WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 18.

At Cambridge: A council of war held to consider an intimation from Congress, that an attack upon Boston, if practicable, was much desired. It was decided to be impracticable.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 23.

At Cambridge: In conference, on this and the following day, with a committee of Congress, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Lynch, and Benjamin Harrison.

The committee of Congress, appointed to consult with other committees, in relation to a new organization of the army, arrived at Cambridge October 15. Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire were represented in the conference, which continued several days (from the 18th to the 22d), and embraced all the points of the proposed new army. The conference with Washington on the 23d and 24th was on sundry matters upon which no order had been made by Congress.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24.

At Cambridge: "My conjecture of the destination of the late squadron from Boston, in my last, has been unhappily verified by an outrage, exceeding in barbarity and cruelty every hostile act practised among civilized nations. I have enclosed the account given me by Mr. [Pearson] Jones, a gentleman of the town of Falmouth, of the destruction of that increasing and flourishing village."— Washington to the President of Congress.

British cruisers kept the New England coast, from Falmouth to New London, in a state of continual alarm. Lieutenant Mowatt, commander of a British brig, made a descent upon Gloucester, Mass., August 9, and attempted to land. He was repulsed, after he had thrown several bombs into the town with serious effect. On September 30, Stonington, Connecticut, was bombarded; two men were killed, and the houses were much shattered. In October, Mowatt was sent to Falmouth (now Portland), Maine. On the refusal of the inhabitants to give up their arms, and after allowing two hours for the removal of the women and children, he bombarded the town on the 18th. One hundred and thirty-nine houses, and two hundred and seventy-eight stores and other buildings were destroyed; but the courageous inhabitants maintained their ground, and defeated his attempt to land.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26.

At Cambridge: "Colonel Allen's misfortune will, I hope, teach a lesson of prudence and subordination to others, who may be too ambitious to outshine their general officers, and regardless of order and duty, rush into enterprises, which have unfavorable effects on the public, and are destructive to themselves."- Washington to General Schuyler.

Ethan Allen, having been sent with an escort of thirty men to beat up recruits among the Canadians, crossed the St. Lawrence, without the consent or knowledge of General Montgomery, on the night of the 24th of September, to attack Montreal. He was defeated, taken prisoner, and put in irons by General Prescott, the commandant, and sent to Quebec, and afterwards to England; from thence he was sent to Halifax, and later to New York, where, May 6, 1778, he was exchanged for Colonel Campbell.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 29.

At Cambridge: "Your favor of the 25th instant came safely to hand. Captain Whipple's voyage has been unfortunate, but it is not in our power to command success, though it is always our duty to deserve it."- Washington to Governor Cooke, of Rhode Island.

Captain Abraham Whipple, having been ordered by Governor Cooke, at the suggestion of Washington (letter of August 4), to proceed to Bermuda for the purpose of securing a considerable magazine of powder on that island, set sail from Providence in an armed vessel fitted out by Rhode Island. He put in at the west end of the island, but, finding that the powder, amounting to one hundred barrels, had been removed by a vessel supposed to be from Philadelphia, and another from South Carolina, returned to Providence.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5.

At Cambridge. "Finding the minsterial troops resolved to keep themselves close within their lines, and that it was judged impracticable to get at them, I have fitted out six armed vessels, with the design to pick up some of their store-ships and transports. The rest of our men are busily employed in erecting barracks."- Washington to General Schuyler.

Quite early in the struggle the necessity of armed vessels to cut off the enemy's supplies became apparent. The Rhode Island Assembly (June 12) authorized two vessels to be fitted out, one of eighty men, under Abraham Whipple, the other of thirty men, under Christopher Whipple. Connecticut authorized (July 1) two armed vessels to be fitted out, and so important was it to distress the British, that Washington, under his general authority, ordered vessels to be equipped. The first captain he commissioned was Nicholas Broughton, of Marblehead, whose instructions "to take the command of a detachment of said army, and proceed on board the Schooner Hannah, at Beverly," are dated September 2, 1775. Under directions from Congress, October 5, every effort was made to fit out the six schooners referred to by Washington, but they were not all ready for sea until the last of the month. On the 29th the Lynch, commanded by Captain Broughton, and the Franklin, by Captain Selman, had sailed for the St. Lawrence; the Lee, by Captain Manly, sailed the same day on a cruise; the Warren, by Captain Adams, and the Washington, by Captain Martindale, were to sail on the 30th; the Harrison, by Captain Coit, was on a cruise. Some of the vessels were unfortunate. Captain Martindale was captured, and, with his crew, was carried to England. Others, however, were highly successful.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 18.

At Roxbury: In conference with Generals Ward, Thomas, and Spencer, and Colonel Rufus Putnam.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 27.

At Cambridge: "Your favor of the 13th, came to this place on Wednesday evening [November 22]; part of which, that is, the night, I was engaged with a party of men throwing up a work upon a hill called Cobble Hill, which, in case we should ever be supplied with such things as we want, may prove useful to us, and could not be delayed, as the earth here is getting as hard as a rock."- Washington to Richard Henry Lee.

"November 22d.-A strong detachment from the army, under the command of Maj. Gen. Putnam, broke ground on Cobble Hill, without annoyance. The fatigue-men worked until near break of day, when the whole came off.. 23d.-At night, our General [Heath], with a detachment of similar strength to that of the preceding night were ordered to Cobble Hill, to complete the works."-Heath's Memoirs.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 2.

At Cambridge: "I have the pleasure to inform you, that one of our armed vessels, the Lee, Captain Manly, took and brought in the other day [November 30] a valuable store-ship bound to Boston."- Washington to Jonathan Trumbull.

" November 30th.-Intelligence was received from Cape-Ann, that a vessel from England, laden with warlike stores, had been taken and brought into that place. There was on board one 13 inch brass mortar, 2,000 stand of arms, 100,000 flints, 32 tons of leaden balls, &c. &c. A fortunate capture for the Americans !"-Heath's Memoirs.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 3.

At Cambridge: Attends service at the Rev. Dr. Appleton's Church; discourse by Abiel Leonard, chaplain to General Putnam's command.

This was the "Old Congregational Church," which Washington attended while in Cambridge, the minister being the venerable Nathaniel Appleton. The building was taken down in 1833, and the land sold to the corporation of Harvard College. It stood near the spot where Dane Hall now stands.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 4.

At Cambridge: "The great want of powder is what the attention of Congress should be particularly applied to. I dare not attempt anything offensive, let the temptation or advantage be ever so great, as I have not more of that most essential article, than will be absolutely necessary to defend our lines, should the enemy attempt to attack them.". Washington to the President of Congress.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 11.

At Cambridge: Mrs. Washington arrives at Cambridge, accompanied by her son, John Parke Custis, and his wife.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 18.

At Cambridge: "We now work at our ease on Lechmere's Hill. On discovering our party there yesterday morning,

the ship which lay opposite began a cannonade, to which Mount Horam [west side of Boston] added some shells. One of our men was wounded. We fired a few shot from two eighteen pounders, which are placed on Cobble Hill, and soon obliged the ship to shift her station."- Washington to the President of Congress.

"December 12th.-A causeway was begun over the marsh, to Leechmore's Point. Two 18 pounders were brought from Roxbury, and mounted at Cobble Hill. . 14th, 15th, and 16th.-Approaches were carried briskly on to Leechmore's Point, and nearly to the top of the hill. . 17th.-A detachment of 300 men, under the direction of Gen. Putnam, broke ground on the top of the hill, on Leechmore's Point.. 18th.-Our General [Heath] was ordered, with 300 men, to prosecute the work begun on Leechmore's Point. . In the afternoon, Gen. Washington and several other General Officers came on to the Point.. 19th.-The prosecution of the works on Leechmore's Point was continued."-Heath's Memoirs.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 25.

At Cambridge: "We have made good progress in the works on Lechmere's Point. They would have been finished ere this, but for the severity of the weather, which prevents our people from working."- Washington to the President of Congress.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 31.

At Cambridge: "General Lee is just returned from his. excursion to Rhode Island. He has pointed out the best method the island would admit of for its defence. He has endeavoured all in his power to make friends of those that were our enemies."- Washington to the President of Congress.

General Lee's excursion to Rhode Island was made at the instance of Governor Cooke, who had written to Washington, requesting military aid and the services of an efficient officer to put the island in a state of defence. Having laid out works, and given directions for fortifications, besides arresting some Tory citizens, he returned to camp after an absence of ten days. Early in January, 1776, in consequence of the fitting out of a fleet at Boston, under Sir Henry Clinton, for a southern expedition, Lee proceeded to New York, and did good service in beginning the fortifications needed for the city and neighboring strategic points.