Meanwhile, through all these years, the plot of the American [Sidenote: 1770.] dispute was thickening fast. From 1773 onwards the news of trouble and discontent across the Atlantic became more frequent; and at last in 1774 seven infantry regiments were despatched to Boston. Then probably the Seventeenth pricked up its ears and discussed, with the lightest of hearts, the prospect of fighting the [Sidenote: 1775.] rebels over the water. The year 1775 had hardly come in when the order arrived for the regiment to complete its establishment with drafts from the 12th and 18th, and hold itself in readiness to embark at Cork for the port of Boston. It was the first cavalry regiment selected for the service--a pretty good proof of its reputation for efficiency.[6] [Illustration: Marching Order. Field-day Order. Review Order. PRIVATES, 1784–1810.] CHAPTER IV THE AMERICAN WAR--1ST STAGE--THE NORTHERN CAMPAIGN, 1775–1780. [Sidenote: 1775.] It would be beside the purpose to enter upon a relation of the causes which led to the rupture between England and the thirteen North American Colonies, and to the war of American Independence. The immediate ground of dispute was, however, one in which the Army was specially interested, namely, the question of Imperial defence. Fifteen years before the outbreak of the American War England had, by the conquest of Canada, relieved the Colonies from the presence of a dangerous neighbour on their northern frontier, and for this good service she felt justified in asking from them some return. Unfortunately, however, the British Government, instead of leaving it to the Colonies to determine in what manner their contribution to the cost of Imperial defence should be raised, took the settlement of the question into its own hands, as a matter wherein its authority was paramount. Ultimately by a series of lamentable blunders the British ministers contrived to create such irritation in America that the Colonies broke into open revolt. [Sidenote: 1774.]