Reactions to the first few large battles of the war.
The initial battle of the Revolutionary War was that of Lexington and Concord. News of the engagement officially reached London June 10th and eighteen days later the cartoon below was published. The British support regiment was an Irish group under the control of Lord Percy who was stationed in Boston. They are depicted as burros being chased by the Patriot forces. As the British retreated from Concord, they were harassed all along the way by Patriots practicing guerrilla warfare. Patriots sniped from houses, behind walls, and trees. The Regulars admitted to pillaging and firing on houses, but claimed it was for their own protection from the actions of the opposing force. These firings inflamed feelings against the British soldiers and helped to encourage more harassment by the Patriot soldiers on their way back to Boston. In the end, they lost nearly 275 soldiers and this came to be seen as a moral victory for the rebels.
The Retreat from Concord to Lexington - Anon., 1775, The John Carter Brown Library: Image Collections
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The first major battle of the Revolution was the Battle of Bunker Hill on June 16-17, 1775. There were 3,200 Patriots who entrenched and occupied two fortified hills called Bunker and Breed's which are on the Charlestown peninsula. "Overlooking Boston from the north, the new position threatened the British garrison . . . Gage endorsed Burgoyne's and Howe's plan to land 2,500 troops in front of the entrenched militiamen for a direct assault on their new strongholds" (Taylor, 133).
The battle ended up embarrassing the British as it took them several attempts with over a thousand casualties to gain the area. This was twice the amount of American losses. Of course, this lead the British to reassess the situation and then to replace General Gage with General Howe as commander in North America. Meant to discredit the Patriot, the battle instead embarrassed the British. Intense fire repelled Howe's first two attacks, inflicting heavy casualties. Leading a third charge, Howe belatedly had his men shed their heavy packs. With the Patriots running out of ammunition, their fire faltered, and the British swept over the parapet on Breed's Hill. At last, the regulars could wield their bayonets to slaughter dozens of defenders. . . Gage ruefully reported, 'These People Shew a Spirit and Conduct against us, they never shewed against the French, and every body had Judged of hem from their former Appearance, and behavior . . . which has led many into great mistakes'" (Taylor, 134). |
Bunkers Hill or America's Head Dress - Matthew Darly, 1776, Library of Congress
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Georgian Hairstyle; De Courtais, 81
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During the reign of George III, hair on ladies "heads had reached the extremity of height and elaboration. As well as enormous plumes of every colour, ornaments of every description were added to the mass of powdered, curled and frizzled hair. These included bunches of flowers, fruit, vegetables, ribbons, lace, jeweled pins, ornaments of blown glass and in extreme cases such things as models of complete gardens, baskets of flowers or plates of fruit" (Des Courtais, 2006). Use of this type of outlandish style was made popular by Matthew Darly when he began using them in his mezotints, like the one above, of the same time period.
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The Wise Men of Gotham and their Goose - Anon., 1776, The John Carter Brown Library: Image Collections
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This satirical image is full of excellently used symbolism of the time period. The two main characters are Lord Bute and Lord North. Bute is about to execute the golden goose of America and North is leaning over the table. The other men, obviously upset are presumably other ministers while the man seated is the Archbishop of York.
The goose had laid them many golden eggs and according to the poem, laid two a day. But apparently, had caused too many problems in the end to make it worth it. You can also see a bag full of eggs labeled taxes ripped open on the floor. A dog is urinating on the map of America while a sleeping lion representing Great Britain is depicted in the painting on the wall. |