Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1857-08-14
THE WHITE H0RsEMAN.
A REM1NIsoENcE OF LEXINGTON.

/
The bell Of the meeting house at Lex
ington rang loud and shrin on that clear
frosty morning in April, Startling from
his slumbers the hardy yeoman, who, as
he leaped from his pallet and endeavored
to rouse his dormant faculties, was not
long in conjecturing the meaning of
those untimely sounds. Ding, dong, ding,
dong; how they thrilled along the nerves
of the half awakened SLEEPER, as he tried
to peep from his window into the gloom
of the incipient day. As the soul stir
ring sounds echoed and reverberated
through the chilling atmosphere, and an
other household was awakened, and soon
gIow-worm tapers might be seen fitting
to and fro, until every house within reach
of those reverberations gave tone of
E wakefulness and activity. Anon, as the
l first ray Of the morning stole over the
picture, groups and squads of armed and
4 unarmed men appeared, all hurrying to-
ward the point whence came the warning
J voice of the old bell as it continued its
V call to arms. There was no hesitation,
no halting in the step of those who gath
: cred around the person of Capt. Parker,
to learn the import of those thrilling
Il clarion notes. Every man capable of
Il bearing arns had been enrolled in the
l bands of the "minute men," and the
l presence of one hundred men about the
= doors of that chnrch gave tokens how
Is well they deserved the title. "What':
i0 the matter?" was the query of each a:
he arrived on the ground, and all wer,
ut answered alike =
IS, "The British are on the way to Con
TX cord to capture the stores, and we mus
a let 'em know that they amt going to hav
It. them without a brush" There was, t
m to the Americans, something cruel in th
sd idea Of being deprived, by force, of th
o0 very humble means of defence whic
L they had obtained after great exertion
ne and, although the determination to fgt
ne had not as yet been fully formed, yet eN
7u cry man saw al once but two alternative:
the loss of their stores or bleodshed.-
US The first they were not prepared to pl
lth up with, and the only course was to d
he fend. Still they, one and all, determine
ow to take the initiative, but let the haught
to Britons bear the responsibility of Il
tile first shot.
18th They had notlong to wait. The tran
of the British soldiers was soon heard {
Ike, the road, and in a few moments the he;
i've Of the column appeared in sight. II
ing officer at the head, ordering two comp
way nies from column into line rode forwal
fourishing his sword, and ordered t
like ID rebels to disperse. But the
the Notwithstanding the immensely superi
ha- force, did not any at once obey, and t
hen troops were ordered to fire. The fl
wo- volley, which killed four of the Anne
cans, was returned, and then Capt. Pa
ard er ordered every man TO take care
himself, and fight on his own hook. y
lore Having sworn that he "never would I
one from the British" the captain continr
to load and fire his piece until he '
I as wounded. Dropping on his knees,
Au- still continued his warfare until he v
here bayoneted in his tracks.
nd a The whole of the scene described t.
place in view of an old man named Fl
,em ekiah Wyman, a window in whose no
overlooked the ground. Hezekiah '
you nearly eighty, and then deemed too
to be enrolled in the bands of the min
,'"n1, ,@a' men, but he soon gave evidence c
,ould spirit which led him to perform deed
the valor unequaled by any Of the pres
poor day.
no" now "Wife," said he, turning to his a
III IL partner, who had turned from the '
dow horror-struck when the first vo
lthUr was fred, and it was evident there
0erF to be a contest Wife, isn't there an
'N gun barrel somewhere up garret?
and believe there was, but what on ea
'etch- husband, do you want of a gun, you
going going to fight the British, are you
H. H. /" Massy SOUL" continued she, seeing
tbro, husband move towards the stairs, "N
in her can you do with gun, an old man
raped you, eighty last NOvember-should t
lnlsht you had seen enough fighting alread
';th %''a . There lies Captain Parker and bis
1t the bleeding on the ground before
the eyes"
"a her The old man made no reply, but
: over ceeded up stairs, and soon returned
an old rusty gun barrel in his hands
, was in spite of his wifes incessant din
lurch- poor woman she was influenced b.
~ .uSheu i1i best Of motives,) he went to the
a