USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Lexington > History of the town of Lexington, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, from its first settlement to 1868, with a genealogical register of Lexington families > Part 21
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THE CONTEMPLATED MONUMENT.
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Revolution. To ensure the success of the enterprise, they have already obtained a charter as a body corporate, and have organized an Association co-extensive with the Union. They have, in the next place, procured the design of a Monument, by Mr. Hammatt Billings, a distinguished native artist, which, with great success, embodies the spirit of the day which it is intended to commemorate ; not doing homage to any one individual - for no individual is entitled to the honors of that day - but symbolizing the entire class of men, who were the actors in that great scene. It is the figure of a MINUTE-MAN, who, leaving his accustomed labors, and seizing his musket, his ball-pouch, and his powder-horn, has hastened to confront the disciplined battalions of arbitrary power. Such were the men of the 19th of April, 1775 ; such the men who fell that day on Lexington Green ; and in whose honor the Statue will stand as an abiding memorial of their sacrifice and a monument to their heroism. It is to be of bronze and of colossal size; elevated upon a lofty pedestal of granite, handsomely wrought, with niches for the insertion of appropriate relievos, emblematic of the events of the day ; the whole to be of a magnitude and in a style of execution worthy of the great event, creditable to American art, and in harmony with the national feeling.
" Such, fellow citizens, is the work which it is proposed to erect in com- memoration of the 19th of April, 1775, and in grateful remembrance of those who laid down their lives on the morning of the American Revolution. For an enterprise conceived in a spirit of comprehensive patriotism, and commemorative of an event in which the whole country has an equal interest, we confidently rely upon the sympathy of our brethren throughout the United States. Every citizen of the Union has an equal share in the benefits of the great system of self-government which received its solemn inauguration that day, and we would fain enlist the co-operation of every citizen, in the execution of the work. The blood shed at Lexington on the 19th of April, 1775, was the signal which, from Maine to Georgia, called the Continent to arms. May we not hope that, not merely from the old thirteen, but from the younger States descended from them, in the rising West, a voice of encouragement will reach us in this great work of com- memoration ! The venerable name of Lexington has been given to twenty cities and towns, in different States of the Union. Will not the same patriotic sentiment which has thus planted the memory of the honored spot in the very soil of every portion of the land, induce our fellow citizens throughout the country to unite with us, in rearing a lasting Monument to the event, which has clothed that name with its wide-spread honors, and made it a household word throughout America, for all time ? "
In Concord a Monument has been erected near the bridge, where the two British soldiers were killed.1 This monument was
' It certainly would have been in better taste, to have erected the Monument on the spot where the gallant Davis and Hosmer fell.
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erected by the aid of the Bunker Hill Monument Association, which contributed $1,500 for the purpose. In 1825 the corner stone was laid, with great ceremony - Hon. Edward Everett delivering the Address.
In 1827, Rev. Dr. Ripley and others published a " History of the Fight at Concord " - claiming the principal honors for that town.
In Danvers, on Monday, April 20, 1835, the corner stone was laid of a Monument in memory of their citizens who fell on the 19th of April at West Cambridge. General Gideon Foster one of the survivors of the gallant band which met the enemy with so much alacrity, and who commanded the company on that day, made an address at the site of the Monument, in which he re- counted some of the events of the day, the numbers of the com- pany, and the rapidity with which they marched to the scene of danger. General Foster at that time was eighty-six years of age. A procession was formed and moved to the church, where an address was delivered by Hon. Daniel P. King. The addresses and proceedings of the day were published.
In West Cambridge a Monument was erected in 1848 over the remains of twelve of the patriots slain on the 19th of April. The names of the three who belonged to West Cam- bridge were : Jason Russell, Jason Winship, and Jabez Wyman. The twelve were buried in one common grave. Their remains were disinterred and placed in a stone vault, now under the Monument, April 22, 1848. This is a simple granite obelisk, nineteen feet in height, inclosed by a neat iron fence. It was erected by the voluntary contributions of the citizens of West Cambridge.
In 1851, the citizens of Acton petitioned the Legislature for an appropriation, to aid them in their landable effort to erect a Mon- ument to the memory of the gallant Davis and his brave towns- men who fell in defence of freedom on the 19th of April. The petition met with a favorable response, and a Resolve was passed appropriating the sum of two thousand dollars for this object, providing the citizens of said town shall raise the sum of five hundred dollars for the same purpose. This condition was complied with, and the Monument was erected, and its com- pletion celebrated October 29, 1851. It having been erected by the patronage and under the guidance of the State, George S.
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Boutwell, then Governor of the Commonwealth, delivered the address.
As the county of Middlesex was the first to declare her readi- ness to resist the encroachments of Great Britain by the sword, and as she had the proud preeminence of shedding the first blood in the sacred cause of freedom, so she is justly entitled to the highest honors, and may fairly be entitled to the appellation of the MONUMENTAL COUNTY. The towering obelisk on Bunker Hill, which looks down in an awful frown upon British vandalism, and in pious veneration upon American valor ; the modest. shaft at West Cambridge, which bespeaks alike the barbarity of the retreating foe, and the heroic gathering of the friends of freedom, ready to do and suffer in her cause ; the humble Monument at Lexington, proclaiming the undaunted firmness of the minute- men, and the cowardly spirit of the invaders of their rights ; the unpretending spire at Concord, which marks the spot where British blood atoned for British rashness, and where disciplined troops fled before the untaught prowess of the gallant yeomanry ; and the more lofty and imposing column at Acton, reflecting the honors of the heroic dead, whose patriotism prompted them to defend other homes than their own ; these, fair Middlesex, these memorials of departed worth and self-devotion, are all upon thy soil ; and they proclaim to the world the truth of thy famous Resolution, " That he can never die too soon, who lays down his life in support of the laws and liberties of his country."
There is a remarkable coincidence between the 19th of April, 1775, and the 19th of April, 1861. On the former day the patriotic citizens of Middlesex met the ruthless bands of free- dom's foes, and sanctified the day and the cause of liberty by becoming the first victims in the struggle which made us an independent nation ; and on the latter day the citizens of Middle- sex, true to the spirit of their fathers, met a lawless horde of slavery's minions, and fell the first martyrs in that desperate struggle, which has placed our independence on the most endur- ing basis. In 1775, the brave sons of Middlesex were the first in the field, when they saw their liberty in danger, and in 1861, though far from the scene of action, they were the first in the field, when they saw the Capital of the nation in danger. The blood shed at Lexington in 1775, and the blood shed in Bal-
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timore in 1861, were alike offerings in freedom's cause ; and the victims in both cases should be held in lasting remembrance, by the friends of freedom throughout the world, and their names should be handed down from generation to generation ; that thousands'yet unborn, may be taught to lisp the names of LADD and WHITNEY, together with the names of MUNROE and others who fell on the first named day, and whose noble daring has long adorned our country's history.
Well may Middlesex be proud of her gallant and self-sacrific- ing sons ! They have marched at the first call, and nobly have shown, 'that they were worth their breeding.' And well has the city of Lowell erected a Monument in honor of LUTHER CRAWFORD LADD and A. O. WHITNEY.
This adds another Monument to the list, and renders the de- signation of Monumental County more clearly appropriate.
As there has been an attempt to magnify the importance of the events which occurred at Concord, and thereby rob Lexington of its due share of the honors of that day, by asserting that the first resistance to the king's troops was made at the North bridge in Concord, and that no shots were returned by Captain Parker's men at Lexington in the morning of that day ; we deem it an act of simple justice to Lexington and to the truth of history, to present the facts as they exist ; and this we shall do without that spirit of crimination and recrimination which has heretofore marked this controversy.
No fact connected with the events of the 19th of April is better sustained by evidence than that of the firmness and bravery of Captain Parker's company, and that of their returning the fire on the morning of that day. In his "History of the Fight at Concord," Ripley, an authority not at all partial to the claims of Lexington, says, " The military company under Captain Parker were prompt, patriotic and courageous to admiration. That a single company should parade in an opposing attitude, directly in the face of nearly a thousand of the picked troops of Great Britain, places their courage and firmness beyond all controversy. Some may think they were not so wise in council, as fearless in danger - not so prudent in action, as zealous in patriotism." Shattuck in his " History of Concord " says, " The inhabitants of
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Lexington deserve great credit for the stand they took in the morning, and the part they acted during the day. That her militia were slain with arms in their hands, is an important fact, and highly honorable to their patriotism and valor." These ad- missions, from the chief advocates of the claims of Concord, ill accord with the insinuation implied in conceding that " some very few of the militia, being in a state of high excitement and confusion, after the British had gone on their way, did fire off their guns," &c.1
The fact that there were twenty killed and wounded, on that day, belonging to a company of about one hundred, is conclusive evidence that they did not shun posts of danger. Not only on and near the Common in the morning, but during the day, the promptness and valor of this company were seen and acknowl- edged. They met the enemy in Lincoln on their return from Concord, and fearlessly joined in the hot pursuit, having three killed and one wounded in the afternoon -a greater loss than was sustained by most of the towns during the whole day. In- cluding those killed and wounded in the morning, Lexington suffered more severely than any other town, losing more than one-sixth of her entire company, a proportion greater than that experienced on most of the sanguinary battle-fields. All co- temporaneous and other authority, shows the firmness and self- devotion of this gallant company, and establishes the fact that the fire was returned on the morning of that eventful day.
John Munroe, who was a member of the company, and on the field at the time, testifies that, on parading the company in the very face of the British troops which were marching rapidly upon them, " Captain Parker gave orders for every man to stand his ground until he should order them to leave." Joseph Under- wood, then of Woburn, who was present at the time, testifies " that he stood near Captain Parker, when the regulars came up, and is confident that he did not order his men to disperse, till the British troops had fired upon them the second time." He also testifies that on the rapid approach of the British, some proposed to quit the field ; but Captain Parker gave orders for every man to stand his ground, and said he " would order the first man shot that offered to leave his post." Robert Douglas, then of Woburn,
1 Ripley's History of Fight at Concord, p. 37.
29
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testifies to the same fact. John Munroe testifies that he fired once before he left the field, and once after he had retreated about . ten rods ; that Ebenezer Munroe fired before leaving the field, and is confident that Jonas Parker and some others did the same. Ebenezer Munroe says in his deposition, " After the first fire I received a wound in my arm, and then as I turned to run, I dis- charged my gun into the main body of the enemy. As I fired, my face being turned towards them, one ball cut off a part of my carlock, which was then pinned up. Another ball passed between my arm and my body, and just marked my clothes. As we retreated, one of our company, Benjamin Sampson, I believe, turned his piece and fired." William Munroe says, that he is confident that some of the company fired before they left the field, and that he saw a man firing from Buckman's house. William Tidd and Nathan Munroe testify that they fired at the British, after they left the Common. Amos Locke testifies that Ebenezer Locke took aim and fired at the Britons. Solomon Brown and another were seen to fire at the British, one from the rear of the house, and one from the front door of Buckman's ; and the ball holes near the door which are still to be seen, show that the fire was recognized and returned by the British. The Rev. Mr. Gordon who was upon the ground a few days after the affair took place, for the express purpose of learning the facts in the case, that he might write a history of the transaction to send to England, says that James Brown told him that he fired, and that several others did the same. The British account, published at the time, declared that one man of the Tenth regiment was wounded, and that Major Pitcairn's horse was struck in two places. The testimony of Elijah Sanderson and Abijah Har- rington, that they saw blood in the road where the British column was standing at the time of the firing, goes far to confirm the statement that the Americans returned the fire, and that their shots took effect.
Nor are any of these facts contradicted by the depositions taken a few days after the events occurred. The British account, published at the time, represented that the Americans were the aggressors, and that the king's troops acted only on the defensive. The Provincial Congress ordered these depositions to be taken for the purpose of refuting this statement, by showing that the
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British troops were the aggressors, and thereby acquitting Cap- tain Parker of the charge of rashness, and of having commenced a civil war in disregard of the urgent advice of the Continental and Provincial Congresses. They would naturally, therefore, select the best evidence they could for that purpose. "Besides," as Major Phinney justly remarks, "the principle of law that a person is not bound to state any facts in evidence, which might tend to criminate himself, was as well known at that day as at the present. The struggle had just commenced, and the issue was quite doubtful. It could not have been expected of those who had taken an active part in the affair at Lexington, that they would voluntarily disclose facts which might, in all probability, as they then considered, expose them to the British halter."
Still these depositions taken under such peculiar circumstances, not only do not contradict, but go directly to confirm the fact that the fire was returned by the Americans. Elijah Sanderson, of Lexington, in his deposition, given on the 25th of April, 1775, says " The Lexington company did not fire a gun, before the regulars discharged on them." John Robbins, of Lexington, says, " We received a very heavy and close fire from them. Captain Parker's men, I believe, had not then fired a gun." Benjamin Tidd, of Lexington, and Joseph Abbott, of Lincoln, say, " The regulars fired a few guns, which we took to be pistols, and then they fired a volley or two, before any guns were fired by the Lexington company." Nathaniel Mulliken and thirty- three others, of Lexington, say, "Not a gun was fired by any person in our company on the regulars, to our knowledge, before they fired on us." Nathaniel Parkhurst and thirteen others, of Lexington, say, " The regulars fired on the company, before a gun was fired by the company on them." Timothy Smith, of Lexington, says, "I saw the regular troops fire upon the Lex- ington company, before the latter fired a gun." William Draper, of Colerain, who happened to be present at the time says, " The regular troops fired before any of Captain Parker's company fired."
These depositions which were taken a few days after the event occurred, and which are very carefully worded, plainly imply that the Americans did return the fire. By saying that Captain Parker's men did not fire before they were fired upon, the im-
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pression is distinctly given that they did fire after. The British official account, and the account given by General Gage in his letter to Governor Trumbull, both state that the Americans fired first, and the British periodicals of that day repeat the statement ; but the evidence is conclusive that this was not the case. The evidence is also conclusive that the Americans did return the fire. Not only the depositions we have cited, but the accounts of that day which are entitled to the highest consideration, con- firm the position that though the Americans did not fire first, they did return the fire of the king's troops. On the 12th of June, 1775, General Gage issued a Proclamation, offering a pardon to all the rebels, as he called them, who had taken up arms against his majesty's authority, except Samuel Adams and John Hancock, in which he recounted the events at Lexington. This Proclamation was taken up in the Provincial Congress, thien in session, and referred to a committee of which Dr. Warren was chairman, and John Hancock, Col. Palmer, Mr. Seaver, and Dr. Taylor were members. This committee submitted a counter statement or Proclamation, which was adopted by the Congress on the 16th day of June. In that document we have the follow- ing clear and explicit statement. " When the British troops arrived at Lexington meeting-house, they fired upon a small number of the inhabitants, and cruelly murdered eight men. The fire was returned by some of the survivors, but their num- ber was too inconsiderable to annoy the regular troops." Lin- coln's Journals of the Provincial Congress, p. 345.
As this statement was drawn up by Dr. Warren some six weeks after the event had taken place, when there had been full and ample time to have the first impulse of feeling subside, so that all the facts could be ascertained, and all the evidence weighed coolly and dispassionately ; and as the Provincial Con- gress, composed of delegates from all the towns in the Province, including those in the vicinity of the scene of action, adopted and endorsed this statement, we have every reason to give it the fullest credit, and to regard it as absolutely conclusive in the case. We might with safety rest the whole matter here ; but as efforts have been made to show that the first resistance to the British troops was made at Concord, we will subjoin a few other authorities.
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Rev. Mr. Clarke, in a Narrative of the Events of the 19th of April, appended to his anniversary sermon, delivered April 19, 1776, says, " So far from firing first upon the king's troops, upon the most careful inquiry it appears that but very few of our people fired at all; and even they did not fire till, after being fired upon by the troops, they were wounded themselves or saw others killed or wounded by them ; and looking upon it as next to impossible for them to escape," &c. This statement of Mr. Clarke, who was near the scene of action, shows that the fire was returned, and at the same time that Captain Parker's men acted with prudence, and did not wantonly commence the attack. De Berniere, a British officer who was in the de- tachment, says in his narrative, " Pitcairn came up immediately, and cried out to the rebels to throw down their arms and dis- perse, which they did not do; he called out the second time, but to no purpose." This is a clear refutation of a statement which has sometimes been made, that Captain Parker's men dis- persed as soon as they saw the British troops approach. That Captain Parker did, with great prudence and propriety, order his men to disperse, is readily admitted ; but Joseph Underwood says in his deposition, "I stood near Captain Parker, when the regulars came up, and am confident he did not order his men to disperse, till the British troops had fired upon us the second time." Dr. John Warren in his MS. Diary, as cited by Froth- ingham, says under date of April 19, 1775 : " Some dispersed, but a few remained in a military position." Gordon also says, "A few continued in a military position. Individuals finding they were fired upon though dispersing, had spirit enough to stop and return the fire."
Foreign historians who could have no motive to misrepresent the facts in the case, have all given their testimony to the firm- ness of the Americans, and to the fact that the fire was returned. Botta, in his " History of the War of Independence," says, " The English appeared, and Major Pitcairn eried in a loud voice, "Disperse, rebels, lay down your arms and disperse.' The Provin- eials did not obey, upon which he sprung from the ranks, dis- charged his pistol, and brandishing his sword, ordered his soldiers to fire. The Provincials retreated ; the English continuing to fire, the former faced about and returned it."-Vol. i. p. 181.
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Graham, an English historian, in his valuable " History of North America," says of Pitcairn's command to disperse, " This order, which they refused to obey, was followed by a discharge from the British troops, whose fire, huzza, and rapid advance compelled their handful of adversaries to an instant flight. The fire con- tinued after the dispersion, and the fugitives stopped, rallied, and returned the fire."-Vol. iv. p. 373. In Winterbotham's " View of the United States," we find the following : "Individuals finding they were fired upon though dispersing, returned the fire." - Vol. i. p. 473. " Lardner's Cabinet Cyclopedia," gives this account of the transaction : " Pitcairn rode towards them, calling out, 'Disperse, ye rebels, throw down your arms, and disperse.' The order was not immediately obeyed. Major Pitcairn advanced a little farther, fired his pistol and flourished his sword, while his men began to fire with a shout. Several Americans fell ; the rest dispersed, but the firing on them was continued, and on observing this, some of the retreating Colonists returned the fire."-Vol. ciii. p. 125. Taylor says of the Americans, "This company, not instantly obeying the order to throw down their arms and disperse, were fired upon, and eight of their number killed."-Manual of History, p. 760. It is useless to multiply English authorities. They all admit that the Provincials fired upon the king's troops. Those writers who rely upon Gage's official account, declare that the Americans fired first, and those who examine the subject more thoroughly, admit that the British fired first, and that the fire was returned by the Americans.
Bancroft, our own historian, says, "Pitcairn cried out, 'Dis- perse, ye villains, ye rebels, disperse ; lay down your arms ; why don't you lay down your arms and disperse !' The main body of the countrymen stood motionless in the ranks, witnesses against aggression ; too few to resist, too brave to fly. The order to fire was instantly followed, first by a few guns, which did no execu- tion, and then by a heavy, close, and deadly discharge. Parker ordered his men to disperse. Then and not till then, did a few of them, on their own impulse, return the British fire." Speak- ing of Jonas Parker, he says, "A wound brought him on his knees. Having discharged his gun, he was preparing to load it again, when as sound a heart as ever throbbed for freedom, was stilled by a bayonet."
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Lendrum in his " History of the American Revolution," gives this truthful account of the transaction at Lexington on the morn- ing of the 19th ; "Major Pitcairn who led the advanced corps, rode up to them, and called out, 'Disperse, you rebels, throw down your arms and disperse.' The Americans still continued in a body, on which he advanced nearer, discharged his pistol, and ordered his soldiers to fire. This was done with a huzza. A dispersion of the militia was the consequence, but the firing of the regulars was nevertheless continued. Individuals finding they were fired upon, though dispersing, returned the fire." - Revised Edition, vol. i, p. 91.
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