Smith orders his Grenadiers to search houses and barns for powder. He decides not to attack when none of his men find any powder, and has a feeling that the militia could have possibly surrounded the town. Smith did not know it, but he was right. Over six thousand militia surrounded the town on the hills and ridges above. Smith stations men to secure bridges and roads.
Grenadiers find a small cannon brace, and burn that.
Seeing this on the hills above, the curses start flying, and the men get restless. From nearby Lincoln, another company of minutemen who brought rumor of gunfire at Lexington, joined in as well. He reported to Barrett that the regulars were probably firing ball, although he was not really sure. It was a momentous report. Powder would have frightened, but ball was intended to kill.