The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1860-11-24
listoriral.
First Battle Of The Revolution,

The following description Of the battle Of
lexington is from Bancroft s seventh volume
OF the History of The United States:
on the afternoon Of the 18th Of April the
day on which The Provincial Congress of
Massachusetts, Adjourned. General Gagc took
the hight infantry and cI'nadicrs of duty, ard
secretly prepared an expedition to destroy the
c""nys stores at Concord. But the attempt
iiah Tor stvt'al days bccn expected n strict
watch had hten kept; and signals were con.
ntchd TO announce the first movements Of
troops for the country. Samuel Adams
n'n! Hancock, Who had not yet left Lexing-
ton Tor hiad' hia. received timely mes.
sage from Warren and in consequence, the
Committee OF Safety removed par, of the
public stores and >ccie,cd the cannon.
On Tuesday. the 18th. ten or more ser.
g,ants in Disguise dispersed themselves
through Cambridge and fui thcr west, to in
tr'Iurt all communication In the follow.
i"s night. the erenadicrs and light infantry,
not hiss than eight hundred in number, the
fiowu Of the army at Boston commanded by
the incompetent Lieut.. Col. Smith. crossed
IN The hoals of the transport ships from the
Cotnmon to East Cambridge. There they re-
ce''ed day sprovisions. and near midnight
after w"dlne Wet n2krhcs. that are now
covered by stately town, they took the road
through West Cambridge to Concord.
They will miss their aim" said one of
the party who observed their departure"
What aims" asked Lord Percy, who
Overheard the remark. "Why, the cannon
nj Concord, was the answer Percy has.
tened to Gage. who instantly directed that no
one should be suffered to leave the town.
But Warren lad already. a, ten o'clock. dis.
patched William Dawes through Roxhury to
Lexington, and at the same time desired Paul
Revere to set of by the way OF Charlesown.
Revere stopped only to engage friend
I" raise The concerted signals and five min.
ht,s before the st ninels got orders to prcvc:.t
it, tw" friends row,d him past the Somerset
mnn' oi-war across Charles River. All was
still, as suited the hour. The ship was wind.
ing with the young flood the waning moon
just pecrG above the horizon: while from a
couple OF lanterns in the tower of the North
Church. the beacon STRAINED to the neigh
boring towns, as fast as light could travel
little beyond Charles'own neck. Revere
WAS intercepted by two British officers on
horseback. but being himself well mount
ed. he TUNED suddenly. and leading one of
them into clay pond he escap,d from the
other by the road to Medford. As he PASSED
oil, he walked the captain oflhe minute men
OF that town, and continued to rouse almost
every house on the way to Lexington. The
troops had not advanced far, when the firing
Of gurs and the ringing Of bells. announced
that their expedition had been hcralded
before them; and Smith sent back to dc.
mand reinforcement.
On the morning Of the 10Th Of April, be-
tween the hours Of twelve and one. the mes.
sage Of Warren reached Adams and Hancock,
who ditined at once the Object of the tx.
petition. Revere. therefore, and Dawes
joined by Samuel Prescott, high son of
liberty from Concord. rode forward. calling
up the inhabitants as they passed along. ill
IN Lincoln they fell upon party of british
officers. Revere and Dawes were seized and
tskeE back to Lexington, where they were
released; but Prescott lcaped over low
Stone wall. and galopcd on for Concord.
There, at about two in the morning. peal
nom the oeIlry OF the meeting house called the
Inhabitants OF the place 10 their town Hall
They came forth, old and young. with their
flr locks fesdy to make good the resolutc
wnds Of their town debate. Among the
most alert WAS William Emerson. the minis.
ter, with gun i'll hand. his powdcrhu,n and
pouch for balls sldng over his shoulder. By
his sermons and prayers. he had SO hallowed
the enthusiasm Of his flock that they held the
defense of their liberties II part Of their GOV.
enant with God; his presence with aims
proved his sincerity and strengthened their
sense Of duy. From day break 10 sunrise. the
summons ran from house to house through
acton. Express messengers and volleys
tIom minute men spread the alarm.
Lexington. in ITS. may have bad 700 in.
hah4ants. forming one l'arish and having for
their minister the learned and fcvcnt James
Clark, the bold indter Of patriotic papers
that may yet I've read on their town records.
In December, l772. they had instructed their
representatives to demand radical redress
for their grievances, for " not through their
neglect should the people be cnslaved." A
year later they spurned the use of tea. In
IVA at various town meetings. they voted
to increase their stock Of ammunition, ito
encourage military discipline. and to put
themselves in a posture Of defense ssainst