Thomas Gage - Gages Instructions

Henry De Berniere, Thomas Gage

Published by Good Press, 2021

EAN 4064066188849

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

To Captain Brown and Ensign D'Berniere, (of the army under his command) whom he ordered to take a sketch of the roads, passes, heights, &c. from Boston to Worcester, and to make other observations:

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Together with an ACCOUNT of their doings, in consequence of further Orders and Instructions from General Gage, of the 20th March following, to proceed to Concord, to reconnoitre and find out the state of the provincial magazines; what number of cannon, &c. they have, and in what condition.

An ACCOUNT of the Transactions of the British troops, from the time they marched out of Boston, on the evening of the 18th, 'till their confused retreat back, on the ever memorable Nineteenth of April 1775; and a Return of their killed, wounded and missing on that auspicious day, as made to Gen. Gage.

[Left in town by a British Officer previous to the evacuation of it by the enemy, and now printed for the information and amusement of the curious.]

INSTRUCTIONS, &c.

Boston, February 22, 1775.

Gentlemen,

ou will go through the counties of Suffolk and Worcester, taking a sketch of the country as you pass; it is not expected you should make out regular plans and surveys, but mark out the roads and distances from town to town, as also the situation and nature of the country; all passes must be particularly laid down, noticing the length and breadth of them, the entrance in and going out of them, and whether to be avoided by taking other routes.

The rivers also to be sketched out, remarking their breadth and depth and the nature of their banks on both sides, the fords, if any, and the nature of their bottoms, many of which particulars may be learned of the country people.

You will remark the heights you meet with, whether the ascents are difficult or easy; as also the woods and mountains, with the height and nature of the latter, whether to be got round or easily past over.

The nature of the country to be particularly noticed, whether inclosed or open; if the former, what kind of inclosures, and whether the country admits of making roads for troops on the right or left of the main road, or on the sides.

You will notice the situation of the towns and villages, their churches and church-yards, whether they are advantageous spots to take post in, and capable of being made defencible.

If any places strike you as proper for encampments, or appear strong by nature, you will remark them particularly, and give reasons for your opinions.

It would be useful if you cou'd inform yourselves of the necessaries their different counties could supply, such as provisions, forage, straw, &c. the number of cattle, horses, &c. in the several townships.

I am,

Gentlemen,

your most obedient

humble servant,

THOMAS GAGE.

(COPY)

Narrative , &c.

he latter end of February 1775, Capt. Brown and myself, received orders to go through the counties of Suffolk and Worcester, and sketch the roads as we went, for the information of Gen. Gage, as he expected to have occasion to march troops through that country the ensuing spring.

We set out from Boston on Thursday, disguised like countrymen, in brown cloaths and reddish handkerchiefs round our necks; at the ferry of Charlestown, we met a sentry of the 52d regiment, but Capt. Brown's servant, whom we took along with us, bid him not take any notice of us, so that we passed unknown to Charlestown. From that we went to Cambridge, a pretty town, with a college built of brick, the ground is entirely level on which the town stands. We next went to Watertown, and were not suspected, it is a pretty large town for America, but would be looked upon as a village in England; a little out of this town we went into a tavern, a Mr. Brewer's, a whig, we called for dinner, which was brought in by a black woman, at first she was very civil, but afterwards began to eye us very attentively; she then went out and a little after returned, when we observed to her that it was a very fine country, upon which she answered so it is, and we have got brave fellows to defend it, and if you go up any higher you will find it soThis disconcerted us a good deal, and we imagined she knew us from our papers which we took out before her, as the General had told us to pass for surveyors; however, we resolved not to sleep there that night, as we had intended, accordingly we paid our bill which amounted to two pounds odd shillings, but in was old tenor. After we had left the house we enquired of John, our servant, what she had said, he told us that she knew Capt. Brown very well, that she had seen him five years before at Boston, and knew him to be an officer, and that she was sure I was one also, and told John that he was a regularhe denied it; but she said she knew our errant was to take a plan of the country; that she had seen the river and road through Charlestown on the paper; she also advised him to tell us not to go any higher, for if we did we should meet with very bad usage: Upon this we called a council, and agreed that if we went back we should appear very foolish, as we had a great number of enemies in town, because the General had chose to employ us in preference to them; it was absolutely necessary to push on to Worcester, and run all risk rather than go back until we were forced.Accordingly we continued our rout and went about six miles further; we met a country fellow driving a team, and a fellow with him whom we suspected to be a deserter; they both seemed very desirous to join company with us and told us, upon our saying we were going towards Worcester, that they were going our way: As we began to suspect something we stopped at a tavern at the sign of the golden-ball, with an intention to get a drink and so proceed; but upon our going in the landlord pleased us so much, as he was not inquisitive, that we resolved to lye there that night; so we ordered some fire to be made in the room we were in, and a little after to get us some coffee; he told us we might have what we pleased, either tea or coffee. We immediately found out with whom we were, and were not a little pleased to find, on some conversation, that he was a friend to government; he told us that he had been very ill-used by them some time before; but that since he had shewed them that he was not to be bullied, they had left him pretty quiet.We then asked him for the inns that were on the road between his house and