Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-04-20

silent and fearless, willing to fight for their
privileges, scrupuous not to begin civil war,
and as vet uususpicious Of immediate dan
ger. The ground on which they trod was
the altar of freedom, and they were to fur
/ uish its victims.
The British van, hearing the drum and the
alarm guns, halted to load. The remaining
companies came up, and, at half an hour be-
fore sunrise the advance party buried for
ward at d9uble-quick time, almost upon
run, closely followed by the grenadIers-
Pitcairn rode IN front, and when within tve
or SIX rods OF the riinute-meu, cried out,
"Dsperse, &c villains: We rebels disperse; lay
down your arms; why don't You lay down
your arms and rIispcrse?" The main part
of the countrymen stood mOtionless in the
ranks, witnesses against aggression; too lew
to resist too brave to fy. At this Pitcairn
discharged pistol, and with a loud voice
cried Fire. The order was instantly fol-
lowed, first by few guns, which did no
! execution, and then by heavy, close, and
deadly discharge of musketry.
la the disparity of numbers, the common
was field of murder, not of battle; Parker,
therefore. ordered his men to di,perse. Then,
and not till then, did few of them, on their
own impulse, return the British IRE. These
random shots of iugitives or dying men did
no harm, except that PItcairn'5 horse WAS,
perhaps, grazed, and private of the lUth
light iuiantry was touched slightly Ia the
leg.
/ Jonas Parker, the strongest and best
wrestler 10 Lexin gton, had promised never to
run from British troops; and he kept his VOW.
A wound brought him on MS knees. Having
discharged his gun, he was preparing to load
il again, when as sound heart as ever
throbbed for freedom was stilled by bayonet,
and he lay on the post which he took at the
MORNINGS drum beat 81 Tell Isaac Muz8ey,
aud so died the aged Robert munroe, tue
same who in 1853 had been an ensign at
. Lruisburgh. Jonathan Harrington, jr., was
struck ia front Of his own house on tue north
side of the common. His wife was at the
window as he fell. With the blood gushing
from bis breast he rose in her sight, tottered,
fell again, then crawled on hands and knees
towards his dwelling; she ran to meet him,
but only reached him as he expired on their
Threshold, Caleb Harrington, who had
gone into the meeting house for powder, was
shot al he came out. Samuel llsdley and
John Brown were pursued and killed after
they had left the green. Asahel Porter, Of
Wohurn, who had been taken prisoner by the
British on the march, endeavoring to escape,
was shot within few RODS OF the Common.
Day came il all the beauty Of an early
sprins. The trees were budding the grass
growing raukIy q full month before the
time; the blue bird and the Robin gladden.
my the genial season, aud calling forth the
beams OF the sun, which on that morning
shn?c with the warmth of summer; but dis
tresss and horror gathered over the in
habitants of the peaceful town. There, on
the green, lay 10 death the gray-hared and
the young; the grassy field was led with the
innocent blood Of their brethren slain" cry.
Jog unto God for vengeance from the ground.
Seven of the men y! Lexington were kill
ed mae wOunGei--l quarter part OF those
who st ID in arms on the green. These are
the village heroes who were more than OF no.
bic blood, proving by their spirit that they
were race divine They gave their lives IN
testimony to the rights OF mankind, bequeath-
log 10 their country an assurance OF success
in the mighty struggle which they began
Their names are held 10 grateful rem em
branue, and the expanding millions of their
countrymen renew and multiply their praise
from generation TO generation. They fulfill
ed their duty not from the accidental mpulse
of q moment; their action Was the slowly RI
peucd fruit Of Providence and of time. The
| light that led them on was combined of rays
| from tue whole history OF the race; from the
traditions Of the Hebrews in the gray of the
worlds morning from the heroes and sages Of
republican Greece and Rome; from the exam
pie OF Him who laid down his life on the
cross for the life Ut humanity; from the reli
gious creed which proclaimed the Divine pie
seuce in man, and on this truth, as in a life
! boat, fiOated the liberties of nations over the
dark food Of the middle ages from the Gus
toms Of the Germans transmitted out of their
forests to the COUNCILS of Saxon England; from
the burning faith and courage OF Martin Lu-
! theT; from trust IN the inevitable universally
Of G.d's sovereignty as taght by Paul of Tar
sus and Augustine, through Calvin and the
iivincs Of New EUglaUt; irOm the avenging
. hercgucsS OF the PuTItGns who dashed down
thc mitre on the ruins Of the throne; from the
bold dissent and creative sel,-ASsertlon Of the
earliest EN- grants u Massachusetts: ircm the
statesmen vino made and the philosophers
who expOunded the revolution Of England.
! from IuC NUeTaI spirit auu auhlyhlnS lBqui
sitiveuess Of the eighteenth century; from
the cloud of witnesses Of all the ages to the
reality and the righttuless of human freedom.
All the centuries bowed themselves from the
recesses Of past eternity to cheer in their
sacrifice the lowIy men who proved themselves
worthy Of their iOre-runners, and whose
children rise up aud call them blessed
Needless Of his own danger, SameI Adams,
with the voice Of a prophet, exclaimed, ION.
what glorious morning is this ~, i0r be saw
that his ccuntry'r Independence was rapidly
fastening vu, and like Columbus in the tem-
pest, knew that the storm did but bear him
the more swiftly towards the undiscovered
world"
Mr.. Bancroft concluded amid much ap-
plause, and was unanimously voted the
thanks of the society, which then adjourned.
Damage by lightning.
The Hartford Times says that severe
thunder storm occurred in New Haven, Mil
ford, and other neighboring places along the
southern line Oi Connecticut, on Tuesday last.