Where these did not grow, the natives got along as best they could on scanty common crops, and by raising a few sheep and hogs.

As the war proceeded, it taught with more and more force the inherent wastefulness of slave labor in the South.

It was inefficient, costly, and unreliable.
The Battle of Bunker Hill was at once hailed as a Patriot victory, but the rejoicing was premature, for the Americans had been forced to retreat, giving up the position they had bravely defended.
Nevertheless, the opinion prevailed that they had won a real victory by withstanding through many hours of a bloody fight some of the best of the British regiments.
Washington took command of the American army at Cambridge, he was faced with the great task of organizing it and of forming a plan of campaign.

The Congress had taken over the charge of the army at Boston, and the events had so shaped themselves that the first thing for Washington to do was to drive out the British troops.

To accomplish this he planned to seal up all the entrances into the town by land so that food could not be smuggled in.