77. Battle of Lexington
BY JONAS CLARK (1775)[194]
BETWEEN the hours of twelve and one, on the morning of the
nineteenth of April, we
received intelligence by express from the Hon. Joseph Warren, Esq., at
Boston that a large body
of the King's troops were embarked in boats from Boston. They were
supposed to be a brigade of
about twelve or fifteen hundred. They were said to have gone over to
land on Lechmere's Point,
in Cambridge.
It was shrewdly suspected that they were ordered to seize and
destroy the stores,
belonging to the colony, and then deposited at Concord. This was in
consequence of General
Gage's unjustifiable seizure of the provincial magazine of powder at
Medford, and other colony
stores at several other places.
Upon this intelligence, as also upon information of the
conduct of the officers as above
mentioned, the militia of this town were alarmed, and ordered to meet
on the usual place of
parade. This was not with any design of commencing hostilities upon
the
King's troops, but to consult what might be done for our own and the
people's safety.
This was in order to be ready for whatever service Providence
might call us out to, upon
this alarming occasion, in case overt acts of violence or open hostilities
should be committed.
About the same time two persons were sent express to Cambridge,
if possible to gain
intelligence of the motions of the troops and what route they took.
The militia met according to order, and awaited the return of
the messengers, that they
might order their measures as occasion should require. Between three
and four o'clock, one of the
expresses returned, reporting that there was no appearance of the troops
on the roads, either from
Cambridge or Charlestown. It was supposed that the movements in the
army the evening before
were only a feint to alarm the people.
Thereupon therefore the militia company were dismissed for
the present. But they had
orders to be within call of the drum waiting the return of the other
messenger. He was expected in
about an hour, or sooner, if any discovery should be made of the
motions of the troops.
He was prevented by their silent and sudden arrival at the
place where he was waiting for
intelligence. So that after all this precaution, we had no notice of their
approach until the brigade
was actually in the town, and upon a quick march within about a mile
of the meeting house and
place of parade.
However the commanding officer thought best to call the
company together. He had no
intention of opposing so superior a force, much less of commencing
hostilities. It was done only
with a view to determine what to do, when and where to meet, and to
dismiss and disperse.
Accordingly, about half after four o'clock alarm guns were
fired, and the drums beat to
arms; and the militia were collected together. Some, to the number of
fifty or sixty, or possibly
more, were on the parade, others were coming towards it. In the
meantime the troops, having
thus stolen a march upon us, and to prevent any intelligence of their
approach, seized and held
prisoners several persons whom they met unarmed upon the road.
They seemed to come determined for murder and bloodshed;
and that whether provoked
to it or not! When within about half a quarter of a mile of the meeting
house, they halted. The
command was given to prime and load. This being done they marched
on until they came up to
the east end of the meeting house in sight of our militia.
Immediately upon their appearing so suddenly, and so nigh,
Captain Parker who
commanded the militia company, ordered the men to disperse and take
care of themselves; and
not to fire. Upon this our men dispersed. But many of them not so
speedily as they might have
done, not having the most distant idea of such brutal barbarity and
more than savage cruelty, from
the troops of a British King as they immediately experienced!
For no sooner did they come in sight of our company, but one
of them, supposed to be
an officer of rank, was heard to say to his troops, "Now we will have
them!"[195] Upon which the
troops shouted aloud, huzzaed, and rushed furiously towards our men.
About the same time three officers advanced on horseback to
the front of the body, and
coming within five or six rods of the militia, one of them cried out, "Ye
villains, ye rebels,
disperse; disperse!" or words to this
effect.[196] One of them (whether the same or not is
not easily determined) said, "Lay down your arms; why don't you lay
down your arms!"
The second of these officers about this time fired a pistol
towards the militia, as they
were dispersing.[197] The foremost, who
was within a few yards of our men, brandished his sword and then
pointed towards them. With a loud voice he said, "Fire!" which was
instantly followed by a discharge of arms from the troops.
This was succeeded by a heavy and close fire upon our party,
dispersing so long as any
of them were within reach. Eight were left dead upon the ground! Ten
were wounded. The rest
of the company, through divine goodness, were, by a miracle,
preserved unhurt in this murderous
action!
[[194]]
This is one of the best accounts of the famous
battle of Lexington, the first regular fight in the Revolutionary War.
The "hero" was Paul Revere.
[[195]]
Captain John Pitcairn
[[196]]
Some authorities say that Pitcairn swore
violently.
[[197]]
After going on miles farther to Concord, where
there was another fight, the British retreated to Boston, and never
afterward ventured out into the open country, away from the
ships.