The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1822-05-01
Prom The Salem Register Of the 2Od April.


deoce wss struck at Lexington, by The un'
dsua,cd yeomaoty OF New EngIaod. In pre-
ference 70 any thing which We could oher on
,he object OF this important anni'ersaiy, we
have selected fom p,eside0t sights Tray
els the iolIosing interesting account OF the c.
vents OF this memorable day. The intfoduc'
tory remarks OF Dr.. ID. are suiklngiy eesuti.
ili and appropriate;
Concord VIII be long remembered, as nav
ing been, partially, tho scene oil the hrst NIL
i,ary action in the Revolutionary war, aud the
object of an expedition ihe first IN that chain
oil events which terminated 10 the separation
of tue British Colonies from their mother
couotiy. A traveller on this spot, particular
iy an American traveller, will irresisubiy re-
cal 10 ms mind an even, OF this magnitude
and cannot fail of being dseply Affected by
comparison Of DO small beginning WIN SO
mighty an issue. In other circumstances,
the expedition to Concord, and the contest
which onsued, W would have been, merely, lit
tle taies OF wonder and woe chiefly rccited
by the parents OF the neighborhood 10 their
circles at the hre.sidc commanding mo-
mcntary attention OF childhood and Calling
forth The tear Of sorrow from tho eyes OF
those, who were ultimately connected with
the suffetcrs. Now, The same events pre-
face tho history of cation and the 5eginni0g
Of AN empire and are themes Ot disquistion
10 the civilized world. From the plains ot
Concord Will heneefor,b be dated change
In human affairs an alteration in the BAL
ance Of human power; and now direction
10 the course Of human Improvement. Man,
from the even,s which have occurred here,
will 10 some respects assume a new charsc-
Ter, add experience in some respects new
destiny.
General Gage 10 whom wos committed
one Of the most unfortunate trusts ever a!'ot-
ted TO an,iniivdul, havioe obtained iosorma-
tioD that d considerable quantity ot arms and
mli,sry storss was by order OF the Psovia-
cial Congress deposited IN this town. sent
l.ieutensnt Col. Smith and Major Pitcairn,
=, be head OF eight hund'ed & enad'o's and
Light Intantty, with orders TO march TO Con-
cord and destroy the deposit. The troops
were accordingly embarked from the com
mon IN Boston, and landed on the opposite
shore in Cambridge at u place called Phlpp''
ia,m. Thence they matched by the shortest
route 10 this town.
An expedition Of this nature had for some
,lme been expected. Certain intelligence OF
i, had been obtained, the preceding aEernoon,
by d.. Warren, who afterwards fell in the
battle Of Breeds hill, and was io'w ,rded by
him with the utmost celeriy 10 the inicrven'
Jog towns, particularly TO Lexington, where
were, a, that time NJ, H,ncock and Mr.. hd-
Ems both, afterwards, Governors OF Msssa-
chusett.. AS these gentlemen were suppo
sed to be the principal objects OF The cxpedi'
ton, tho expresses who Carried the intel''
sence, (Coi. Paul Revere, and Mr.. William
Dayes were peculiarly directed to them
They reached Lexington, which is four miles
from Concord, in such season, that Alessrs.
Hancock and Adams made their escape
uere however, ths expresses we've stopped
by the British, rs they were sdvancing to.
wards Concord bat Or. Prescott, young
gentle 10 whom they had communicated
,neir message, escaped, and charmed the in.
hsOitso,s of Concord.
The BRUSH troops reached Lexington at
five o'clock in the morning. Here they
found about 70 militia, sod forty spcc,stcrs
10y the side Of tho church. Msior Pitcairn
iode up 10 them, and cried out with vehc.
mencc, " Disperse you rebels throw down
)our arMs aud disperse ~ As this com
nsnd was not Immediately ooeyed, he dis.
Iire upon tho inhabitants. The soldiers fired,
snd the people instantly Aed. The soldiers,
however, coutiooed to 6so at Individuals.
This at length provoked return, end sevc'
raj wecc killed on both sides. Sill the
troops continued their march towards Con-
cord, whers they arrived early in the morn.
ing! For the purpose Of defence the iuhaoi.
tan,s had drawn themselves up IN kind of
order, but upon discovering the number o!
the enemy, withdrew ovcr the North Bridge,
hsff a mile below the church where they
waited for rcinforceuent,. The sold',rs
tneo broke open, and scattered, about sixty
barrels of -four, disabled two twenty four
Founders, destroyed the carriages OF sbou,
twenty cannon, and threw five hond'ed pounds
of bali into tho river and neighboring wells.
The principal parts Of the stores, however,
was not discovered.