It was but a little more than two years from the time of the first whiff of the delightful beverage, to the time when millions of teakettles steamed merrily on millions of hearths, and the consumption of tea reached more than 5,000,000 pounds a year. Tea houses had sprung up like mushrooms all over the United Kingdom of Great Britain, and of the 5,000,000 pounds imported from China, at least 1,500,000 pounds were sent to the American colonies.
Tea, in short, formed a harmless luxury indulged in by the thousands who, despite the high price and tax, contrived to have it for a delectable drink of an evening when company had to be entertained. Or again it was enjoyed by many as a beverage not willingly sacrificed.
But the harmless drink now started the just and patriotic people to revolt against the tyranny of the Crown. For the next three years after England imposed the high tax on tea, it became the symbol with which men conjured. As for trying to ship tea from England at this time, one would as soon have introduced the Black Plague.
So the contention went on England remaining proud
of the most distinguished patriots from Massachusetts and representatives from other colonies met in the month of September to outline rules and acts. General Gage was sent to dissolve this assembly, but the colonists kept the doors locked until the meeting was closed.
General Gage had followed instructions and avoided any act which would lead to hostilities between his men and the colonists, but feeling the lack of provisions and other necessities, he sent out secret detachments to capture what was needed; but the people resented these raids, and offered every resistance to the pilferers.
Having learned that a considerable magazine of stores had been formed at Concord, the governor attempted to seize them. On the night of April 18, 1775, he sent 800 picked men under Smith, to secretly confiscate these supplies.
But in some way the colonists had been warned of the proposed raid, and as the British troops marched along the road which they expected to find almost deserted at that time of night, they were surprised to meet horsemen, and men on foot, hurrying along also. As no one offered opposition to the soldiers, they never dreamed of trouble.
So arriving at Lexington about five oclock, the troops were surprised to find about a hundred militiamen drawn up on the green before the meetinghouse.
Major Pitcairn galloped up and ordered them to disperse, but they refused, so he ordered his men to fire, discharging his own pistol as the signal. Three or four men were killed and the others retreated behind the church.
After this skirmish, the opening tragedy of the war, the British marched on to Concord where they soon took possession. Detached parties were placed to guard various approaches to the town, while the main body of soldiers proceeded to destroy the arms, ammunition and provisions found in store.
But a body of militiamen, having approached the bridge, which was guarded by a detachment of soldiers, surrounded and fired upon them. A general skirmish took place, and the British retreated with confusion to their main body in the town.
Smith ordered a retreat, but the militia, constantly increasing in numbers, opened a galling fire upon the British, at the same time being protected by houses, stone walls and trees.
When the British arrived at Lexington, in an exhausted state, they would have been totally destroyed had not Gage, apprehensive for the expedition, sent out Lord Percy with sixteen companies on foot, a corps of marines, and two pieces of artillery to support Smith.
This aid checked the first pursuit of the provincials, but the latter kept up an incessant fire upon the British as they marched on their way to Boston.
The news of this event excited every one in Massachusetts, and soon the whole country was in warlike array. The first blood had been shed by the British without provocation, and the proud army of England had been met by provincial men and made to retreat.
The Provincial Congress of Massachusetts was in session at the time of this battle at Lexington, and it immediately passed a vote to raise 13,600 men. It also called upon the other colonies to increase the army to 30,000; but this request was unnecessary, as the colonists crowded to the standard raised in their defence more than could be maintained.
The fortifications of Boston were considered strong enough to resist an attack, and the garrison of the British was increased by the 10,000 men who arrived about the same time as Lord Norths conciliatory message.
But the provincials formed a line of thirty miles in extent on the peninsula where the city stood, thus cutting off all communication with the country. Surrounding them was the ocean where the British vessels of war rode at anchor to protect the troops and, if need be, to reduce the town to ashes in an hours time.
The British in the besieged city laughed at the foolish attempts to bring them to submission, for had they not everything needed war munitions, food stores and everything required for use?