Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1858-04-29

AT two in the morning, under the eye of the
minister, and of Hancock and Adams. Lexing-
ton Common was alive with the minute men,
and not with them only but with the old men
aso' who were exempt, except in case of i'm
mediate danger to the town The roll was
called, and of militia and alarm men about one
hundred and thirty answered to their Names
The captain, John Parker, ord cred every one
to load with powder and ball, but to take care
not to be the first to fire. Messengers, sent to
look for the British regulars, reported that there
were no signs of their approach. A watch was
therefore set, aud, the@company dismissed with
orders to come together at beat of drum Some
went to their own homes some to the tavern.
near the southeast corner of the common.
Adams and Hancock, whose prescription had
already been divulged, and whose seizure was
believed to beintended, were compelled by per-
suation to retire towards Woburn.
The last stars were vanishing from night
when the foremostparty, led by Pitcairn, a ma
Jor of marines, was discovered advancing quick
ly and in silence. Alarm guns were fred and
the drums beat, not a call to village husband
men OILY, but the reveille to humanity Less
than seventy-perhaps less than sixty obeyed
the summons, and, in sight of half as many
boys and unarmed men, were paraded in two
ranks, few rods north of the Westinghouse.
How often in that Building had they, with
renewed professions of their faith, looked up to
God as the stay of their fathers, and the pro-
tector of their liberties How often on that
village green, hard by the burial place of their
forefathers, had they pledged themselves to
each other to combat manfully for their birth
right inheritance of freedom There they now
stood side by side, under the provincial banner,
with arms in their hands, silent and fearless,
willing to fight for their privileges, scrupulous
not to begin civil war, and as yet unsuspicious
of immediate danger. The ground on which
they trod was the alter of freedom, and they
were to furnish its victims
The British van, hearing the drum and the
alarm guns, halted to load the remaining COM
panies came up; and at half an hour before
sunrise, the advance party hurried forward at
double quick time, almost upon run, close
ytollowed by the grenadiers. Pitcairn rode in
front, and when within five or six rods of the
minute men, cried out /: :" Dsperse, ye villains
ye rebels, disperse; lay down your arms why
don't you lay down your arms and disperse ~
The main part of the countrymen stood mo
tionless in the ranks, witnesses against aggres-
sion; too few to resist, too brave to fly. AT
this Pitcairn discharged pistol, and with a
loud voice cried, "Fire.' The order was in
stantly followed, first by few guns, which did
no execution, and then by heavy, close and
deadly discharge of musketry.
In the disparity of numbers, the Common was
a field of murder, not of battle Parker, there
fore, ordered his men to disperse. Then, and
not till then, did few of them, on their own
impulse, return the British fire. These random
shots OF fugitive or dying men did no harm
except that Picairn's horse was perhaps grazed
and private of the 10th Light Infantry was
touched slightly in the leg.
Jonas Parker, the strongest and best wrestler
in Lexington, had promised never to run from
British troops and kept his vow. A wound
brought him on his knees. Having discharged
his gun, he was preparing to load it again
. when as sound heart as ever throbbed for free
dom was stilled by a bayonet, and he lay on thu
= post which he took at the morning drum beat
) So fell Isaac Muzzy, and SO died the aged Rob
ert Munroe the same who in 1853, had beer
l an ensign at Louisburg. Jonathan Harrington
Junior was struck in front of his own house OIL
t the north of the Common His wife was at tn
window as he fell. With the blood gushin,
from his breast he rose in her sight, tottered
! fell again, then crawlcd on hands and knee
e towards his dwelling she ran to meet him, bu
. only reached him as he expired on their thresh
r old. Caleb Harrington, who had gone into tn
s meeting house for powder, was shot as he came
t out. Samuel Hadleyand John Brown were pu1
n sued and killed, after they had left the green
q Asahel Porter, of Woburn, who had been ia
s ken prisoner by the British on the march, en
f deavoring to escape, was shot within few rod
Il of the Common.
Day came in all the beauty of an early spring
y The trees were budding the grass CROWN
rankly full month before the time; tn
n blue-bird and the robin gladdening the genis
IS season, and calling forth the beams of the su
d which on that morning shone with the warmt
" OF summer distress and horror gathered owe
W the inhabitants of the peaceful town. There
d on the green, lay in death the gray haired an
ID the young the grassy field was red " with tn
8, innocent blood of their brethren slain, cryin
le unto God for vengeance from tho ground.
ID Seven of the mon of Lexington were killed
eS nine wounded; quarter part Of those VIII
+ stood in arms on the green. These are the vi
rs lage heroes, who weromoro than Of noble BLOOD
proving by their spirit that they were of raj
/ divine. They gave their lives in testimony
II the rights of mankind, bequeathing to thei
IS country an assurance ofsuccess in the might
struggle which they began. Their names al
l. held in grateful remembrance, and the expai
u ding millions of their countrymen renew an
Us multiply their praise from generation to gene
RS alton. They fulfilled their duty not from tt
$. accidental impulse of moment their acto
If was tine slowly-riponed fruit of Providence an
g of time. The light that led them Oh was con
d bined of rays from the whole history of Il
- race; from the traditions of tho Hebrews
n the gray of the worlds morning from the HI
o roes and sages of republican Greece and Rome
/ from the example of Him who laid down h