body of the army for that city, leaving General Ward with five regiments, to fortify and take care of Boston. Some weeks after Howe's departure, British vessels arrived off Boston; and, as they had not been warned, that the city was now in the hands of the Americans, three of the transports were captured, and about two hundred and fifty soldiers were made prisoners of war. One of the vessels had some fifteen hundred barrels of gunpowder on board, with other munitions of war, which, in the present scarcity, proved a very serviceable addition to the army stores.
Lee having been appointed by Congress to the southern department, Washington sent General Putnam forward to take the command in New York, and he himself arrived there on the 13th of April. In May, he went to Philadelphia, to advise with Congress in the present state of affairs, and make arrangements for the campaign. Washington does not appear to have had much satisfaction in this visit, and he was not without apprehension from the divisions existing in Congress; divisions greatly to be regretted just at this juncture. Expressing his clear conviction, that independence was the only course left for the colonies to pursue, and, having obtained a vote to reinforce the army at New York, with thirteen thousand eight hundred militia, from the northern colonies, and a flying camp of ten thousand more from Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Delaware, Washington returned to New York, to wait the arrival of the British fleet, and then to determine upon the course to be pursued.
Mr. Sparks, in his Life of Washington, gives an account of the plots of the Tories in and about New York, Governor Tryon being the main spring of all their movements. Washington, after a great deal of urgency, got Congress to appoint a secret committee, to take up and examine suspected persons. It is true, that this was a dangerous responsibility to be placed in the hands of any man; but the necessity of the case demanded some action. The Tories were bound to take one side or the other in the questions at issue; open enmity could be met; but they who wished to be considered neutrals, while they covertly aided and gave intelligence to the enemy, could not be suffered to remain in a position which gave them every advantage over the patriots and their cause. The power of apprehending the Tories had wisely been put into the hands of the civil authority of each colony, and the conventions, assemblies, and committees, were authorized to employ, when they thought it necessary for the purpose, a militia force from the Continental army. "Many Tories were apprehended in New York and on Long Island; some were imprisoned; others disarmed. A deep plot, originating with Governor Tryon, was defeated by a timely and fortunate discovery. His agents were found enlisting men in the American camp, and enticing them with rewards. The infection spread to a considerable extent, and even reached the general's guard, some of whom enlisted. A soldier of the guard was proved guilty by a court martial, and executed. It was a part of the plot, to seize General
