The New-York gazette, and the weekly Mercury — New-York [N.Y.], 1775-06-19 00:00:00, page 1

An Account of the Commencement of Hfilities between
Great-Britain and America, in the Province of
Maffachufetts-Eay, by the Read. Mr. William Gor
don, of Roxbury, in a Letter to a Gentleman in
England, (published mitb the Consent of the Author)
continued from our lafl.
frT-<HE said account, which has little truth
I 'in it, fays, that Major Pitcairn galloping
up to the bead of the advanced companies,
M tavo officers informed him, that a man
(advanced from those that were assem
bled) bad presented bis mufquet, and attempted to foot
them, but the piece flatbed in the pan. Ihe simple
truth I take to be this, which I received from one of
the prisoners at Concord in free conversation, one
James Marr, a native of Aberdeen, in Scotland, of
the 4th regiment, who was upon the advanced guard,
confiding of fix, besides a ferjeant and corporal.
They were met by three men on horseback before
they got to the meeting-house a good way ; an officer
bid them stop ; to which it was answered, you had
better turn back, for you shall not enter the town ;
when the said three performs rode back agair., and at
some distance one of them offered to fire, but the
niece flatbed in the pan, without going off. I asked
Marr, whether lie could tell if the piece was deigned
at the soldiers, or to give an alarm ? he could not
fay which. The said Marr further declared, that
when they and the others were advanced, Major Pit
cairn said to the Lexington company, (which, by
the by, was the only one there) stop you rebels !
and he supposed that the design was to take away
their arms ; but upon feeing the regulars they dis
persed, and a firing commenced, but who fired firft
he could not fay. The said Marr, together with
Evan Davies, of the 23d, George Cooper, of the
23d, and William M'Donald, of the 38th, respec
tively assured me in each other's presence, that being
in the room where John Bateman, of the jzd, was
(he was in an adjoining room, tao ill to admit of
any converting with him) they heard the said Bate
man fay, that the regulars fired firll, and saw him
go through the solemnity of confirming the fame by
an oath on the bible. Samuel Lee, a private in the
18th regiment, Royal Irish, acquainted me, that it
was the talk among the soldiers, that Major Pitcairn
fired his pi, 101, then drew his sword, and ordered
them to fire; which agrees with what Levi Harring
ton, a youth of 14 last November, told me, that
being upon the common, and hearing the regulars
were coming up, he went to the meeting-house, and
saw them down in the road, on which he returned to
the Lexington company—that a person on horseback
rode round the meeting-house, and came towards the
company that way, said something loud, but could
not tell what, rode a little further, then ftopt arid
fired a pistol, which was the firft report he heard,
then another on horseback fired his pistol, then three
or four regulars fired their guns, upon which,
hearing the bullets whittle, he ran off, and saw no
more of the affair. Mr. Paul Revere, who was
sent express, was taken and detained some time by
the officer— being afterwards upon the spot, and
finding the regulars at hand, palled through the
Lexington company with another, having between
them a box of papers belonging to Mr. Hancock,
and went down a cross road, till there was a house
so between him and the company, as that he could
not fee the latter ; he told me likewise, that he had
not got half a gun shot from them before the regu
lars appeared ; that they halted about three seconds;
that upon hearing the report of a pistol or gun, he
looked round, and saw the smoke in front of the
regulars, our people being out of view because of
the house ; then thcregulars huzza'd and fired, firft
two more guns, then the advanced guard, and so the
whole body ; the bullets flying thick about him, and
he having nothing to defend himfelf, ran into a wood,
where he halted, and heard the firing for about a
quarter of an hour. James Brown, one of the Lex
ington militia, informed me, that he was upon the
common, that two pistols were fired from the party
of the soldiers towards the militia men, as they were
getting over the wall to be out of the way, and that
immediately upon it the soldiers began to fire their
guns; that being got over the wall, and feeing the
soldiers fire pretty freely, he fired upon them, and
some others did the fame. Simon Winfhip, of Lex
ington, declared, that being upon the read about
four o'clock, two miles and a half on this fide of
the meeting-house, he was ftopt by the regulars, and
commanded by some of the officers to dismount, or
he was a dead man ; that he was obliged to march
with the said troops until he came within about
half a quarter of a mile of the said meeting-house,
when an officer commanded the troops to halt, and
to prime and load, which being done, the troops
marched on till they came within a few rods of Capt.
Parker's Lexington company, who were partly col
]e&ed on the place of parade, when said Winfhip
observed an officer at the head of said troops flou
rishing his sword round his head in the air, and with
a loud voice giving the word fire ! the said Winfhip
is positive that there was no difeharge of arms on
either fide, until the word fire was given by the said
officer as above.
I shall not trouble you with more particulars, but
give you the substance as it lies in my own mind,
collected from the persons whom I examined for my
own fatisfa&ion. The Lexington company, upon
feeing the troops, and being of themselves so unequal
a match for them, were deliberating for a few mo
ments what they should do, when several dispersing
of their own heads, the Captain soon ordered the rest
to disperse for their own fafety. Before the order
was given, three or four of the regular Officers,
feeing the company as they came up on the rising
ground on this fide the meeting-house, rode forward,
ASSIZE of BREAD. Flour at i6s.per Cent.
A White Loaf of the fineft FLOUR, to weigh
ilb. 130 Z. for 4 Coppers.
Published 3d April, 1775.
Monday, June 19, 1775. THE' [No. 1^36.]
AT E^- T 0 R Km^ffirf, G A ZET TE:
WEEKLY ra^l^ra) MERCUR Y.
- ©mtaining: the frefbefl ^^^^ rfl^x^ foreign anti iDomeffirk.
0 Printed by HUGH GAINE, Printer, Bookseller, and Stationer, at the Bible and Crown, in Hanover-Square.
one or mere, round the Meeting-House, leaving it
on the right hand, and so came upon them that way ;
upon coming up, one cry'd out, " you damn'd re
bels lay down your arms ;' 'another, " stop you
rebels ;" a third, “ disperse you rebels," &c. Major
Pitcairn, I suppose, thinking himfelf juftified by
parliamentary authority to coniider them as rebels ;
perceiving that they did not actually lay down their
arms, observing that the generality were getting off,
while a few continued in their military petition, and
apprehending there could be no great hurt in killing
a few fucli Yankees, which might probably, accord
ing to the notions that had been infilled into him by
the tory party, of the Americans being poltroons,
end all the contest, gave the command to fire, then
fired his own pistol, and so set the whole affair a-go
ing. The printed account fays very different, but
whatever the General may have sent home in support
of that account, the public have nothing but bare
affections, and I have fucli valid evidence of the
falfhood of several matters therein contained, that
with me it has very little weight. The fame account
tells us, that several foots vsere fired from a meeting
house onthe left ;of which I heard not a finglafyl
lable, either from the prisoners or others, and the
mention of which it would have been almost impofli
ble to have avoided, had it been so, by one or another
among thenumbers with whom I freely and familial!y'
converted. There is a curious note at the bottom of§
the account, telling us, that notnvitbf anting the fire 1
frdm the meeting-house, Col. Smith a nd. Major Pitcairn |
ivitb the greatest difficulty kept the foldiersfrom forcing#
into the meeting-house, and putting all tbofe in it to \
death. Would you not suppose that there was a great j
number in the meeting-house, while the regulars §
were upon the common on the right of it, between |
that and the Lexington company ? without doubt.|
And who do you imagine they were ? one Joshua
Simonds, who happened to be getting powder there
as the troops arrived ; besides whom I believe there
were not two, if so much as one, for by reason of the
position of the meeting-house, none would have re
mained in it through choice, but fools and madmen.
However if Col. Smith and Major Pitcairn's hu
manity prevented the soldiers putting all tbofe persons 1
to death, their military skill should certainly have ;
made son, of them prisoners, and the account Ibould
have given us their na/nes. To What I have' vote'
tefpe&ing Major Pitcairn, I am sensible bis general
character may be objected. But character mull not
be allowed to overthrow positive evidence when good,
and the conclusions fairly deduced therefrom. Be
sides, since hearing from Mr. Jones, in what fhame-[
ful abusive manner, with oaths and curses, he was !
treated by the Major at Concord, for flatting ,
the doors of his tavern againtt him and the troops;|
and in order to terrify him to make difeoveries of i
stores ; and the manner in which the Major crow'd i
over the two four-and-twenty pounders found ir the I
yard, as a mighty acquisition, worthy the expedition 1
on which the detachment was employed, I hav? no 1
such great opinion of the Major's character, thoughl
when he found that nothing could be done of any ;
great importance, by bullying, blattering and threat- I
ening, he could alter his tone, begin to coax, and !
offer a reward. It may be said this Jones was a j
goaler. Yes, and such a goaler as I would give j
credit to, sooner than the generality of thofc officers, j
that will degrade the British arms, by employing
their swords in taking away the rights of a free peo-1
pie, when they ought to be devoted to a good caufel
only. There were killed at Lexington eight perfons;|
one Parker, of the fame name with the captain of 1
the company, and two or three more, on the com-|
mon ; the rest on the other fide of the walls and |
fences while dispersing. The soldiers fired at persons ]
who had ho arms. Eight hundred of the belt Bri-f
tifh troops in America having thus nobly van^uifhed (
a company of non-refitting Yankees whiledilperhng, 1
and slaughtered a few of them by way of experi-[
ment, marched forward in the greatness of them f
might to Concord. The Concord people had re- !
ceived the alarm, and had drawn themselves up in 1
order for defence ; upon a mekenger's coming and
telling them that the regulars were three times their
number, they prudently changed their situation,
determining to wait for reinforcements from the
neighbouring towns, which were now alarmed ; but
as to the vaji numbers of armed people fecn affcmbling
in all the heights, as related in the account, 't^l
mostly fi&ion. The Concord company retired ova*j
the North bridge, and when strengthened returned :
to it, with a view of dislodging Capt. Laurie, and 1
securing it for themselves. They knew not whatj
had happened at Lexington, and therefore orders {
were given bv the commander not to give the firft I
fire ; they boldly marched towards it, though not
in great numbers (a^ told in the account) and were
fired upon by the regulars, by which fire a Captain
belonging to A&on was killed, and I think a private.
The Revd. Mr. Emerson, of Concord, living in the
neighbourhood of the bridge, who gave me the ac
count, went near enough to fee it, and was nearer
the regulars than the killed. He was very uneasy
till he found that the fire was returned, and continued
till the regulars were drove off. Lieut. Gould,who
was at the bridge, was wounded and taken prisoner,
has deposed that their regulars gave the firft fire there,
though the printed narrative asserts the contrary ; andl
the soldiers that knew any thing of the matter, with |
whom I conversed, made no scruple of owning thej
fame that Mr. Gould deposed. After the engage-|
ment began, the whole detachment colle&ed toge-j
ther as faft as it could. The narrative tells us that
as Caps. Parsons returned with his three companies
over the bridge, they observed three soldiers on the|
ground, one of them scalped, bis bead much mangled,
and his cars cut ts, though not quite dead ; all this is
Monday, „ Min. after 2 |
Tuesday, 25 Min. after 3 1
Wednesday, 9 Min. after 4 |
Thursday, 55 Min. after 4 j
HIGH-WATER at NEW-YORK, this Week.
Friday, 41 Min. after 5
Saturday, 24 Min. after 6
Sunday, tz Min. after 7
New-Moon the 271 b.
not fi&ion, though the most is. The Revd. Mr.
Emerson informed me how the matter was, with
great concern for its having happened. A young
fellow coming over the bridge in order to join the
country people, and feeing the soldier wounded and
attempting to get up, not being under the feelings of
humanity, very barbavouflv broke his scull and let
out his brains, with a final! axe (apprehend of the
tomahawk kind) but as to his being scalped and ha
ving his ears cut off, there was nothing in it. The
poor object lived an hour or two before he expired.
The detachment, when joined by Capt. Parsons,
made a hasty retreat, finding by woful experience
that the Yankees would fight, and that their num
bers would be continually encreafing. The regulars
Were pushed with vigour by the country people, who
took the advantage of walls, fences, &c. but those
that could get up to engage were not upon equal
terms with the regulars in point of number any part
of the day, though the country was collecting toge
ther from all quarters, and had there been two hours
more for it, would probably have cut off both de
tachment and brigade, or made them prisoners, Ihe
soldiers being obliged to retreat with haste to Lex
ington, had no time to do any considerable mifchieE
But a little on this fide Lexington meeting-house,
where thev were met by the brigade, with cannon,
I Under Lord Piercy, the feene changed. The inha-
Ibitants had quitted their houtes in general upon the
j road, leaving almost every thing behind them, and
I thinking themselves veil off in escaping with theirl
Ilives. The soldiers burnt in Lexington three houfes,j
ione barn, and two,hops, one of which joined to the
Ihoufe, and a mill-house adjoining to the barn : Other
houses and buildings were attempted to be burnt,
and narrowly escaped. You would have been Stock'd
at the deflruction which lias been made by the regu
lars, as they are milcalled, had you been prefect
with me to have beheld it. Many houses were plun
dered of every thing valuable that could be taken
away, and what could not be carried off was de
ilroyed; lopkijig-glaffe^ pots, pans, &c. were broke
all to pieces ; dpors when not fattened; failles and j
windows wantonly damaged and destroyed. The
people fay that the soldiers are worse than the Indi
ans ; in short, they have given the country such an
early specimen of their brutality, as will make the
' inhabitants dread fubmiffon to iLXft T & 4 w f Q ^fr
tifh ministry, and determine them to fight desperately
rather than have such cruel matters to lord it over ;
them. The troops at length reached Charleftown,i
where there was no attacking them with fafety to|
the town, and that night and the next day eroded j
over in boats to Boston, where they continue to be
flint up ; for the people poured down in so amazing
a manner from all parts, for scores of miles round,
leven the grey-headed came to assist their countrymen,
I the General was obliged to set about further fortify
lingling the town immediately at all points and places.
IThe proceedings cf April 19th have united thecolony
I and continent, and brought in New-York to act as
!vigorously as any other place whatsoever ; afid has
;railed an army in an infant, which are lodged in the
several houtes of the to^ns round Bolton till
their tents are finifhed, which will be soon. All
!that is attended to, besides plowing and planting, &c.
I is making ready for fighting. The non-impottations
I and non-exportations will now take place from ne
j ceffity, and traffic give place to war. We have a
I fine spring, profpe&s of great plenty ; there was
I scarce ever known such a good fall of lambs ; we
} are in no danger of flarving, through the cruel a&s
j against the New-England governments ; and the men
j #tio had been ufcd to the fifhery, a hardy generation
I of people, Lord North has undefignedly kept in the
|country to give strength to our military operations,
I and to assist as occafon may require : Thanks to a
Ifuperior wisdom for his blunders. The General is
lexpecting reinforcements, but few have arrived as
[ yet ; the winds, contrary to the common run at this
; season, instead of being easterly, have been mostly
!the reverie. When the reinforcement arrives, and is
recovered of the voyage, the General will be obliged
in honour to attempt dillodging the people, and pe
netrating into the country ; both soldiers and inha
bitants are in want of frelh provisions, and will be
like to fuffcr much, should the provincial army be
able to keep the town (hut up on all sides, excepting
by water, as at prefect. The General engaged with
ithe Select-men of Bolton, that if the town's people
j would deliver up their arms into their custody, those
} that chole it should be allowed to go out with their
; efte&s; the townsmen complied, and the General
I forfeited his word, for which there will be an after
!reckoning, should they ever have it in their power to
I call him to an account. A few have been allowed to
come out with many of their effefls ; numbers are
not permitted to come out, and the chief of those
who have been, have been obliged to leave their mer
chandize and goods (linen and houfhold fluff, cash
and plate excepted) behind them. You nmft look
back to the origin of the united provinces, that you
may have an idea of the resolution of this people.
May the present struggle end as happily in favour of
American Liberty, without proving the deftrti&ion
of Great-Britain. We are upon a I'econd edition of
King Charles the Firm's reign, enlarged. May the
dispute be adjusted, before the times are too tragical
to admit of it. Both officers and privates have al-
I tered their opinion of the Yankees very much since
1 the 18th of April.
IThe detachment, while at Concord, disabled two
; 24 pounders, destroyed their two carriages, and seven
I wheels for the fame, with them limbers; sixteen
Iwheels for brass three pounders, and two carriages,
j with limber and wheels for two four pounders ; 500
§ pounds of ball thrown into the river, wells and other
I places ; and broke in pieces about 60 barrels of
Wheatper Bufnel, 6s. od.
Flour, 15s. od.
Brown Bread, 15s. od.
Wed-India Rum, 3s. 4d.
New-England, do. zs. 6d.
PRICE-CURRENT, in NEW-YORK.
Mufcovado Sugar, 645. cd.
Single refin'd ditto, is. id.
Molasses, 2s. od.
Beef per Barrel, 48s. od.
Fork, 655. od.
Signed by order of the Committee,
JOHN HAIT, Jun. clerk.
Stamford, June 6th, 1775.
so th PUBLICK.
WHEREAS I the fubferiber have been guilt,
of buying and felling Bohea Tea, since the
firft of March last part, whereby I have been guilty of
a breach of the Association, entered into by the Conti
nental Congress, and sensible of my mifcondu&, do
in this public manner confefs my crime, and humbly
request the favour of the public so overlook this my
Tran fereffion, nromifur for the future to con^Jv
mytett3 ra tr&QLfrrrfyraTtt^^ — ...i b;_£ti
mony of my sincerity, I do now deliver up the whole
.of the Tea I have on hand unto the said Committee
df Infpe&ion, to be by them committed to the
flames.
SILVANUS WHITNEY.
Aftort narative of the execution of the unfortunate
Tea above-mentioned.
About 8 o'clock in the Evening, a gallows was
ere&ed in the middle of the street opposite Mr.
Weed's tavern; a large concourse of people soon.
collected, and were joined by a number of the soldiery
quartered in the Town, a grand procession soon began
to move, in the firft place a large guard under arms,
headed by two Captains who lead the van, with the
unfortunate Tea hung across a pole, sustained by two
unarmed soldiers. Secondly, followed the Committee
of Observation. Thirdly the fpe&ators who came to
fee the great light, and after parading through part
of the principal Greets with drums beating and fifes
playing a molt doleful found, they came "to the gal
lows, where the common hangman soon performed
his office to the general fatisfa&ion of the fpe&ators;
as it was thought dangerous to let the said Tea hang
all night, for fear of an invasion from our Tea lovers,
a large bonfire was madeunderit, which soon reduced
it to allies, and after giving three loud Huzzas, the
people soon dispersed to their refpe&ive homes, with
out any bad consequences attending.---The owner of
the aforefaid Tea attended during the execution, and
behaved himfelf as well as could be expe&ed on the
occasion.
flour, half of which was faved# Cannot be certain
01 the numbers that were killed. Apprehend upon
the whole the regulars had more than 100 killed, and
igo wounded, besides about 50 taken prisoners. The
country people had about 40 killed, 7 or 8 taken
prisoners, and a few wounded.
N. B. I never saw the printed account till Monday,
so that I was not directed by it in any of my enqui
ries when at Lexington and Concord.---The Gene
ral, I am persuaded, gave positive orders to the
detachment not to fire firft, or I am wholly miftakea
in my opinion of him. The prisoners at Worcester,
Concord and Lexington, all agreed in their being
exceedingly well used. The policy of the people
would determine them thereto, if their humanity did
hot.
May 17, 1775.
A Ta Meeting of the Committee of Observation
A for the Town of Stamford, held in said Stam
foid, on I ueklay the 6th day of June 1775, person
ally appeared Silvanus Whitney of said Stamford,
before said committee and made the following confef
lion, whereupon the Committee puffed sentence againit
him agreeable to the direction of the Continental Con
grUs, bis punishment being greater than he was able
to bear, he requeued the liberty to advertise h.mleif,
and offering to deliver up the itfortunate Tea to be
burnt, the Committee were of opinion that it would
fatisly the public ; who are requeued to accept of
the following confcilion as a fatisfa&ion for his
crime.
wffwm^^^
By Captain Follett, in 36 Days from Topfeam,
in England; and Captain Thomson, in five
F/eeks from Cork, vse have received the
follovuing .devices, viz.
MADRID, March &
I ETTERS from Cadiz, Carthagena, Barcelona,
_, and Malaga, mention, that they employ all
polfibT diligence in preparing great armaments,
which are to be in rcadinefs by the 15th of April, for
a secret expedition.
Warsaw, April 8. The Prussian troops have again
begun to take pofleflion of several places belonging
to our Republic ; and near Auguftow in Lithuania,
the peasants are forced to cut down a wood for a large
Prussian camp which was marked there. The
Austrian troops, on the other hand, have received
orders to take pofleffion of the Woywodyhoods of
Cracow and Sandomier, which violent proceedings
of thele Counts have given rife to Count Ponifki, the
Marshal of the Dyet, to make a motion that the
whole Dyet shall petition the King, “ that if in case
his Majetty can think of any remedy to save the
mother country from slavery and ruin, he may be
pleated to propose it to the Dyet, who oblige them
i'elves to stand on the King's fide at the rifque of
their lives and fortunes." The motion was carried,
and we are all curious to know the King's answer.
From Madrid we learn, that orders have been
issued for a general armament, and that orders were
given at the Victualling-Office for 40,000 quintals of
bifeuit to be ready towards the latter end of this
month.
I Fine Salt, 3s. 3d
Coarse Salt, 3s. od
Indian Cornperßu. 3s. 4d