The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1860-10-26
First Battle of the Revolution.

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Lexington is from Bancfof's seventh
Volume Of the History Of the United
States:
On .he afternoon Of the 18Th OF April
the day on which the Provincial Congress
of Massachusetts adjourned, General
Gage took the light infantry and grena-
diers off duty. and secretly prepared an
expedition TO destroy the colony's stores
at Concord. But the attempt had for sew
eral DAYS been expected; a strict watch
had beon kept; and signals had been con
certed to announce the first movements Of
troops for the country Samuel Adams
and Hancock, who had not vet left Lex
ington for Philadelphia, received timely
message from Warren, and in consequence
the Committee of Safety removed a part
Of the public stores and secreted the can
non.
On Tuesday, the 18th, ten or more ser
geants in disguise dispersed themselves
through Cambridge and further west 10
intercept all communication. In the fol-
lowing night the granadiers and light in
fautry, not less than eight hundred in
number, the flower Of the army of Boston,
commanded by the incompetent Lieut..
Col. Smith, crossed in the boats of the
transport ships from the foot of the Com
mon to East Cambridge. There they re-
ceived days provisions, and near mid
night, after wading wet marshes, that are
now covered By stately town, they took
the road through West Cambridge to
Cor cord.
"They will miss their aim," said one OF
the party who observed their departure.
What am!'' asked Lord Percy, who
overheard the remark.
Why the cannon at Concord" was
the answer.
Percy hastened to Gage, who instantly
directed that no one should be suffered to
leave the town. But Warren had already
a: ten o'clock, dispatched William Dawes
through Roxbury to Lexington, and at
the same time desired Paul Revere to set
off BY the way Of Charlestown. Revere
stopped only to engage a friend to raise
the concerted signals, and five minutes be
fore the sentinels got orders to prevent it,
two friends rowed him past the Somerset
man of war across Charles river.
All was still, as suited the hour. The
ship was winding with the young flood !;
the waning moon just peerel above the
horizon while from couple Of lanterns
in the tower OF North Church, the beacon
streameI to the neilhopring towns as fast
as light could travel \ little beyond
Charleston neck, Revere was intercepted
by two British officers on horseback, but
being himself we'll mounted, he turned
suddenly and leading one of them into a
clay pond, he escaped from the other by
road to MedfoId. As he passed on he
walked up the captain of the minute men
Of that town, and continued to arouse al
most every house on the way to Lexing-
ton The troops had not advanced far,
when the firing cf guns and ringing Of
bells announce. taut their expedition had
been heradel before them; and Smith
sent back TO demand I, reinforcement.
On the morning Of the 10Th Of April,
between tie hours of twelve and one, the
message Of Warren reached Adams and
Hancock, who OWNED at once the object
Of The expedition. Revere, therefore, and
Dawes, Joined by Samuel Prescott, 8 a
high son Of liberty from Concord" rode
forward, ealing up the inhabitants as they
passed along, till at Lincoln they fell upon
/, party Of British officers. Revere and
Dawes were seized anI taken back to Lex.
ington, where they were released; but
Prescott leapeI over a low stone wall and
gsllo7ed on for Concord.
There, at about two in tue morning a
peal from the befry Of the meeting house
called the inhabitants Of the place to their
town hall They came forth, old and
Young, with their frelocks, ready to make
good the resolute words Of their town de.
bates Among the mos: alert was Viii
liam Emerson, the minister, with gun in
hand, his powder horn and pouch fol balls
slung over his shoulder. By his sermons
and prayers. he had so hallowed the en-
thusiasm OF his flock that they he'd the de-
fence of their liberties a part Of their GOV
euant with God his presence with arms
proved his sincerity and grhened
their sence Of duty From daybreaI to
sunrise, the summons ran from house to
house through Acton, Express messen.
gers and volieys from minute mea spread
the alarm.
Lexington, in t777, may have had roo
inhabitants forming one Parish, and hav-
ing for their minister the learned and fer
vent James Clerk, the bold inditer Of pat
riotic papers that may yet be read on their
owns records. In December, 1712, they
had instructed their representatives to
demand a radical redress for their griev.
ances for not through their neglect should
the people be ensIayed." \ year later
they spurned the use oftea. In ia, al
various town meetings they voted to in
crease their stock of ammunition, to en-
courage military discipline, and to put
themselves in posture Of defense against
their enemies" In December they dis
tributed to the train band and alarm list
arms and ammunition" and to supply he
training soldiers with bayonets.
At two in the morning, under he eyes
of the minister, and Of Hancock and Adams,
Lexington Common was alive with the
minute men and not with them only, but
with many oil men also who were exempt
except in case Of immediate danger to the