These anomalies, of course, righted themselves rapidly. Gage's
proclamation of martial law expedited the battle at Bunker Hill, which
was brought about by the impatience of the British troops, and by the
increased confidence among the colonists, resulting from the fights at
Lexington and Concord. It is true, of course, that the untrained
American troops failed to vanquish the British army at Bunker Hill, but
the monument at that spot celebrates the fact that for two hours the
attacks of the regulars were withstood. A prominent English newspaper
described the battle as one of innumerable errors on the part of the
British. As William Tudor wrote so graphically, "The Ministerial troops
gained the hill, but were victorious losers. A few more such victories
and they are undone." Many writers have been credited with the
authorship of a similar sentiment, written from the American standpoint.
"It is true that we were beaten, but it will not take many such defeats
to accomplish a magnificent victory."

What began to be known as the great American army increased in strength.
It was adopted by Congress, and George Washington placed in command.
Under the historic elm tree at Cambridge, Mass., which was the scene of
so many important councils in the first hours of the life of the United
States, he assumed the authority bestowed upon him with this office, and
a week later he held a council with his officers. He found some 17,000
men at his command, whom he described as a mixed multitude of people
under very little discipline.

William Emerson, grandfather of the great poet, in a soliloquy on the
strange turn events had taken, said "Who would have thought, twelve
months past, that all Cambridge and Charleston would be covered over
with American camps and cut up into forts and entrenchments, and all the
lands, fields and orchards laid common, with horses and cattle feeding