Project Appleseed

Immediately after Lexington Green, the North Bridge in Concord, Merriam's Corner, and the Regulars traveling Battle Road to Charlestown, the Siege of Boston began. The Massachusetts militias coordinated by General William Heath began surrounding Boston and were soon joined by the arriving militias from New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. Late on April 20th, General Artemas Ward took command and blocked Boston Neck, the only land access into the peninsula of Boston. This left the British control of the harbor with their only access by sea. Seeing the colonial forces grow around Boston, General Thomas Gage, the commander in chief of British forces in North America wrote: "The rebels are not the despicable rabble too many have supposed them to be.... In all their wars against the French they never showed such conduct, attention, and perseverance as they do now."

General Gage began fortifying the town and decided to retreat from Charlestown and bring his troops, bloodied on April 19th, back into Boston proper. The Royal Navy continued to bring supplies in from Nova Scotia and the American forces could do little to stop it.  However, many privateers were able to harass the supply ships and food shortages began. Movement in and out of Boston was restricted with most Patriots abandoning the town and many Loyalists fleeing the countryside for the perceived safety of Boston. The Americans were able to gather information on what was happening in Boston, but Gage had little effective intelligence on what was going on outside of the town. The militias began removing livestock and supplies from the harbor islands causing further shortages in Boston.  Gage offered a pardon to any who would lay down arms with the exception of John Hancock and Samuel Adams.  This only furthered the anger of the militias surrounding Boston.


In June of 1775, the Second Continental Congress voted to establish the Continental Army to provide for the common defense of the colonies.  They unanimously elected George Washington to lead it and named him commander in chief. In his formal acceptance of command, Washington wrote: "But lest some unlucky event should happen unfavorable to my reputation, I beg it may be remembered by every gentleman in the room that I this day declare with the utmost sincerity, I do not think myself equal to the command I am honored with." General Washington immediately departed Philadelphia for Boston. Gage continued to receive reinforcements and his troops reached about 6000 men. He planned a break out of the town.  Learning of Gage's plan, Colonel William Prescott was ordered to fortify Bunker Hill and Breed's Hill. British General Howe did take the high ground of Charlestown on June 17th in the Battle of Bunker Hill.  The British losses were significant with approximately 1000 men killed or wounded, including 94 officers.  The Americans lost the battle but proved they could stand against the best equipped, best trained army in the world by successfully repelling the assaults on Breed's Hill. General Washington arrived in Cambridge on July 2nd and immediately took command of the Continental Army.  More troops continued to arrive including companies of Riflemen from Maryland and Virginia. Washington also ordered fortifications constructed as part of the siege and deployed the Riflemen to harass the British.  After one Rifleman was killed and his body displayed by the British, 300 Rifleman marched to the line and began attacking the British.  Many British troops were killed through their effective marksmanship while one Patriot was killed.

While there were no other major battles, there were a series of smaller engagements through late summer and into fall.  In August, the British came out across Boston Neck, burned a tavern, and withdrew back into Boston. The Americans attacked and burned Lighthouse Island, killing several and capturing 23 with only one casualty.  General William Howe replaced Thomas Gage in October while food and fuel shortages in Boston increased. In November, British soldiers raided Lechemere's Point in search of livestock.  They did acquire 10 cattle but lost lives to the Americans defending the area. Captain John Manly, commanding the American schooner Lee, captured the British ship Nancy outside of Boston Harbor.  She was a resupply ship bound for Boston with a cargo of military stores and ordnance. In November, Washington sent Henry Knox to retrieve the cannon captured by Ethan Allen and Benedict Armnold from Fort Ticonderoga and bring them to Boston.  Over the winter Knox undertook this demanding mission and needed to cross both the Hudson and Connecticut rivers.

Through the winter, the American's supply of gunpowder withered.  Firewood was so scarce in Boston that trees were cut down and buildings dismantled to burn. Hunger plagued the British troops and many deserted at any opportunity. Smallpox and scurvy broke out in Boston. Some 55 ships attempting to resupply Boston were captured by the hastily assembled fleet of 12 American ships. Many in the Continental Army remained unpaid and Washington became fearful his troops would desert as he faced similar problems with smallpox. Washington wanted to assault Boston when the waters of the harbor froze between Roxbury and Boston Common, but was dissuaded by his officers in favor of waiting for Knox to arrive with his cannon to fortify the siege.


Knox arrived back in Cambridge on January 24, 1776 after completing his herculean task of transporting cannon through the Adirondack and Berkshire mountains in the dead of winter. Many of these cannons were larger than ones previously available to the Americans.  Washington deployed them around Boston, and under the direction of Knox, the bombardment of Boston began. The exchange of fire continued through March 4th doing little damage to either side. Washington ordered cannon to Dorchester Heights, but the ground was frozen and they could not be entrenched. An American officer, Rufus Putnam, using his experience with the British Military Engineers during the French and Indian War, devised a plan to fortify Dorchester Heights with timbers and fascines.  These were constructed out of sight and installed overnight into March 5th.  General Howe is reported as commenting: "My God, these fellows have done more work in one night than I could make my army do in three months."

The cannon on Dorchester Heights had the British Fleet in range putting it and the troops in jeopardy.  On March 8th, loyalists in Boston sent a letter to Washington stating the British would not burn the city if they were allowed to withdraw.  Washington rejected the offer because it was not addressed to him by name nor title. However, the letter accomplished its intent, and the British evacuation of Boston began. The British ships sat in Boston Harbor loaded with troops and Loyalists waiting for favorable winds to depart. Finally, on March 17, 1776 the winds turned and the British fleet of 120 ships carrying 11,000 people departed Boston and the siege was over.  While Boston ceased to be a military target, liberty continued to flourish with Washington firmly in command of a unified American Continental Army.