USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Lexington > History of the town of Lexington, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, from its first settlement to 1868, Volume I > Part 14
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121
GOVERNOR GAGE'S ADMINISTRATION
the great principles of Magna Charta, they, having all the rights, immunities, and prerogatives of Englishmen, could not be taxed without their consent; that taxation without representation was oppressive, and that all laws to raise a revenue in America, without the consent of the people, were in direct contravention of the English Constitution and the colonial Charters, and so were unconstitutional and void. The British Government, finding itself unable to meet this issue in the field of debate, and knowing that the united voice of the people in the Colonies was sustained by many of their ablest statesmen at home, resolved to change the issue by altering the American Charters, so as to give Great Britain, if not civil at least military control over the Colonies. The Charter of Massachusetts was at first taken away, and subse- quently restored with important changes, greatly increasing the power of the Crown, and consequently reducing that of the colonists. But though this modified Charter was in fact forced upon the colonists, the Ministry were not disposed to abide by it, but actually took the liberty of infringing its pro- visions, whenever they were found to stand in the way of their unjust and oppressive measures. They not only tram- pled upon the rights of the Colony, as a body politic and cor- porate, but they invaded the private rights of individuals in points relating, not only to property, but to liberty and life, by controlling the courts of justice, depriving the people of the right of trial by jury, and the privilege of meeting to- gether peaceably to deliberate upon their own affairs. These unconstitutional and oppressive measures - this system of tyranny, deliberately adopted and persistently adhered to, for the express purpose of reducing the Colonies to a state of abject and degrading servitude, they attempted to enforce at the point of the bayonet.
It was not simply a question of taxation or no taxation, but a question of freedom or slavery that the people were called upon to decide; - not merely a question whether they should be taxed to feed their oppressors, but whether they should submit to evils far greater, and enormities more to be dreaded, because more personal in their character; - whether they should have their property torn from them in mock trials by judges taken from among their oppressors, and by juries packed by corrupt crown officers; - whether their lives should be put in jeopardy by being torn from their families
122
HISTORY OF LEXINGTON
and transported beyond the seas to be tried for pretended offences. This was the issue forced upon the people at that day. Our patriot fathers were not rebels in the common ac- ceptation of that term. They did not revolt against the mother country, or refuse to obey laws constitutionally made, and designing to apply to all His Majesty's subjects. No; they simply refused to acquiesce in a system of measures applying to themselves alone, and adopted for the avowed purpose of depriving them of the rights of British subjects and of bring- ing them trembling to the foot of the throne.
Nor was this noble stand taken by our fathers till all other means had failed. Petition and entreaty had been resorted to, but repeated petitions had been answered only by re- peated injuries; and it was not till all hope of redress had failed that they took the last resolve to stand by their rights at the hazard of their lives. And even then they resolved not to be the aggressors. Though they believed their cause to be just, they would not forfeit the approbation of the God of battles by any hasty or rash act of their own.
It is a libel upon the character of our fathers to say that they involved the country in all the horrors of war rather than pay a petty tax upon stamped paper and tea. They had motives higher, purer, and holier than that of avoiding the payment of an insignificant tax. They planted themselves upon the great principles of human rights - of fealty to their country and fidelity to their God. They felt that they had personal rights which they were bound to defend - a duty they owed to posterity, which they were under a sacred obligation to discharge- a devotion to the Most High, which it were treason to disregard. Such were the motives and the convictions of our patriot sires. They fought not to conquer, but to defend; not to humble a foe, but to build up a com- monwealth on the great principles of equal rights. To these duties they were prompted by the dictates of patriotism, and the teachings of the Word of Life.
NOTE. - An event worthy of notice occurred within the period covered by this chapter, which is stated here, so as not to interrupt the chain of events which were tending to an open rupture with the mother country. On the 22d of May, 1773, Rev. Mr. Clarke's house was entered by a burglar, who carried off a silver tankard and other articles of plate. Levi Ames was subsequently arrested, and the articles found in his possession. He was arraigned and found guilty. He confessed his guilt, and as burglary in the night-time was at that day a capital offence, he was executed, October 20, 1773. Mr. Clarke visited him in prison, and prayed with him, after his convic- tion. The stolen articles were restored to Mr. Clarke.
CHAPTER VI
THE BATTLE OF LEXINGTON
The Policy of General Gage - His Expedition to Concord - Attack upon the Americans at Lexington - The Gathering of the Militia - The Skirmish at Concord - Destruction of Military Stores there - The Retreat of the British Troops - Reinforcement under Lord Percy.
WE now come to the most eventful period in the history of Lexington, and indeed of our country. We have seen in the preceding chapters the causes which led to the Revolution, and the steps by which the great conflict of opinions was de- veloped. We have witnessed the acts of oppression on the one side and the firm and manly opposition on the other. We have felt the ground-swell of public sentiment and heard the busy notes of preparation. We have seen that the town of Lexington had contributed its full share to the patriotic tide and was measurably prepared for the issue.
If the importance of a battle depended upon the number of troops engaged, or upon the military science displayed in the operation, the Battle of Lexington would dwindle into com- parative insignificance. The events of the 19th of April, 1775, are not characterized by any remarkable exhibition of mili- tary skill, or by those combined desperate deeds of daring which excite admiration and render a military expedition remarkable. There were no dangerous defiles, to be passed at every hazard, in the face of disciplined troops,- no strong batteries to be stormed, - no commanding positions on which depended the fortunes of the day, to be carried at the point of the bayonet. Nor were there any of those desperate encounters between veterans, well armed and equipped, and led on by brave and experienced commanders, of which we have so many accounts in history. There was true bravery - but it was the firm principle of patriotic valor, unaided by military skill - the uprising of a people poorly armed, in defence of their dearest rights.
The Battle of Lexington, in its commencement, was little more than a cowardly and brutal attack of some eight hun- dred veteran troops upon fifty or sixty peaceable citizens.
124
HISTORY OF LEXINGTON
The whole movement of General Gage was simply a secret expedition of a well-appointed corps to destroy a few un- guarded military stores - a march through a country of un- offending citizens, where there were no troops to oppose. It was not an expedition into an enemy's country in time of war; but a sort of excursion party in times of peace, sent out by the acknowledged Governor of the Province, some twenty miles into the country. And yet the fate of two mighty empires hung upon the conduct of this party. Their excursion was among men who knew their rights, and knowing dared main- tain them. If their march was peaceable, and the rights of the people were respected, they had nothing to fear from the in- habitants. But if they should invade the rights of the citizens by destroying their property or ruthlessly entering their dwellings; and especially if their march should be marked by violence and massacre, it would in all probability cause a wound never to be healed. And yet this party, with a haughty disregard of the rights of the inhabitants, wantonly commenced a system of pillage and massacre as though it were a mere holiday pastime; and thus brought on a collision, the effects of which were not only felt in both hemispheres at that day, but may yet extend to unborn ages.
The pages of the world's history present many sanguinary battles, and even decided and brilliant victories which were attended with no particular results. The battle of the Pyra- mids in Egypt, and of Buena Vista in Mexico, are of this description. Nor is it obvious to the most careful observer at the present day what principles, moral or political, were involved in those bloody and terrible conflicts or were settled by their results. The desperate struggle in the Crimea, which ended in the partial fall of Sebastopol, where the mighty energies of the three great powers of the world were put forth, and where blood and treasure were poured out like water, decided nothing, except that the advance in military science gives neither party any advantage where both avail themselves of the latest improvements.
But with the affair of the 19th of April the case was widely different. It involved the enfeebling of one empire, and the creation of another. It was a conflict of opinions rather than of arms. It was a war of opposing principles which had di- vided the public mind for centuries, - it was a stern debate upon the ensanguined field of the great question of human
125
THE BATTLE OF LEXINGTON
rights against arbitrary and despotic power, - of the privi- leges of the many against the prerogatives of the few. But though the collision on that memorable day was the opening scene of the Revolutionary drama, it was by no means the moving cause of that eventful struggle. We must look to causes more remote than the marching of the British troops from Boston, and to questions more momentous than the possession of a few rusty cannon at Concord, if we would comprehend the issue decided by the American Revolution. Nor are the effects of that day's adventure to be confined to the precipitate and ignominious flight of the British army and its arrival under cover of its ships at Charlestown. No; the events of that day, by inspiring confidence and securing union on the one side and by creating distrust on the other, insured to America the blessing of independence, and gave an impulse to the cause of liberty which has cheered many a heart on both continents and may yet contribute to the emancipation of the world.
The spring of 1775 opened with every indication that the crisis was rapidly approaching, and that General Gage had resolved to make some decisive demonstration in the field. Parliament had signified its determination to sustain the Ministry in bringing the Colonies to a state of subjection. The Earl of Dartmouth had suggested to General Gage the pro- priety of disarming the colonists; 1 and though General Gage had in November, 1774, intimated that true wisdom would require the employment of twenty thousand troops,2 yet in January, 1775, he had written to his lordship that matters looked more favorable, and that it was the general opinion that "if a respectable force is seen in the field, the most ob- noxious of the leaders are seized, and a pardon proclaimed for all others, the Government will come off victorious." 3 General Gage was also aware that there was a growing dissatisfaction in the Ministry with the course he was pursuing. His policy was deemed inefficient, and his inactivity was complained of.4 He knew, moreover, that additional troops were to be sent to Boston, and that Generals Howe, Clinton, and Burgoyne were to join, and probably in the end to supersede him. Such facts
1 Force's Archives, 4th Series, Vol. I, p. 1045.
2 Sparks's Washington, Vol. III, p. 506.
3 Force's Archives, Vol. II, p. 336. Ed.
4 Chatham's Speech in Parliament, January 20, 1775. Ed.
126
HISTORY OF LEXINGTON
and considerations would naturally prompt him to action. He was probably further encouraged by certain demonstra- tions, in favor of the royal cause, made at Marshfield and several other places.
Knowing that some cannon and other military stores had been collected at Salem, he sent, on the 25th of February, a detachment of his troops to seize or destroy them. But the people, anticipating his design, raised the drawbridge leading to the part of the town where they were deposited, and so prevented their falling into his hands.1 Meditating the de- struction of the military stores which the Committees of Safety and Supplies had been collecting at Worcester and Concord, General Gage sent officers in disguise to sketch the topography of the country and ascertain the feelings and prep- aration of the people. Under date of February 22, Captain Brown, of the Fifty-second Regiment, and Ensign D'Bernicre, of the Tenth, were directed to make this reconnoissance, with instructions not only to note the roads, distances, heights, passes, rivers, and the like, but to "notice the situation of the towns and villages, their churches and churchyards, whether they are advantageous spots to take post in, and capable of being rendered defensible." 2 These officers in disguise visited Worcester by way of Sudbury, Framingham, and Marlbor- ough, and subsequently, on the 20th of March, visited Con- cord by way of Sudbury and returned through Lexington; and on their return, reported the result of their exploration to General Gage.3
1 Essex Gazette. See also E. Chase, Beginnings of the American Revolution, Vol. II, pp. 248-61. Ed.
2 Force's Archives, Vol. I, p. 1263.
8 See Journal of John Howe, a British spy, in Ellen Chase, Beginnings of the American Revolution, Vol. II, p. 295. See also D'Bernicre's Narrative, as follows. This reference to the Battle of Lexington is from the original pamphlet in the pos- session of the Lexington Historical Society, and also republished in the Mass. Hist. Soc. Coll., Vol. Iv, 2d Series. (Page 17 of pamphlet:)
"TRANSACTIONS of the British troops previous to, and at the Battle of Lexington; with a Return of their killed, wounded and missing, as made to General Gage.
"On the night of the 18th of April 1774, at nine o'clock, the grenadiers and light infantry of the army at Boston, received orders to embark immediately under the command of Col. Smith, in the men of war's boats, and proceed according to his directions. They embarked at the com- mon in Boston, and crossed to the shore lying between Charlestown and Cambridge, where they landed and received a day's provisions: They began their march about twelve o'clock for Con- cord, that being the place they were ordered to go to, for the purpose of destroying some military stores laid up there by the rebels. The troops received no interruption in their march until they arrived at Lexington, a town eleven miles from Boston, where there were about 150 rebels drawn out in divisions, with intervals as wide as the front of the divisions; the light-infantry who marched in front halted, and Major Pitcairn came up immediately and cried out to the rebels to throw down their arms and disperse, which they did not do; he called out a second time, but to no purpose; upon which he ordered our light-infantry to advance and disarm them, which they
#
4.
GENERAL GAGE's
INSTRUCTIONS, Of zad February 1715,
To Captain Brown and Enfign 'D'Bernicre, (of the army under his' command) whora he ordered to take a fketch of the roads, paffes, heights, &c. from Bofton to Worcefter, and to make other obfervations :
With a curious
NARRATIVE
. DE OCCURRENCES during their million; Wrote by the Enfign,
Together with an ACCOUNT of their doings, in confequence of further Orders and Inftructions from General Gage, of the 20th March following, to proceed to Concord, to reconnaitre aud End out the flate of the provincial magazines , what number of cannon, &c, they have, and in what condition.
An ACCOUNT of the Tranfictions of the British troops, from the time they marched out of. Bofton, on the evening of the 18th, 'till their confused retreat back, on the ever memorable Nineteenib of April 1775 ; and a Return of their killed, wounded and miffing ou that auspicious dey, as made toGen. Gage.
[Left is town by a British Officer previous to the evacua. tion of it by the enemy, and now printed in the information and amufement of the caricu: "
OSTON : Printed, and so be feld, by J. G IL. L, in Court Street. 1779.
TITLE-PAGE OF D'BERNICRE NARRATIVE
127
THE BATTLE OF LEXINGTON
In the mean time there were many indications that the British officers, stationed at Boston, were becoming weary of those "piping times of peace," and were desirous of bringing
were doing, when one of the rebels fired a shot, our soldiers returned the fire and killed about fourteen of them; there was only one of the 10th light-infantry received a shot through his leg; some of them got into the church and fired from it, but were soon drove out. We then continued our march for Concord, and arrived there between nine and ten o'clock in the morning of the 19th April, the light-infantry marched on the hills that lay the length of the town, and the grenadiers took the lower road immediately on our arrival; Capt. Parsons of the 10th, was dispatched with six light-companies to take possession of a bridge that lay three quarters of a mile from Concord, and I was ordered to shew him the road there, and also to conduct him to a house where there was some cannon and other stores hid; when we arrived at the bridge, three companies under the command of Capt. Lowry of the 43d, were left to protect it, these three companies were not close together, but situated so as to be able to support each other; we then proceeded to Col. Barrett's, where these stores were, we did not find so much as we expected, but what there was we de- stroyed; in the mean time Capt. Lowry and his party were attacked by about 1500 rebels and drove from the bridge, three officers were wounded and one killed, three soldiers were killed and a number wounded, notwithstanding they let Capt. Parsons with his three companies return, and never attacked us; they had taken up some of the planks of the bridge, but we got over; had they destroyed it we were most certainly all lost; however, we joined the main body. Col. Smith during our absence, had sent Capt. Pole of 10th regiment, to destroy some provisions and cannon that were lodged in another part of the town, he knock'd the trunnions off three iron 24 pound cannon and burnt their carriages; they also destroyed a quantity of flour, and some barrels of trenchers and spoons of wood for their camp. Upon the different detachment's joining the main body, and after getting some horses and chaises for the wounded, we began the march to return to Boston, about twelve o'clock in the day, in the same order of march, only our flankers were more numerous and further from the main body; all the hills on each side of us were covered with rebels - there could not be less than 5000; so that they kept the road always lined and a very hot fire on us without intermission; we at first kept our order and returned their fire as hot as we received it, but when we arrived within a mile of Lexington, our ammunition began to fail, and the light-companies were so fatigued with flanking they were scarce able to act, and a great number of wounded scarce able to get forward, made a great confusion; Col. Smith (our com- manding-officer) had received a wound through his leg, a number of officers were also wounded, so that we began to run rather than retreat in order - the whole behaved with amazing bravery, but little order; we attempted to stop the men and form them two deep but to no purpose, the confusion increased rather than lessened: At last, after we got through Lexington, the officers got to the front and presented their bayonets, and told the men if they advanced they should die: Upon this they began to form under a very heavy fire; but at that instant, the first brigade joined us, consisting of the 4th, 23d, and 47th regiments, and two divisions of marines, under the com- mand of Brigadier-General Lord Percy; he brought two field-pieces wih him, which were imme- diately brought to bear upon the rebels, and soon silenced their fire. - After a little firing the whole halted for about half an hour to rest. Lord Percy then made the light-infantry march in front, the grenadiers next, and the first brigade brought up the rear and sent out flankers; the rebels still kept firing on us, but very lightly until we came to Menotomy, a village with a number of houses in little groups extending about half a mile, out of these houses they kept a very heavy fire, but our troops broke into them and killed vast numbers; the soldiers shewed great bravery in this place, forcing houses from whence came a heavy fire, and killing great numbers of rebels. At about seven o'clock in the evening we arrived at Charlestown, they kept up a scattering fire at us all the way; at Charlestown we took possession of a hill that commanded the town, the Selectmen of which sent to Lord Percy to let him know that if he would not attack the town, they would take care that the troops should not be molested, and also they would do all in their power for to get us across the ferry; the Somerset man of war lay there at that time, and all her boats were employed first in getting over the wounded, and after them the rest of the troops; the piquets of 10th regiment, and some more troops, were sent over to Charlestown that night to keep every- thing quiet, and returned next day. The rebels shut up the neck, placed sentinels there, and took prisoner an officer of the 64th regiment that was going to join his regiment at Castle- William. - So that in the course of two days, from a plentiful town, we were reduced to the dis- agreeable necessity of living on salt provisions, and fairly blocked up in Boston.
RETURN of the killed, wounded and missing, on the 19th of April, 1775, as made to General Gage.
KILLED. IVth regiment, Lieut. Knight, at Menotomy. XLIIId, ditto, Lieut. Hull, bridge beyond Concord.
WOUNDED. IVth regiment, Lieut. Gould, bridge beyond Concord. Vth ditto, Lieut. Hauxshaw, near Lexington. 1
128
HISTORY OF LEXINGTON
on a collision with the people. On the anniversary of the Bos- ton Massacre, Dr. Warren delivered the Oration at the Old South Church, and Samuel Adams presided. A large number of British officers were present, and attempted to break up the meeting by cries of fire, hissing, and other disorderly con- duct.1 On the 8th, Thomas Ditson, Jr., a citizen of Billerica, being in Boston, was seized by a party of the King's troops, on the vain pretence of having urged one of their soldiers to desert; and without any trial or examination was taken to their guard-house and kept a prisoner till the next day, when he was stripped, tarred and feathered, placed upon a truck, and drawn through some of the principal streets, attended by forty or fifty soldiers of the Forty-seventh Regiment with arms and fixed bayonets, led on by Colonel Nesbit of that regiment, the music at the same time playing "Yankee Doodle" by way of derision.2 On the 16th of March, which was observed as a day of fasting and prayer in obedience to the recommendation of the Provincial Congress, several con- gregations in Boston were annoyed by a party of the Fourth Regiment. They pitched their tents near one of the churches,
Vth regiment, Lieut. Cox, ditto.
ditto, Lieut. Baker, ditto.
Xth ditto, Lieut. Col. Smith, ditto. ditto, Lieut. Kelly, bridge beyond Concord. ditto, Ensign Lester, near Concord. XXIIId ditto, Lieut. Col. Bernard, Menotomy.
XXXVIIIth ditto, Lieut. Sunderland, bridge Concord.
XLVIIth ditto, Ensign Baldwin, near Lexington. ditto, Ensign McCloud, ditto.
(Capt. Souter, and }
Marines
Lieut. Potter
near Lexington.
PRISONERS.
IVth regiment Lieut. Gould. LXIVth ditto, Lieut. Hamilton. Marines, Lieut. Potter.
Killed.
Wounded.
Missing.
Officers
2
13
3
Sergeants
2
7
1
Drummers
1
0
1
Rank and file
68
154
21
Total
73
174
26
See also F. W. Coburn's list (The Battle of April 19, 1775, p. 159). Ed.
1 Force's Archives, Vol. II, p. 120. "The red-coated gentry behaved with tolerable decency till after the Doctor had finished; when, taking exception at the words of the vote that was put for the appointment of an orator for the next year, one of them cried out fie ! fie ! This exclamation was seconded by two or three others; and the people thinking it was the cry of fire, great confusion was occasioned . . . much mischief would have ensued, had not the gentlemen in the desk very strenuously exerted themselves to restore quiet." See also Atlantic Monthly, April, 1877. Ed. 2 Ditson's Deposition, and Remonstrance of the Selectmen of Billerica.
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