The Virginia Gazette

The town of Boston is surrounded by two and twenty thousand provincial troops, all determined men, commanded by the officers Ward, Prescott, Heath, and Thomas; who act as generals, and are provided with seventeen pieces of cannon. The right wing, great part of which is encamped, extends from Cambridge to Roxbury; the left wing from Cambridge to Mystic. The head quarters are at Cambridge. From Roxbury to Mystic is thirty miles. There are sentinels posted all the way, to preserve the communication. There is another body of provincials stationed as a corps of reserve, in cantonments, between Cambridge and Worcester. They are Connecticut men, to the number of six thousand, under the command of Colonel Putnam, who is at Cambridge, with the other officers. They have stopped all provisions going into Boston, in order to oblige General Gage to turn out the inhabitants. The communication with the country having continued entirely cut off seven days, the inhabitants begged of General Gage to permit the women and children to quit the town. He refused. However it is presumed, he will be obliged to comply with their request, unless he can support them; which he certainly cannot. They are in a situation that truly deserves pity.

The provincials, who attacked General Gage's convoy of provision, were headed and commanded by the Rev. Mr. Parker, a dissenting clergyman.