The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware register., 1825-09-15
HISTORICAL SKETCH.

verbal and of course less regarded; the Sec
ond, in writing, was sent by express from
the committee of safety, then sitting i'll Cam
bridge. This written message was direc-
ted to "Hon. John Hancock, esq" who,
with the Hon. Samuel Adams, was spend
ing the night at the house of the Rev. Jonas
Clark, in Lexington. The message con-
tanned these warning words, "eight or nine
officers of the kings troops were seen, just
before night, passing the road towards Lex
ington in a musing contemplative posture;
and it was suspected they were out upon
some evil design" Whether this message
contained any other cautions or Information,
Ihave not been able to ascertain.
As the Hon. Samuel Adams had been
long obnoxious to the British administration
and as the Hon. John Hancock "had been
more than once personally insulted by some
officers of the troops in Boston,''it it was fear
ed that an expedition was preparing to ar
rest and execute these leaders OF the 'reo-
els" as our patriots were then branded.
s.ro prevent any thing of this kind, ten
or twelve men, armed themselves and
guarded the Rev'd. Clark's house through
the night.
In the evening, the officers referred to IN
the message, passed through Lexington to-
wards Concord. At 10 o'clock three men
on horseback were despatched from i.eX-
ington, as corps of observation, to follow
them. In the borders of Lincoln. these
three men were made prisoners by the oiii-
GERS, and kept several hours and lnhnmanly
abused. The apparent discovery seemed to
disconcert the plans of the officers, who then
effected a hasty retreat, and lett the prs
oncrs in Lexington, on their return. Nhat
AZ. t,nc
er been ascertained; but the opinion was
then, and still is, that they were proceeding
to Concord, where Hancock and Adams
were supposed to be attending the Provln-
cial Congress, to arrest and convey them to
Boston, in the night.-Their purpose, how
ever. would have been defeated even it
they had not been detected. For Hancock
and Adams had providentially retired to
spend the night in Lexing. on, with their
fellow patriot and friend, the Rev. Mr.
Clark.
On the morning of April 10Th, between
the hours of twelve and one o'clock, a third
message reached Lexington, Is was by ex
press from the Hon. Joseph Warren OF Bos-
ton, it stated that large body Of the "king's
troops (supposed to be brigade Of about ?
to l500) were embarked in boats from Bos
ton, and gone over to land Oh Lechmere's
Point, ESQ called) in Cambridge, and it was
shrewdly suspected, that they were ordered
to seize and destroy the stores, belonging to
the colony, then deposited at Concord. '-It
should be noted that the colonial government
deposited these stores in Concord, because
General Gage had seized the provincial
magazine of powder at Medford and other
colony stores in several other paces.)
This message spread alarm through the
town, and the militia were ordered to as
semble forthwith at the usual place Of pa
rade by the meeting house. They did assem-
BILE Immediately, and were ready to act as
duty and prudence might require. Messen-
gers were sent to explore the rcut Of the
troops, and if possible gain knowledge Of
their purpose. Before four O'Clock one mes
seuger returned and said that there was no
appearance Of troops. on the road either
from Charlestown or Cambridge; and the
common opinion was that the movements
mentioned by the Hon. Joseph Warren were
onlv feint to alarm the people. Upon this
intelligence the militia company was dis
missed but ordered to remain within call Of
drum.--The object was to avail the return
of the other messenger, who was expected
in an hour. But the troops were too wary
for him, and reached the place where he
W and seized him, which was the first in
fo nation he hal of their approach. By
this accident the people Of Lexington had
no notice Of their approach till the brigade
was actually in the town upon quick march
and not more than a mile and quarter
from the meeting house and the place Of
parade
At half past four o'clock "alarm guns were
fired and the drums beat to arms" and the
militia. to the number Of .ffy or sixty,
promptly assembled on the parade ground
Almost at the same moment the British
troops arrived, matted about twenty rods be-
fore they reached the meeting house, and
were there ordered to "prime and load, .
w.,ich they did. The troops then marched
up to the east end of the meeting house and
saw our men about dozen rods distant to
the north. Captain Parker, who command
cd the Lexington company, then ordered
his men Immediately "to dispersc and tax Z
care Of themselves" but commanded them
''not to Are The men obeyed instantly
and began 70 disperse, though many o
them lotered, perhaps desirous to see tht
end.
When the British troops came in sight
one Supposed to BE an officer of rank wa!
heard TO exclaim to the troops, "Damr
them, we will have them," which was fol
lowed by a shout and huzza of the British
who rushed on towards our men, who were
disperr ring.-Theu three officers, thought t,
be Col, Smith, Mai Pitcairn, and another
rod in front Of the British troops, and ad
ranced within five or six rods of our men