Deana Nagel, age 14, of Rockland, I11., for her question:

WHAT DID THOMAS GAGE DO?

Thomas Gage was the British general who gave the orders that resulted in the first battle of the Revolutionary War in America.

In 1774, Gage was appointed governor of the province of Massachusetts. Although he and his American wife were personally popular, he heard that the people were collecting military supplies in Concord, and he ordered troops to seize the supplies.

Gage's soldiers were fired on in Lexington and Concord, and suffered heavy losses. Two months later, Gage ordered the attack on Breed's Hill in the Battle of Bunker Hill, but it was so costly that it led to his recall.

Gage was born in Sussex, England. He entered the army in 1741 and came to America with Gen. Edward Braddock in 1755. He was with Braddock's men near Fort Duquesne when Indians in hiding shot most of the troops down.

In 1760 Gage became governor of Montreal and from 1763 to 1775 he was the British commander in chief in North America.