenchments and works to defend his own from attack. In
order to give consistency to his lines he contracted them: the centre,
including the reserve, and under his own command, being at Cambridge;
the right wing, commanded by General Ward, resting on Roxburghe; and the
left, under General Lee, near the Mystic river. The British troops were
thus completely blockaded by land, and cruisers being fitted out by
congress for the purpose of intercepting military stores and supplies
destined for the British forces, considerable distress soon began to
prevail among them; yet nothing was done to rescue them from their
perilous situation. During the rest of the year the bands played "God
save the King," and the Americans, as if in the spirit of mockery,
responded to the national anthem, by playing "Yankee Doodle." In the
midst of this inactivity, on the 10th of October, General Gage was
recalled, and the command of the British troops devolved on General
Howe.

{GEORGE III. 1775--1776.}

[Illustration: 3-081-ticonderoga.jpg TICONDEROGA]

EXPEDITIONS AGAINST TICONDEROGA AND CROWN POINT, ETC.

Early in this year a party of Connecticut gentlemen, having procured a
loan of money, concocted a scheme for surprising the important post
of Ticonderoga, which was situate on a promontory near the junction of
lakes George and Champlain, and the key of communi