Runaway slaves, rebel deserters, and loyalist refugees soon flooded the town. Howe ordered five thousand uniforms to outfit provincial troops willing to fight for their king; he failed to fill more than a quarter of them, despite recruitment posters that offered loyalist enlistees a bonus of fifty acres “where every gallant hero may retire and enjoy his bottle and lass.” Even so, taverns echoed with the roar of loyalists belting out “Britons, Strike Home” or “God Save the King.” Transport ships brought merchants and artisans in long leather aprons from New York and Halifax to open new shops on
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