USA > Massachusetts > The journals of each Provincial congress of Massachusetts in 1774 and 1775, and of the Committee of safety, with an appendix, containing the proceedings of the county conventions-narratives of the events of the nineteenth of April, 1775 > Part 75
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THOMAS FESSENDEN.
MIDDLESEX, SS. APRIL 23D, 1775.
The within named Thomas Fessenden appeared, and after due caution to testify the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, made solemn oatlı to the truth of the within deposition by him subscribed : before us,
WILLIAM READ, JOSIAH JOHNSON, Justices of the Peace.
Lincoln, April 23d, 1775.
I, John Bateman, belonging to the fifty-second regiment, commanded by . Colonel Jones, on Wednesday morning, on the nineteenth day of April in- stant, was in the party marching to Concord. Being at Lexington, in the county of Middlesex, being nigh the meeting-house in said Lexington, there was a small party of men gathered together in that place, when our said troops marched by; and I testify and deelare, that I heard the word of com- mand given to the troops to fire, and some of said troops did fire, and I saw one of said small party lie dead on the ground nigh said meeting-house ; and I testify, that I never heard any of the inhabitants so much as fire one gun on said troops.
JOHN BATEMAN.
MIDDLESEX, SS. APRIL 23D, 1775.
The above named John Bateman voluntarily, being previously cautioned to relate nothing but the truth, made solemn oath to the deposition by him subscribed : before us,
JOHN CUMMINGS, Justices of the Peace. DUNCAN INGRAHAM,
Lexington, April 23d, 1775.
We, John Hoar, John Whitehead, Abraham Garfield, Benjamin Munroe, Isaac Parks, William Hosmer, John Adams, and Gregory Stoue, all of Lin- coln, in the county of Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay, all of lawful age, do testify and say, that on Wednesday last we were assembled at Concord, in the morning of said day, in consequence of information received, that a brigade of regular troops were on their march to the said town of Concord, who had killed six men at the town of Lexington. About an hour afterwards,
672
EXCURSION OF THE KING'S TROOPS. [April 19,
we saw them approaching, to the number, as we apprehended, of about twelve hundred ; ou which, we retreated 10 a hill about eighty rods back, and the said troops then took possession of the hill where we were first posted ; presently after this, we saw the troops moving towards the north bridge, about one mile from the said Concord meeting-house. We then imme- diately 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 their 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, thoughit the houses in Concord were in danger, and marched towards the said bridge, and the troops who were stationed there, ob- serving our approach, marched back over the bridge, and then took up some of the planks. We then lastened our march towards the bridge, and wlien we had got near the bridge they fired on our men, first three guns one after the other, and then a considerable number more, and then, 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. On their retreat through this town, and Lexington, to Charlestown, they ravaged and de- stroyed private property, and burned three houses, one barn, and one shop.
JOHN HOAR, ISAAC PARKS,
JOHN WHITEHEAD, WILLIAM HOSMER,
ABRAHAM GARFIELD, JOHN ADAMS,
BENJAMIN MUNROE, GREGORY STONE.
MIDDLESEX, SS. APRIL 23D, 1775.
The within named John Hoar, John Whitehead, Abraham Garfield, Ben- jamin Munroe, Isaac Parks, William Hosmer, John Adams, and Gregory Stone, appeared, and made oath solemnly to the truth of the above deposi- tion : before us,
WILLIAM READ, JOHN CUMMINGS,
1 Justices of the Peace.
JONATHAN HASTINGS, DUNCAN INGRAHAM,
Lexington, April 23d, 1775.
We, Nathan Barrett, captain ; Jonathan Farrer, Joseph Butler and Francis Wheeler, lieutenants; Jolin Barrett, ensign; John Brown, Silas Walker, Ephraim Melvin, Nathan Buttrick, Stephen Hosmer, Jr., Samuel Barrett, Thomas Jones, Joseph Chandler, Peter Wheeler, Nathan Pierce, and Ed- ward Richardson, all of Concord, in the county of Middlesex, in the prov- ince of the Massachusetts Bay, of lawful age, testify and declare, that on Wednesday, the nineteenth instant, about an hour after sunrise, we assem- bled on a hill near the meeting-house in Concord aforesaid, in consequence of information that a number of regular troops had killed six of our coun- trymen at Lexington, and were on their march to said Concord : and about
-
673
1775.] EXCURSION OF THE KING'S TROOPS.
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 one mile from said meeting-house ; we thien immediate- ly 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 immedi- ately 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 considerable number inore ; upon which, and not before, having orders from onr 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 Lexington, they plundered many houses, burnt three at Lexington, together with a shop and a barn, and com- mitted damage, more or less, to almost every house from Concord to Charles- town.
NATHAN BARRETT,
NATHAN BUTTRICK,
JONATHAN FARRER,
STEPHEN HOSMER,
JOSEPH BUTLER,
SAMUEL BARRETT,
FRANCIS WHEELER, THOMAS JONES, -
JOIIN BARRETT,
JOSEPH CHANDLER,
JOHN BROWN,
PETER WHEELER,
SILAS WALKER,
NATHAN PEIRCE,
EPHRAIM MELVIN,
EDWARD RICHARDSON.
Lexington, April 23d, 1775.
We, Joseph Butler and Ephraim Melvin, do testify and declare, that when the regular troops fired upon our people at the north bridge, in Concord, as related in the foregoing depositions, they shot one, and we believe two of our people, before we fired a single gun at them.
JOSEPH BUTLER, EPHRAIM MELVIN.
MIDDLESEX, SS. APRIL 23D, 1775.
The within named Nathan Barrett, Jonathan Farrer, Joseph Butler, Frau- cis Wheeler, John Barrett, John Brown, Silas Walker, Ephraim Melvin, Nathan Buttrick, Stephen Hosmer, Samuel Barrett, Thomas Joues, Joseph Chandler, Peter Wheeler, Nathan Peirce, and Edward Richardson, appear- ed, and made solemn oatlı to the truthi of the above depositions by them subscribed : before us,
JONATHAN HASTINGS,
JOHN CUMMINGS, Justices of the Peace.
DUNCAN INGRAHAM,
85
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EXCURSION' OF THE KING'S TROOPS. [April 19,
Concord, April 23d, 1775.
I, Timothy Minot, Jr., of Concord, on the nineteenth day of this instant April, after I had heard of the regular troops firing upon the Lexington men, and fearing that hostilities might be cominitted at Concord, thought it my incumbent duty to secure my family. After I had secured my family, sometime after that, returning towards my own dwelling, and finding that the bridge on the northern part of said Concord was guarded by regular troops, being a spectator of what had happened at said bridge, I declare that the regular troops stationed on the bridge, after they saw the men that were collected on the westerly side of said bridge marched towards said bridge, then the troops returned towards the easterly side of said bridge, and form- ed themselves, as I thought for a regular figlit. After that, they fired one gun, then two or three more, before the men that were stationed on the westerly part of said bridge fired upon them.
MIDDLESEX, SS. APRIL 23D, 1775.
TIMOTHY MINOT, JR.
Doct. Timothy Minot, Jr. personally appeared, and after due caution to testify the truth, and nothing but the truth, made solemn oath to the truth of the above deposition by him subscribed : before us,
WILLIAM READ, - JONATHAN HASTINGS, Justices of the Peace. JOHN CUMMINGS, DUNCAN INGRAHAM,
Lexington, April 23d, 1775.
I, James Barrett, of Concord, colonel of a regiment of militia in the county of Middlesex, do testify and say, that on Wednesday morning last, about day break, I was informed of the approach of a number of the regu- lar troops to the town of Concord, where were some magazines belonging to this province : when there were assembled some of the militia of this and the neighboring towns, then I ordered them to march to the north bridge, so called, which they had passed, and were taking up. I ordered said mili- tia to march to said bridge, and pass the same, but not to fire on the king's troops unless they were first fired upon. We advanced near said bridge, when the said troops fired upon our militia, and killed two men dead on the spot, and wounded several others, which was the first firing of guns in Con- cord. My detachment then returned the fire, which killed and wounded several of the king's troops.
MIDDLESEX, SS. APRIL 23D, 1775.
JAMES BARRETT.
The above named James Barrett personally appeared, and after due cau- tion to testify the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, made solemn oath to the truth of the above deposition by him subscribed : before us,
WILLIAM READ,
JONATHAN HASTINGS,
DUNCAN INGRAHAM, Justices of the Peace.
1
675
EXCURSION OF THE KING'S TROOPS.
1775.]
Lexington, April 23d, 1775.
We, Bradbury Robinson, Samuel Spring, Thaddeus Bancroft, all of Con- cord, and James Adams, of Lincoln, all in the county of Middlesex, all of lawful age, do testify and say, that on Wednesday morning last, near ten of the elock, we saw near one hundred of regular troops, being in the town of Concord, at the north bridge in said town, so called, and having passed the same they were taking up said bridge, when about three hundred of our militia were advancing towards said bridge, in order to pass said bridge, when, without saying any thing to us, they discharged a number of guns on us, which killed two men dead on the spot, and wounded several others, when we returned the fire on them, which killed two of them, and wound- ed several ; which was the beginning of hostilities in the town of Concord.
BRADBURY ROBINSON, SAMUEL SPRING, THADDEUS BANCROFT.
MIDDLESEX, SS. APRIL 23D, 1775.
The within named Bradbury Robinson, Samuel Spring, Thaddeus Ban- croft and James Adams, made solemn oath to the truth of the within depo- sition by them subscribed : before us,
WILLIAM READ, WILLIAM STICKNEY, Justices of the Peace.
JONATHAN HASTINGS,
Concord, April 23d, 1775.
I, James Marr, of lawful age, testify and say, that in the evening of the eighteenth instant, I received orders from George Hutchinson, adjutant of the fourth regiment of the regular troops stationed in Boston, to prepare and march : to which order I attended, and marched to Concord, where I was ordered by an officer, with about one hundred men to guard a certain bridge there. While attending that service, a number of people came along, in order, as I supposed, to eross said bridge, at which time a number of regular troops first fired upon them.
MIDDLESEX, SS. APRIL 23D, 1775.
JAMES MARR.
The above named James Marr appeared, and after due caution to testify the truth, and nothing but the truth, made solemn oath to the truth of the above deposition by him voluntarily subscribed : before us,
DUNCAN INGRAHAM, JONAS DIX, Justices of the Peace.
I, Edward Thornton Gould, of his majesty's own regiment of foot, being of lawful age, do testify and declare, that on the evening of the eighteenth instant, under the order of General Gage, I embarked with the liglit infan- try and grenadiers of the line, commanded by Colonel Smith, and landed
676
EXCURSION OF THE KING'S TROOPS.
[April 19,
on the marshes of Cambridge, from whence we proceeded to Lexington. On our arrival at that place, we saw a body of provincial troops armed, to the number of about sixty or seventy men. On our approach, they dis- persed, and soon after firing began, but which party fired first I cannot ex- actly say, as our troops rushed on, shouting and huzzaing, previous to the firing, which was continued by our troops so long as any of the provincials were to be seen. From thence we marched to Concord. On a hill near the entrance of the town, we saw another body of the provincials assem- bled. The light infantry companie's were ordered up the hill to disperse them. On our approach they retreated towards Concord. The grenadicrs continued on the road under the hill towards the town. Six companies of light infantry were ordered down to take possession of the bridge which the provincials retreated over. The company I commanded was one of the three companies of the above detachment, and went forward about two miles. In the incan time, the provincial troops returned, to the number of about three or four hundred. We drew up on the Concord side of the bridge. The provincials came down upon us ; upon which we engaged and gave the first fire. This was the first engagement after the one at Lexing- ton. A continued firing from both parties lasted through the whole day. I myself was wounded at the attack of the bridge, and am now treated with the greatest humanity, and taken all possible care of, by the provincials at Medford.
EDWARD THORNTON GOULD.
Medford, April 20th, 1775.
Province of the Massachusetts Bay, MIDDLESEX COUNTY, APRIL 25TH, 1775.
Lieutenant Edward Thornton Gould, aforenamed, personally made oath to the truth of the foregoing declaration, by him subscribed : before us,
THADDEUS MASON, JOSIAH JOHNSON, Justices of the Peace. SIMON TUFTS.
Province of the Massachusetts Bay.
CHARLESTOWN, SS.
1, Nathaniel Gorham, Notary and Tabellion Public, by lawful authority, duly admitted and sworn; hereby certify to all whom it doth or may con- cern, that Thaddeus Mason, Josiah Johnson, and Simon Tufts, Esq'rs, are three of his majesty's justices of the peace, quorum unus, for the county of Middlesex, and that full faith and credit is and ought to be given to their transactions as such, both in court and out. In witness whereof, I have hereunto affixed my name and seal, this twenty-sixth day of April, Anno Domini, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five.
NATHANIEL GORHAM.
1775.]
EXCURSION OF THE KING'S TROOPS.
677
N. B. A certificate was made out under the signature of the notary pub- lic, that all the other justices who administered the oathis to the several de- ponents, were his majesty's justices of the peace, in the counties where such certificates were made, and were legally appointed to that office, and that full faith and credit is and ought to be given to thicir transactions.
A paper having been printed in Boston, representing, that one of the British troops killed at the hridge at Concord, was scalpcd, and the cars cut . off' from the head, supposed to be done in order to dishonor the Massachu- setts people, and to make them appear to be savage and barbarous, the fol- lowing deposition was taken that the truthi might be known.
We, the subscribers, of lawful age, testify and say, that we buried the dead bodies of the king's troops that were killed at the north bridge in Con- cord, on the nineteenth day of April, 1775, where the action first began, and that neither of those persons were scalped, nor their ears cut off, as has been represented.
ZACHARIAH BROWN, THOMAS DAVIS, JUN.
Concord, May 11th, 1775.
Zachariah Brown, Thomas Davis, Jun., personally appcared before me, and made oath to the above declaration.
DUNCAN INGRAHAM, Justice of the Peace.
Hannah Adams, wife of Deacon Joseph Adams, of the second precinct in Cambridge, testifieth and saith, that on the nineteenth day of April last past, upon the return of the king's troops front Concord, divers of them entered our house, by bursting open the doors, and three of the soldiers broke into the roomn in which I then was, laid on my bed, being scarcely able to walk from my bed to the fire, not having been to my chamber door from my be- ing delivered in child-birth to that time. One of said soldiers immediately opened my curtains with his bayonet fixed, pointing the same to my breast. I immediately cried out, "for the Lord's sake do not kill me ;" he replied, " damn you." One that stood near said, "we will not hurt the woman, if she will go out of the house, but we will surely burn it." 1 immediately arose, threw a blanket over mc, went out and crawled into a corn-house near the door, with my infant in iny arms, where I remained until they were gone. They immediately set the house on fire, in whichi I had left five children, and no other person ; but the fire was happily extinguished, when the house was in the utmost danger of being utterly consumed.
HANNAH ADAMS.
678
EXCURSION OF THE KING'S TROOPS. [April 19,
MIDDLESEX, SS. CAMBRIDGE, SECOND PRECINCT, 16TH MAY, 1775.
Hannah Adams, the subscriber of the above deposition, personally ap- peared, and made oath to the truth of the same : before me,
JONATHAN HASTINGS, Justice of the Peace.
Cambridge, May 19th, 1775.
We, Benjamin Cooper and Rachel Cooper, both of Cambridge, aforesaid, of lawful age, testify and say, that in the afternoon of the nineteenth day of April last, the king's regular troops under the command of General Gage, upon their return from the blood and slaughter which they had made at Lexington and Concord, fired more than a hundred bullets into the house where we dwelt, through doors, windows, &c. Then a number of them entered the house, where we and two aged gentlemen were, all unarmed. We escaped for our lives into the cellar. The two aged gentlemen were, immediately, most barbarously and inhumanly murdered by them: being stabbed through in many places, their heads mauled, skulls broke, and their brains dashed out on the floor and walls of the house ; and further say not,
BENJAMIN COOPER, RACHEL COOPER.
MIDDLESEX, SS, MAY 10TH, 1775.
The above named Benjamin Cooper and Rachel Cooper, appeared, and after due caution, made solemn oath to the truth of the above deposition, by them subscribed : before me,
JONAS DIX, Justice of the Peace.
The following is a list of those provincials who were killed, wounded, and mis- sing in the action of the nineteenth of April, 1775, and the towns to which they respectively belonged : including all that were lost on that day.
CAMBRIDGE .- Killed: William Marcy, Moses Richardson, John Hicks, Ja- son Russell, Jabish Wyman, Jason Winship. Wounded : Capt. Samuel Whit- temore. Missing : Samuel Frost, Seth Russell.
CHARLESTOWN .- Killed : James Miller, and a son of Captain William Barber.'
WATERTOWN .- Killed : Joseph Cooledge.
SUDBURY .- Killed: Deacon Josiah Haynes, Asahel Reed. Wounded : Joshua Haynes, Jun.
ACTON .- Killed : Capt. Isaac Davis, Abner Hosmer, James Hayward.
BEDFORD .- Killed : Capt. Jonathan Wilson. Wounded : Job Lane.
WOBURN .- Killed : Asa Parker, Daniel Thomson. Wounded : George Read, Jacob Bacon.
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670
EXCURSION OF THE KING'S TROOPS.
1775.]
MEDFORD .- Killed : Henry Putnam, William Polly.
NEWTON .- Wounded : Noah Wiswall.
LEXINGTON .- Killed : Jonas Parker, Robert Munroe, Jededialı Munroe, Jolın Raymond, Samuel Hadley, Jonathan Harrington, Jun., Isaac Muzzy, Caleb Harrington, Nathaniel Wyman, John Brown. Wounded : Francis Brown, John Robbins, Solomon Peirce, Jolin Tidd, Joseph Comie, Ebene- zer Munroe, Jun , Thomas Winship, Nathaniel Farmer, Prince, a negro.
BILLERICA .- Wounded : John Nichols, Timothy Blanchard.
CHELMSFORD .- Wounded : Deacon Aaron Chamberlain, Capt. Oliver Bar- ron.
CONCORD .- Wounded : Abel Prescott, Jun., Capt. Charles Miles, Capt. Na- than Barrett.
FRAMINGHAM .- Wounded : Daniel Hemenway.
STOw .- Wounded : Daniel Conant.
DEDIIAM .- Killed : Elias Haven. Wounded : Israel Everett.
,
NEEDIIAM .- Killed : Lieut. John Bacon, Serjeant Elisha Mills, Amos Mills, Nathaniel Chamberlain, Jonathan Parker. Wounded : Capt. Eleazer Kings- bury, and a sou of Doet. Tolman.
ROXBURY .- Missing : Elijalı Scaver.
BROOKLINE .- Killed : Isaac Gardner, Esq.
SALEM .- Killed : Benjamin Peirce.
DANVERS .- Killed : Henry Jacobs, Samuel Cook, Ebenezer Goldthwait, , George Southwiek, Benjamin Deland, Jun., Jotham Webb, Perly Putnam. Wounded : Nathan Putnam, Dennis Wallis. Missing : Joseph Bell.
BEVERLY .- Killed : Mr. Kinnym. Wounded : Nathaniel Cleaves, Samuel Woodbury, William Dodge.
LYNN .- Killed : Abednego Ramsdell, Daniel Townsend, William Flynt, Thomas Hadley. Wounded : Joshua Felt, Timothy Munroe. Missing : Josi- ah Breed.
BRITISH OFFICIAL ACCOUNT.
A CIRCUMSTANTIAL ACCOUNT OF AN ATTACK THAT HAPPENED ON THE ' NINETEENTH OF APRIL, 1775, ON INIS MAJESTY'S TROOPS, BY A NUMBER OF THE PEOPLE OF THE PROVINCE OF MASSACHUSETTS BAY. DRAWN UP BY ORDER OF HIS EXCELLENCY GOVERNOR GAGE, AND ENCLOSED IN A LETTER TO GOVERNOR TRUMBULL, OF CONNECTICUT.
On Tuesday, the eighteenth April, about half past ten at night, Licuten- ant Colonel Smith, of the 10th regiment, cinbarked from the common, at
680
EXCURSION OF THE KING'S TROOPS. [April 19,
Boston, with the grenadiers and light infantry of the troops there ; and land- ed on the opposite side ; from whence he began his march towards Con- cord, where he was ordered to destroy a magazine of military stores, depos- ited there for the use of an army to be assembled, in order to act against his majesty and his government. The colonel called his officers together, and gave orders, that the troops should not fire, unless fired upon ; and after marching a few miles, detached six companies of light infantry, under the command of Major Pitcairn, to take posssssion of two bridges, on the other side of Concord. Soon after, they heard many signal guns, and the ringing of alarm bells repeatedly; which convinced them, that the country was rising to oppose them, and that it was a preconcerted scheme to oppose the king's troops whenever there should be a favorable opportunity for it. About three o'clock the next morning, the troops being advanced within two miles of Lexington, intelligence was received, that about five hundred men in arms, were assembled and determined to oppose the king's troops; and on Major Pitcairn's galloping up to the head of the advanced companies, two officers informed him, that a man, advanced from those that were as- sembled, had presented his musket and attempted to slioot them, but the piece flashed in the pan ; on this, the major gave directions to the troops to move forward, but on no account to fire, nor even attempt it, without orders. When they arrived at the end of the village, they observed about two hun- dred armed men, drawn up on a green, and when the troops came within one hundred yards of them, they began to file off towards some stone walls on their right flank. The light infantry observing this, ran after them; the major instantly called to the soldiers not to fire, but to surround and disarm them. Some of them, who had jumped over a wall, then fired four or five shots at the troops ; wounded a man of the 10th regiment, and the major's horse in two places, and at the same time several shots were fired from a meeting-house on the left : upon this, without any order or regularity, the light infantry began a scattered fire, and killed several of the country peo- ple, but were silenced as soon as the authority of their officers could make them.
After this, Colonel Smith marched up with the remainder of the detach- ment, and the whole body proceeded to Concord, where they arrived about nine o'clock, without any thing further happening; but vast numbers of armed people were seen assembling on all the heights. While Colonel Smith with the grenadiers and part of the light infantry remained at Con- cord, to search for cannon, &c. there, he detached Captain Parsons with six light companies, to secure a bridge at some distance from Concord, and to proceed from thence to certain houses where it was supposed there were cannon and ammunition. Captain Parsons, in pursuance of these orders, posted three companies at the bridge, and on some heights near it, under the command of Captain Laurie, of the 43d regiment, and with the remain- der went and destroyed some cannon, wheels, powder, and ball. The peo- ple still continued increasing on the heights, and in about an hour after, a large body of them began to move towards the bridge; the light companies
.
681
EXCURSION OF THE KING'S TROOPS.
1775.]
of the 4th and 10th then deseended and joined Captain Lauric. The peo- plo continued to advance in great numbers, and fired upon the king's troops, killed three men, wounded four officers, one sergeant, and four private men ; upon which, after returning the fire, Captain Laurie and his officers, thought it prudent to retreat towards the main body at Concord, and were soon joined by two companies of grenadiers. When Captain Parsons returned with the three companies over the bridge, they observed three soldiers on the ground, one of them sealped, his head much mangled and his ears cut off, though not quite dead ;1 a sight which struek the soldiers with horror. Captain Parsons inarehed on and joined tho main body, who were only waiting for his coming up to march baek to Boston. Colonel Smith had cxe- cuted his orders without opposition, by destroying all the military stores he could find : both the colonel and Major Pitcairn, having taken all possible pains to convince the inhabitants that no injury was intended them, and that, if they opened their doors when required, to search for said stores, not the slightest mischief should be done ; neither had any of the people the least occasion to complain ; but they were sulky, and one of them even struek Major Pitcairn. Except upon Captain Laurie, at the bridge, no hostilities happened, from the affair at Lexington until the troops began their march back. As soon as the troops had got out of the town of Concord, they rc- ceived a heavy fire, from all sides, from walls, fences, houses, trees, barns, &c., which continued without intermission, till they met the first brigade with two field pieces, ncar Lexington, ordered out under the command of Lord Perey, to support them : advices having been received, about seven o'clock next morning, that signals had heen madc, and expresscs gone out to alarm the country, and that the people were rising to attack the troops under Colonel Smith. Upon the firing of the field pieces, the people's fire was, for a while, silenced; but, as they continued to increase greatly in num- bers, they fired again as before, from all places where they could find eover, upon the whole body, and continued so doing, for the space of fifteen miles. Notwithstanding their numbers, they did not attack openly during the whole day, but kept under cover on all occasions. The troops were very much fatigued, the greater part of them having been under arms all night, and made a march of upwards of forty miles, beforo they arrived at Charlestown, from whenee they were ferried over to Boston.
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