“Say, redcoat, if you won’t pop at me, I won’t at you.”
“Agreed.”
“Wouldn’t ye like a chaw of tobacco, redcoat?”
“I wouldn’t mind.”
“All right. Here’s a plug with my compliments; ’tain’t poisoned. Ye needn’t be afraid of it,” said Tom, tossing it to him.
The Britisher opened the paper and read:—
| American Army. | English Army. |
| 1. Seven dollars a month. | 1. Three pence a day. |
| 2. Fresh provisions in plenty. | 2. Rotten salt pork. |
| 3. Health. | 3. The scurvy. |
| 4. Freedom, ease, affluence, and a good farm. | 4. Slavery, beggary, and want. |
Other pickets besides Tom were tossing the handbills to the Britishers. Abraham Duncan, going here and there along the streets, saw the redcoats reading them, and night after night soldiers disappeared, never again to shoulder a musket in the service of the king.
Shut up in the town with nothing to do, the troops became lawless, breaking into houses and plundering the people. In vain were the efforts of General Howe, by severe punishments, to prevent it; giving one soldier four hundred lashes on his bare back; another six hundred; hanging a third.
Hard times had come to the people of Boston. In the autumn, General Howe had issued a proclamation, threatening with execution any one who should attempt to steal away from the town without his consent; but now he would gladly have them go, only they must obtain permission. He could not supply them with food, neither with fuel. He gave the soldiers leave to rip the boards from the Old North Meetinghouse, and cut its timbers into kindlings. After much hacking they leveled the Liberty Tree, not only to obtain the wood, but to manifest their hatred of the tree. Not being able to feed the people, he sent three hundred and fifty from the town, landing them at Point Shirley, to make their way over the marshes to Lynn as best they could. Others were directed to go.