[Extract]

If he [General Gage] should succeed and beat the raw American troops, which from his superiority in discipline and artillery, as well as his present considerable Numbers, I think he probably will; then we shall be so elevated here as to throw all moderation behind us, and plunge ourselves into a War which cannot be ended by many such Battles, though they should all terminate in so many Victories. If we are beat, America is gone irrecoverably.