Public Affairs-Non-importation Scheme-Convention at Williams- burg-Washington appointed a Delegate to the General Congress Meeting of the First Congress-Opening Ceremonies-Eloquence of Patrick Henry and Henry Lee--Declaratory Resolution-Bill of Rights-State Papers-Chatham's opinions of Congress-Washing- ton's Correspondence with Capt. Mackenzie-Views with Respect Gage's Military Measures-Removal of Gunpowder from the Arsenal- Public Agitation-Alarms in the Country-Civil Government ob- structed-Belligerent Symptoms-Israel Putnam and General Charles Lee, their Characters and Stories-General Election-Self- constituted Congress-Hancock President-Adjourns to Concord -Remonstrance to Gage-His Perplexities-Generals Artemas Ward and Seth Pomeroy-Committee of Safety-Committee of Supplies Restlessness throughout the Land-Independent Com- panies in Virginia-Military tone at Mount Vernon-Washing- ton's Military Guests--Major Horatio Gates-Anecdotes concern- ing him-General Charles Lee-His Peculiarities and Dogs- Infatuation in British Councils-Colonel Grant, the Braggart-Coercive Measures Expedition against the Military Magazine at Concord -Battle of Lexington-The cry of Blood through the Land- Old Soldiers of the French War-John Stark-Israel Putnam- Rising of the Yeomanry-Measures of Lord Dunmore in Virginia -Indignation of the Virginians-Hugh Mercer and the Friends of 440 Second Session of Congress-John Hancock-Petition to the King- Federal Union-Military Measures-Debates about the Army- Question as to Commander-in-chief-Appointment of Washington More Troops arrive at Boston—Generals Howe, Burgoyne, and Clinton -Proclamation of Gage-Nature of the American Army-Scorn- ful conduct of the British Officers-Project of the Americans to seize upon Breed's Hill-Putnam's opinion of it-Sanctioned by CHAPTER XLL Departure from Philadelphia—Anecdotes of General Schuyler-of Lee -Tidings of Bunker Hill-Military Councils-Population of New York-The Johnson Family-Governor Tryon-Arrival at New York-Military Instructions of Schuyler—Arrival at the Camp, 485 Illustrations. PORTRAIT OF WASHINGTON, 1795. Wertmuller. BRADDOCK'S ROUTE, 1755. From Mr. T. C. Atkinson's Survey, 1847, THE SAME. From the Original Map in Capt. Orme's Journal, 1755, LIFE OF WASHINGTON. CHAPTER I. GENEALOGY OF THE WASHINGTON FAMILY. THE Washington family is of an ancient English stock, the genealogy of which has been traced up to the century immediately succeeding the Conquest. At that time it was in possession of landed estates and manorial privileges in the county of Durham, such as were enjoyed only by those, or their descendants, who had come over from Normandy with the Conqueror, or fought under his standard. When William the Conqueror laid waste the whole country north of the Humber, in punishment of the insurrection of the Northumbrians, he apportioned the estates among his followers, and advanced Normans and other foreigners to the principal ecclesiastical dignities. One of the most wealthy and important sees was that of Durham. Hither had been transported the bones of St. Cuthbert from their original shrine at Lindisfarne, when it was ravaged by the Danes. That saint, says Camden, was esteemed by princes and gentry a titular saint against the Scots.* His shrine, therefore, had been held in peculiar reverence by the Saxons, and the see of Durham endowed with extraordinary privileges. William continued and increased those privileges. He needed a powerful adherent on this frontier to keep the restless Northumbrians in order, and check Scottish invasion; and no doubt considered an enlightened ecclesiastic, appointed by the crown, a safer depositary of such power than an hereditary noble. Having placed a noble and learned native of Loraine in the diocese, therefore, he erected it into a palatinate, over which the bishop, as Count Palatine, had temporal, as well as spiritual jurisdiction. He built a strong castle for his protection, and to serve as a barrier against the Northern foe. He made him lord high-admiral of the sea and waters adjoining his palatinate,-lord warden of the marches, and conservator of the league between England and Scotland. Thenceforth, we are told, the prelates of Durham owned no earthly superior within their diocese, but continued for centuries to exercise every right attached to an independent sovereign.† The bishop, as Count Palatine, lived in almost royal state and splendor. He had his lay chancellor, chamberlains, secretaries, steward, treasurer, master of the horse, and a host of minor officers. Still he was under feudal obligations. All landed property in those *Camden, Brit. iv., 349. Annals of Roger de Hovedon. Hutchinson's Durham, vol. ii. Col lectanea Curiosa, vol. ii., p. 83. warlike times, implied military service. Bishops and abbots, equally with great barons who held estates immediately of the crown, were obliged, when required, to furnish the king with armed men in proportion to their domains; but they had their feudatories under them to aid them in this service. The princely prelate of Durham had his barons and knights, who held estates of him on feudal tenure, and were bound to serve him in peace and war. They sat occasionally in his councils, gave martial splendor to his court, and were obliged to have horse and weapon ready for service, for they lived in a belligerent neighborhood, disturbed occasionally by civil war, and often by Scottish foray. When the banner of St. Cuthbert, the royal standard of the province, was displayed, no armed feudatory of the bishop could refuse to take the field.* Some of these prelates, in token of the warlike duties of their diocese, engraved on their seals a knight on horseback armed at all points, brandishing in one hand a sword, and holding forth in the other the arms of the see.t Among the knights who held estates in the palatinate on these warlike conditions, was WILLIAM DE HERTBURN, the progenitor of the Washingtons. His Norman name of William would seem to point out his national descent; and the family long continued to have Norman names of baptism. The surname of De Hertburn was taken from a village on the palatinate *Robert de Graystanes, Ang. Sac., p. 746. |