Though at each move his enemy came nearer,
Howe still appeared to believe that Dorchester
was safe from seizure, and was content so
to believe. But Washington was not satisfied
to be still. His nature urged him to action,
and though he knew himself too weak for an
assault, he constantly schemed and worked to
put his army into condition to strike.
361



362 The Siege of Boston

In some ways his organization was already
complete. He had under him many of the
men who were to serve him through the war.
To be sure, he had Charles Lee, "the worst
present that could be made to any army ; "
but Lee's part in the siege was slight, for
Washington frequently employed him for dis-
tant undertakings. Gates was still present
also, but in a subordinate capacity. And an-
other of those who, before the war was over,
did their best to wreck the American cause,
was present for a while in the person of Bene-
dict Arnold, already distinguished by his
share in the taking of Ticonderoga. Early in
September, however, Arnold was sent on his
fruitless mission against Quebec.
But besides these men, not one of whom had
as yet proved his weakness, Washington had
already at his back some of the best soldiers
whom the war produced. Among the higher
officers were Putnam, Thomas, Sullivan,
Heath, and more particularly Greene. Of
lower grade were Stark, Morgan, Prescott,
and, not yet well known, Knox, the Boston



Washington's Difficulties 363

bookseller whom we have seen endeavoring
to prevent the Massacre, who had studied
tactics in his own volumes and at the manoeu-
vres of the regulars, and who had escaped
from Boston just before the 17th of June.
