. Appleton's cyclopaedia of American biography . , of New Hampshire, recognizing his ability,gave him a commission of major in one of the NewHampshire regiments; but this act met with oppo-sition from those who resented the appointmentof a younger man over their heads. This feeling ofhostility increased as the active measures of theRevolution approached, and knowledge of the in-tention of tarring and feathering him on accountof his supposed Tory inclinations caused his abruptdeparture from Concord in November, 1774, leav-ing his wife and infant daughter. He made hisway to Boston, where his mil
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. Appleton's cyclopaedia of American biography . , of New Hampshire, recognizing his ability, gave him a commission of major in one of the NewHampshire regiments; but this act met with oppo-sition from those who resented the appointmentof a younger man over their heads. This feeling ofhostility increased as the active measures of theRevolution approached, and knowledge of the in-tention of tarring and feathering him on accountof his supposed Tory inclinations caused his abruptdeparture from Concord in November, 1774, leav-ing his wife and infant daughter. He made hisway to Boston, where his military feelings led tohis intimate relations with Gen. Thomas Gage. Itis said that after the battle of Bunker Hill he wasfavorably introduced to George Washington, whohad just assumed command of the American army, and who would have given him a commission inthe artillery but for the opposition of the NewHampshire officers. In March, 1775, he returnedto SVoburn, where he was arrested, and, after apublic trial, was not fully acquitted, although not. 346 RUMFORD RUMFORD condemned. Unwilling to remain in obscurity athome under a cloud of suspicion, he determinedto seek a field of activity d-r here. Turning hisproperty into money as far as possible he lelt hisfamily in October, 1775, and they did not hear fromhim again until after the close of the war. It ap-pears that he was received on board of the Britishfrigate •• Scarborough in Newport, and thencetaken to Boston, where, on the evacuation of thecity, he was given despatches from Gen. WilliamHowe to Lord George Germaine, secretary of Matefor the colonies. His behavior so impressed theminister that he was appointed in the colonialoffice. He directed immediate attention to mili-tary affairs, improved the accoutrements of thehorse-guards, continued his experiments on gun-powder, and improved the construction of fire-arms. These services received the approbation ofhis superiors, and in 1780 he was appointed anunder-secretary of s