New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1856-05-12
n, TIE BATTLE ~ or ! NeRoN.



THE BATTLE or lyeToN.
~ R. s, THOMAS.
5s 9 $sa SsSsi NJ g5S
The British in possession of Boston had learned
that q quantity of public stores were deposited at
Concord, nineteen miles distant and determined to
destroy Them. ANOTHER and and a much more impor-
tant obiectof the expedition was, to capture if pos
sible, John Hancock and Samuel Adams, who were
Known to be in that neighborhood and upon whose
heads q price had been sets54S5 555Sl 8355 81 i= n
On the night Of the 18th April 1875 the British
landed eight hundred men in Charleston, who took
up the line Of march through Mentomy CHOW called
West Cambridge and Lexington, to Concord. It
was calm starlight night, and they moved with all
possible stiffness III West Cambridge they passed my
fathers house, and their tread awoke him. he arose,
stood at the window and counted their platoons. AS
as they had all passed. he seized his mnsket and
started across the country every road of which was
familiar In his progress he fell in with numbers on
the same errandthat was to get ahead Of the enemy
and alarm the country, in both Of VII they sue
ceeded sofhat when the British arrived at
eleven miles from Boston, at five o'clock - ttie morn
ing, they found the militia assemble they nag FL
Il eeived Intelligence of the enemy movements some 4
hours before and were assembly, ~ ~
beat drum Ihe poe toward and
4 called out sDisperse you rebels dlsperse ~ and
without waiting to zee they would orFoqld
fred Wheh sd Tlsnf i0 obeT TeG s
nersed and tile British their way to Concord
teY arrived without interruption, but Hancock
Land Adams had made their escape. They then COM
menced retreat, to do which they had to pass the
nort bridge fat the foot of it Capt Davis had drawn
mn Ills company, tile Concord Light Infantry, and
then and there the first yolley was fired by the
Americans in that cause which gave Independence
4 to America and freedom to the world. In the mean
4 time the minute men were pouring in from all quar-
tars, and the British found themselves so holly;
pressed that had it not been for reinforcement Of
about d thousand men, with two field pieces, under
nr1 0n a m
assistance mot a man of the detachment would have
reached Boston. The reinforcement met the retreat
ing column near Lexington, greatly diminished,
almost exhausted having aiken no refreshment since
they left Boston, whence they yet distant eleven
miles, and had to fight every inch Of the way. N 2
Eli The plan then adopted by Lord Percy, was one of
the most warfare; his troops fellof from the
front entered tie houses Of the Americans, plundered
Them of whatever they could carry, set fire to the
houses, and then Joined the rear thus giving an OPP
porunity to their whole force to plumber; but hot
was the pursuit, large portion Of the fires were e1
tinguished before they had done much damage.
When they had passed the foot of the rocks, they:
entered the plain of West Cambridg sc, seven miles
from Charles River, and quite village for about two
miles; at least j found it so when schoolboy ten
years after and there appearance ofany addi-
Mon to it since thesR Revolution stasiql5 s &sst
Tt is proper here to remark that there were two
:tayerns near West Cambridg --one kept by a Mr..
Cooper the resort Of the Wings the other the resort
Of the Tories kept by a Mr.. Bradsh There were
three families on the road within fourth Of a mile
BY the name Of Adams name hateful to the British
one Of those lady was confined the night before
the enemy entered the house, took the bed on which
she with her infant at the breast and carried them
into the yard and left them there. little boy about
five or six years old had taken shelter under his
mothers bed his foot projected from beneath the
draperya British soldier thrust his bayonet through
it, and for minute pinned to the floor; the boy
did not even utter a cry: this fact had from his
mother They then plundered the house and set it on
fire, but the Americans entered in few moments
l. no fba NM
| FAINT to their and bed Their next exploit was
at the Wing tavern, into which they fired more than
q hundred bullets, the holes made by them were filled
/ up but the marks are visible to this day. It was a
singuar fact that three old men, seventy years and
upwards each, who we're Tories, the battle coming on
4 So unexpectedly, took shelter in this tavern,
1 lCoopef,s where the British found them and put
| them to death.
The name of one was Winship. I we'll remember
his son.. The heavy discharges Of nlusketry at the
tavern brought my mother into the streets or road
who had learned nothing certain of what was going
on since my father her the previous evening
10 her utter astonishmentshe saw the battle raging
at less than half mile distant; she Instantly re-
turned to the house secured large bag Of currency
so much wanted at this time, and few small articles
then taking child of two years old in her arms
and having two older hanging to her apron, she 1
sailed forth to go to Captain Whttemores, about
two miles distant across the fields the bank of the
Mystic river lwomen and children had already fled
there, to the number Of hundred Of the former /
and two Or three hundred of the latter.) She had |
scarcely set foot on the road when child cried for
bread she returned to the house, and cutting loaf
gave piece to him that wanted it and wrapping the
remainder up in her apron she again in the read
In the meantime the battle had approached so near,
she was within point blank shot Of the retreating
enemy, who let go whole yolley at her. which did no
other damage than to pass two balls through her cap
The Americans saw her perilous situation and called
out to her. /" Run, good woman' She did SO, and
arrived safe at the house of refuge.
The enemy in the meantime, sent out flankng
party with the intention OF cutting off the retreat OF
the mother and chd--an object which they came
nigh accomplishing the Americans did not sue.
coed in turning their flank until they had approached
the house near enough to lodge bullets in it-and
very large elm tree, within twenty-five feet from the
house, was spattered with them andI took great
pleasure in cutting them out ten twelve years
after.
After my mothers escape, they entered the house,
took every article Of clothing and bedding, except
the beds themselves which they ripped open, split up
the furniture and then set fire to the house-but the
building was saved. They also killed horse in the
| stable and some hogs in the pen.
Near my fathers dwelling was Bradishs Troy
tavern. When they arrived at that, Mrs Bradish who
was in delicate health from her easy chair to retire
minnie whena ball passed through the back of it 1T
was the only fired at the house, and was probably
done inadvertently. The British officers, who had
been in the habit Of making trips to the country, par
ticuarly on Sunday, knew every family which was
near Troy, for many miles around, and dealt with
them accordingly when they had the opportunity. 1t
was not until dark that they arrived in Charleston,
when the Americans withdrew from the contest, and
the British encamped on Bunker's Hill. The next
morning they entered Boston.
The loss on both sides has been differently stated,
and my memory does not serve with certainty on this
subject; but o pamphlet which remember to have
read, afidavits Of many occurrences Of the day. it
seems to put down the loss of the British at 245,
besides many wounded and that of the Americans ut
l40-hut am not certain nor have any authorities
at hand to refer to on the subject.
| n
Personalities in Kansas.
Fighting, we believe, has ceased in Kansas, but
high words and quarreling go on actively ever