USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Concord > History of the siege of Boston, and of the battles of Lexington, Concord, and Bunker Hill. Also an account of the Bunker Hill Monument. With illustrative documents > Part 34
USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Boston > History of the siege of Boston, and of the battles of Lexington, Concord, and Bunker Hill. Also an account of the Bunker Hill Monument. With illustrative documents > Part 34
USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Lexington > History of the siege of Boston, and of the battles of Lexington, Concord, and Bunker Hill. Also an account of the Bunker Hill Monument. With illustrative documents > Part 34
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1 After the model was placed in its present position, there was, June 24, 1845, a masonic celebration in honor of it. A procession moved from Charlestown-square to the monument at
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BUNKER HILL MONUMENT.
Holmes' hoisting apparatus was used for setting the first fifty-five thousand feet of. the stone. Its ingenious inventor, Almiran Holmes, had the entire charge of constructing the derrick, and of hoisting the first thirty-six thousand feet of the stone. He died before the work was recommenced in 1834. In the last contract, Mr. Savage removed the gearing which had been previously used, and substituted a steam- engine of six horse power, and an ingenious and improved boom derrick constructed by himself. 1
But a detail of facts and figures does but poor justice to the Bunker Hill Monument. Fortunately, the pen that described the characteristics of the battle has supplied a description of the monument. Hon. Daniel Webster (Address of 1843) writes : " It is a plain shaft. It bears no inscriptions, fronting to the rising sun, from which the future antiquarian shall wipe the dust. Nor does the rising sun cause tones of music to issue from its summit. But at the rising of the sun and at the setting of the sun, in the blaze of noonday and beneath the milder effulgence of lunar light, it looks, it speaks, it acts, to the full comprehension of every American mind, and the awakening of glowing enthusiasm in every American heart. Its silent but awful utterance ; its deep pathos, as it brings to our contemplation the 17th of June, 1775, and the conse-
about eleven o'clock in the forenoon. John Soley, Esq., delivered an address, which was responded to by Augustus Peabody, Esq., grand-master. An address was then delivered by G. Washington Warren, Esq. After the pro- ceedings at the monument, the company partook of a dinner. This celebra- tion was carried on by King Solomon's Lodge. An interesting account of it may be found in the Freemason's Monthly Magazine, August 1, 1845. The following inscription was put on this model. "This is an exact model of the first monument erected on Bunker Hill, which, with the land on which it stood, was given, A. D. 1825, by King Solomon's Lodge, of this town, to the Bunker Hill Monument Association, that they might erect upon its site a more imposing structure. The association, in fulfilment of a pledge at that time given, have allowed, in their imperishable obelisk, this model to be inserted, with appropriate ceremonies, by King Solomon's Lodge, June 24, A. D., 1845."
1 The description of the monument in the text is compiled from a quarto volume, containing plans and sections of the obelisk, by Solomon Willard, and a description of the monument in " Sketches of Bunker Hill Battle and Monument," by Rev. G. E. Ellis.
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DESCRIPTION OF THE MONUMENT.
quences which have resulted to us, to our country, and to the world, from the events of that day, and which we know must continue to rain influence on the destinies of mankind, to the end of time ; the elevation with which it raises us high above the ordinary feelings of life, surpass all that the study of tlie closet, or even the inspiration of genius, can produce. To-day, it speaks to us. Its future anditories will be the successive generations of men, as they rise up before it, and gather around it. Its speech will be of patriotism and courage; of civil and religious liberty ; of free government; of the moral improvement and elevation of mankind; and of the immortal memory of those, who, with heroic devotion, have sacrificed their lives for their country."
BREED'S HILL MONUMENT.
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APPENDIX.
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COLONIAL POLITICS.
No. 1. - CALL OF A MEETING HELD ON THE 26TH OF AUGUST, 1774, AT FANEUIL HALL.
Boston, August 19, 1774.
Gentlemen, - The committee of the town of Worcester, having signified their desire to the committee of correspondence of this town, to advertise our brethren of the committees of sundry towns in Middlesex to convene on the 26th inst. at such place as we shall determine to be most convenient, that a plan of operation may be agreed upon, to be adopted by the several counties of this province, at this important crisis. In compliance with so wise and salutary a proposal, the committee of Boston request the attendance of one or more of your committee of correspondence at Faneuil Hall, in Boston, on the 26th inst., at two o'clock, P. M., to consider and determine as above.
Per order of the committee of correspondence for this town, JOHN SWEETSER, Jun.
To the Committee of Correspondence of the Town of Charlestown.
No. 2. - PROCEEDINGS OF A MEETING HELD AT FANEUIL HALL ON THE 26TH OF AUGUST, 1774.
At a meeting of delegates from the counties of Worcester, Middlesex, and Essex, with the committee of correspondence of the town of Boston in behalf of the county of Suffolk, holden at Boston on the 26th day of August, 1774, it was voted, that it is the opinion of this body, the judges of the superior court, judges of the inferior court of common pleas, commissioners of oyer and terminer, attorney general, provost marshals, justices of the peace, and other officers to the council and courts of justice belonging in tbis province, are, by a late act of Parliament, entitled " An act for the better regulation and government of Massachusetts Bay," rendered unconstitutional officers.
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APPENDIX.
And, thereupon, a committee was voted to consider and bring in a report of proper resolutions to be taken on this alarming occasion, at the adjourn- ment, which was voted to be at 11, A. M., on the next day, being the 27th day of August aforesaid, which report was as follows : -
Whereas, the charter of this province, as well as laws enacted by virtue of the same, and confirmed by royal assent, have been, by the Parliament of Great Britain, without the least color of right cr justice, declared in part null and void ; and, in conformity to an act of said Parliament, persons are appointed to fill certain offices of government in ways and under influences wholly unknown before in this province, incompatible with its charter, and forming a complete system of tyranny :
And whereas, no power on earth has a right, without the consent of this province, to alter the minutest tittle of its charter, or abrogate any act what- ever, made in pursuance of it, and confirmed by the royal assent, or to consti- tute officers of government in ways not directed by charter, or so constituted as to put them under influence not known in our constitution ; and all such novel officers, attempting to act in such departments, are daring usurpers of power, by whomsoever commissioned, and ought to be deemed enemies to the province :
And whereas, we are entitled to life, liberty, and the means of sustenance, by the grace of Heaven, and without the king's leave, - of all which the Parliament of Great Britain, by the late act for shutting up the harbor of Boston, have cruelly, wantonly, and wickedly endeavored to deprive the inhabitants of the capital of this province :
And whereas, we are, by firm, and, in our opinion, irrefragable compacts, entitled to all the privileges of native Britons, -to the accumulated invasions of such privileges already experienced by this province, we find, to our sur- prise, we are robbed of the most essential rights of British subjects by the late iniquitous act, improperly entitled an act for the impartial administration of justice in this colony :
It is therefore the opinion of this body -
That a Provincial Congress is necessary for concerting and executing an effectual plan for counteracting the systems of despotism mentioned, as well as for substituting referee committees during the unconstitutionality of the courts of justice in the province ; and that, therefore, each county will act wisely by choosing members as soon as may be for said Congress, and by resolutely executing its measures when recommended :
That executive courts, whether superior or inferior, sessions of the peace, &c., by the late act of Parliament rendered unconstitutional, ought, previous to the Provincial Congress, to be properly opposed in the counties wherein they shall be attempted to be held :
That every officer belonging to the courts aforesaid, who shall attempt to exercise authority as such, will be a traitor cloaked with a pretext of law ; and so are all others to be considered, whether officers or private persons, who shall attempt to execute the late act of Parliament for violating the con- stitution of this province :
NEWELL'S DIARY. 363
That, therefore, all such officers and private persons ought to be held in the highest detestation by the people, as common plunderers ; and that all who are connected with such officers and private persons ought to be eneour- aged to separate from them ; - laborers to shun their vineyards ; merchants, husbandmen, and others, to withhold their commeree and supplies :
That, on the other hand, every persecution of individuals asserting and maintaining the rights of this province and continent ought to be withstood by the whole county in which it may happen, and province, if necessary ; and the interest as well as persons of such individuals defended from every attack of despotism:
That the military art, according to the Norfolk plan,1 ought attentively to be practised by the people of this province, as a necessary means to secure ยท their liberties against the designs of enemies, whether foreign or domestic.
The above report was repeatedly read, and voted paragraph by paragraph.
No. 3. - EXTRACTS FROM THE DIARY OF THOMAS NEWELL, OF BOSTON.2
1771. May 13. - Lively arrived, with Gen. Gage on board. Town-meet- ing called. Paul Revere despatelicd to York and Philadelphia.
May 17. - Hutchinson superseded by Gage.
June 1. - Governor Hutchinson, son and daughter, sailed for London.
Three transports, with troops on board, arrived at Nantasket Road from England.
Junc 14. - The 4th or king's own regiment landed at the Long Wharf, and marched to the common, where they eneampcd.
June 15, A. M. - 43d regiment landed at the Long Wharf, and marched to the common, and there encamped. Most of the stores on the Long Wharf are now shut up. Thus are we surrounded with fleet and army, the harbor shut, all navigation ccase, and not one topsail vessel to be seen but those of " our enemies.
June 22. - One transport arrived from Ireland.
July 1. - Admiral Graves 3 arrived with his fleet from London. More transports arrived from Ireland, with 5th and 38th regiments.
July 2, A. M. - Artillery from Castle William landed with eight brass cannon, and encamped on the common.
July 4. - 38th regiment landed at Hancock's Wharf, and encamped on the common.
July 5. - 5th regiment landed at the Long Wharf, and encamped on the common.
I This was a " Plan of Exercise for the Militia of the Province of the Massachu- setts Bay : Extracted from the Plan of Discipline for the Norfolk militia." Pub- lished in a pamphlet in Boston, by Richard Draper, 1768.
? I am indebted to Thomas J. Whittemore, Esq., for this original diary.
3 General Gage, as early as May 31, mentions a consultation " with the admiral."
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APPENDIX.
August 6. - The Searboro man-of-war arrived, nine weeks from England. P. M. Three transports from Halifax, with the 59th regiment on board, and company of artillery and brass cannon ; eight days out. In the margin : The 59th regiment, some time in the next week, landed at Salem, and there encamped.
August 7 - Lord's Day - Fair - A. M. - Three transports from New York, with the royal regiment of Welsh Fusileers, and a detachment of royal artillery, and a quantity of ordnance stores, &c.
August 8. - Company of artillery landed, and encamped on common.
August 9. - This morning the regiment Welsh Fusileers (or 23d regt.) landed at Long Wharf. Encamped on Fort Hill.
August 27. - Governor Thomas Gage came to town from Salem.
September 3. - This afternoon four large field-pieces were (from the com- mon) dragged by the soldiery and placed at the only entrance to this town by land.
September 13, P. M. - The 59th regiment arrived in town from Salem, and are now encamped on Boston Neck.
September 15. - Last night all the cannon in the North Battery were spiked up ; it is said to be done by about one hundred men (who came in boats) from the men-of-war in the harbor.
September 17. - Last night town's people took four brass cannon from the gun-house very near the common.
September 19. - Most of our town carpenters, with a number from the country, are now employed in building barracks for the army.
- hundred of the soldiery are now employed in repairing and mantling the fortification at the entrance of the town.
The 59th regiment, with a number of other soldiery, are now throwing up an intrenchment on the Neck.
September 20. - Some cannon removed by the men-of-war's men from the mill-pond.
September 26. - All the carpenters of the town and country (this morn- ing) that were employed in building barracks for the soldiery left off work at the barracks, &c.
October 12. - The Rose man-of-war arrived here from Newfoundland, with three companies of the 65th regiment.
. October 14. - The three companies of the 65th regiment landed, and now in barrack in King-street.
October 23. - This day four transports arrived here from New York, with a company of royal artillery, a large quantity of ordnance and stores for Castle William, three companies of the royal regiment of Ireland, or the 18th regiment, and the 47th regiment, on board.
October 29. - Arrived here several transports, with troops on board, from Quebec. The 10th and 52d regiments.
December 4. - Yesterday arrived the Scarborough man-of-war, which went express from henee to England the beginning of September last.
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LEXINGTON AND CONCORD.
December 17. - This day the Boyne man-of-war, of sixty-four guns, and the Asia, of sixty guns, lately arrived, (below,) came up into the harbor, and are at anchor within musket-shot of the town.
December 19 - The Somerset man-of-war, of sixty-four guns, arrived in this harbor.
LEXINGTON AND CONCORD.
No. 1. - PUBLICATIONS ON THE EVENTS OF THE NINETEENTH OF APRIL.
The earliest accounts of the events of the nineteenth of April appeared in the newspapers of the day. Some of them were printed, soon after the battle, in a hand-bill, having forty coffins pictured over the top of it, over which were the names of the killed. It had, also, a wretched eulogy in verse, to their memory. The letters of this date are too numerous to be separately mentioned. A series of engravings of the battles appeared this year, made by Amos Doolittle, of New Haven. On hearing the news of the battle, he volunteered under Benedict Arnold. He visited the battle- ground, and on his return to New Haven made the engraving.
The Provincial Congress, April 22, 1775, ordered depositions to be taken in relation to the battle, and a narrative to be prepared. They were printed in the London Chronicle of 1774, and in the American newspapers ; and also by Isaiah Thomas, in pamphlet form, of twenty-two pages, entitled " A Narrative of the Incursions and Ravages of the King's Troops, under the Command of General Gage, on the nineteenth of April, 1775, together with the Depositions taken by order of Congress to support the truth of it."
Rev. William Gordon prepared a narrative, entitled " An Account of the Commencement of Hostilities between Great Britain and America, in the Province of the Massachusetts Bay, by the Reverend Mr. William Gordon, of Roxbury, in a Letter to a Gentleman in England, dated May 17, 1775." This is printed in Force's American Archives. This account, substantially, appeared in several almanacs of 1776, and, with additions and much abridg- ment, it was incorporated in his history.
Rev. Jonas Clark delivered a sermon at Lexington on the first anniversary of this battle, (1776,) to which, on its publication, he added " A Brief Nar- rative of the Principal Transactions of that Day." He was the minister of Lexington, and was an eye-witness of part of the events he describes.
Rev. William Emerson, minister of Concord, wrote at the time a brief account of the events in Concord, which was first printed in the Historical Discourse of Ralph Waldo Emerson, delivered at Concord in 1835.
General Gage, April 29, 1775, sent to Governor Trumbull a narrative, entitled " A Circumstantial Account of an Attack that happened on the 19th of April, 1775, on His Majesty's Troops, by a Number of the People of the
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APPENDIX.
Province of the Massachusetts Bay." This was also circulated in a hand- bill, and is printed in 2 Mass. Hist. Collections, vol. II., with the exception of the last paragraph, which is as follows : "Thus this unfortunate affair has happened through the rashness and imprudence of a few people who began firing on the troops at Lexington."
In 1779 a pamphlet was published in Boston, containing General Gage's instructions to Captain Brown and Ensign D'Bernicre, in relation to surveying the country, dated February 22, 1775 ; a narrative of their journey to Wor- cester and to Concord ; and an account of the " Transactions of the British Troops previous to and at the Battle of Lexington," &c. It was printed from Mss. left in Boston by a British officer. This is reprinted in 2 Mass. Hist. Collections, vol. IV.
In 1798 Colonel Paul Revere addressed to the corresponding secretary of the Massachusetts Historical Society a letter containing reminiscences chiefly connected with the events of the night of the 18th of April, which is printed in vol. v. of the first series of the society's collections.
In 1824 and 1825 several articles appeared on the battle in the Concord Gazette and Middlesex Yeoman, and also in the Boston Patriot.
In 1825 Hon. Edward Everett delivered at Concord an oration on the anni- versary of the battle, which was published, and contains a sketch of the events of the day.
In 1825 Elias Phinney, Esq., published a " History of the Battle at Lex- ington, on the Morning of the 19th of April, 1775." This pamphlet con- tains ten depositions relating to the battle, taken in 1825, from the survivors.
In 1827 Dr. Ezra Ripley, with other citizens of Concord, published " A History of the Fight at Concord on the 19th of April, 1775, with a Particu- lar Account of the Military Operations and Interesting Events of that ever- memorable Day ; showing that then and there the first regular and forcible resistance was made to the British soldiery, and the first British blood was shed by armed Americans, and the Revolutionary War thus commenced." A second edition was published in 1832.
In 1835 Lemuel Shattuck, Esq. published a History of Concord, which contains a minute detail of the military transactions of the 19th of April, in Concord, and the depositions taken by authority of the Provincial Congress of 1775.
In 1835 Hon. Edward Everett delivered at Lexington an oration on the 19th of April, at the request of the citizens of that place, in which a sketch is given of the events that occurred there. This was published.
In 1835 Josiah Adams, Esq., delivered an address at Acton, being the first centennial anniversary of that town. This was published, and contains, in the appendix, a review of some of the transactions that occurred at Con- cord.
In 1835 Hon. Daniel P. King delivered " An Address, commemorative of Seven Young Men of Danvers, who were slain in the Battle of Lexing- ton," at Danvers, on the occasion of laying a corner-stone to their memory.
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DEPOSITIONS.
No. 2. - DEPOSITION (1775) RELATIVE TO THE EVENTS ON THE MORNING OF THE NINETEENTH OF APRIL, AT LEXINGTON
We, Nathaniel Parkhurst, Jonas Parker, John Monroe, Jun., John Windship, Solomon Peirce, John Muzzy, Abner Meads, John Bridge, Jun., Ebenezer Bowman, William Monroe, 3d., Micah Hagar, Samuel Sanderson, Samuel Hastings, and James Brown, of Lexington, in the County of Middle- sex, and Colony of the Massachusetts Bay, in New England, and all of law- ful age, do testify and say, that on the morning of the nineteenth of April, instant, about one or two o'clock, being informed that a number of regular officers had been riding up and down the road the evening and night preced- ing, and that some of the inhabitants as they were passing had been insulted by the officers, and stopped by them ; and being also informed that the regu- lar troops were on their march from Boston, in order (as it was said) to take the colony stores then deposited in Concord, we met on the parade of our company in this town : after the company had collected, we were ordered by Capt. John Parker (who commanded us) to disperse for the present, and to be ready to attend the beat of the drum ; and accordingly the company went into houses near the place of parade. We further testify and say, that about five o'clock in the morning we attended the beat of our drum, and were formed on the parade ; we were faced towards the regulars then marching up to us, and some of our company were coming to the parade, with their backs towards the troops, and others on the parade began to disperse, when the regulars fired on the company, before a gun was fired by any of our company on them ; they killed eight of our company, and wounded several, and con- tinued their fire until we had all made our escape.
Lexington, 25th April, 1775.
No. 3. - DEPOSITION (1775) RELATIVE TO THE EVENTS IN CONCORD ON THE NINETEENTH OF APRIL.
We, Nathan Barret, Captain ; Jonathan Farrer, Joseph Butler, and Francis Wheeler, Lieutenants ; John Barret, Ensign ; John Brown, Silas Walker, Ephraim Melvin, Nathan Butterick, Stephen Hosmer, Jun., Sam- uel Barrett, Thomas Jones, Joseph Chandler, Peter Wheeler, Nathan Pierce, and Edward Richardson, all of Concord, in the County of Middlesex, in the Province of the Massachusetts Bay, of lawful age, testify and declare, that on Wednesday, the 19th instant, about an hour after sunrise, we assembled on a hill near the meeting-house in Concord aforesaid, in consequence of an information that a number of regular troops had killed six of our countrymen at Lexington, and were on their march to said Concord ; and about an hour after, we saw them approaching, to the number, as we imagine, of about twelve hundred, on which we retreated to a hill about eighty rods back, and the aforesaid troops then took possession of the hill where we were first posted. Presently after this, we saw them moving towards the North Bridge, about
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APPENDIX.
one mile from said meeting-house ; we then immediately went before them, and passed the bridge just before a party of them, to the number of about two hundred, arrived ; they there left about one half of those two hundred at the bridge, and proceeded with the rest towards Colonel Barrett's, about two miles from the said bridge ; we then, seeing several fires in the town, thought our houses were in danger, and immediately marched back towards said bridge ; and the troops who were stationed there, observing our approach, marched back over the bridge, and then took up some of the planks ; we then hastened our steps towards the bridge, and when we had got near the bridge, they fired on our men, first, three guns, one after the other, and then a con- siderable number more, upon which, and not before, (having orders from our commanding officers not to fire till we were fired upon,) we fired upon the regulars, and they retreated. At Concord, and on their retreat through Lex- ington, they plundered many houses, burnt three at Lexington, together with a shop and a barn, and committed damage, more or less, to almost every house from Concord to Charlestown.
Lexington, April 23d, 1775.
No. 4. - PETITION OF WILLIAM TAY, OF WOBURN, RELATIVE TO THE BATTLE.
Colony of the Massachusetts Bay in New England. To the Honorable the Council of the Colony aforesaid, and the Honorable
House of Representatives, in General Court assembled, the twentieth day of September, 1775.
Your petitioner, the subscriber, begs leave, humbly, to show :
That on the 19th day of April, 1775, being roused from his sleep by an alarm, occasioned by the secret and sudden march of the ministerial troops towards Concord, supposed to intend the destruction of the colony's maga- zine there deposited, - to prevent which, your petitioner, with about 180 of his fellow-townsmen, well armed, and resolved in defence of the common cause, speedily took their march from Woburn to Concord aforesaid, who, upon their arrival there, being reinforced by a number of their fellow-soldiers of the same regiment, smartly skirmished with those hostile troops, being deeply touched with their bloody massacre and inhuman murders in their march at Lexington, where we found sundry of our friends and neighbors inhumanly butchered on that bloody field ; and other salvage cruelties to our aged fathers, and poor, helpless, bed-ridden women under the infirmities of child-bearing ; together with their horrible devastations committed on their ignominious retreat the same day, (shocking to relate, but more so to behold,) to the eternal infamy of those British arms so frequently and so successfully wielded in the glorious cause of liberty through most of the European dominions, now made subservient to the ambitious purposes of a very salvage cruelty, inhuman butchery, and tyrannical slavery.
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