Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-04-05
1nE FIRST BATTLE OF THE ANIERI
Irr cAN RRVOLUTION, -.t.

Bancroft's History of the United States:
On the afternoon of the 18th of April the
dav on which the Provincial Congress of
Massachusetts, adjourned, General Gage took
the Ipht infantry and grenadiefs of duty,
and secretly prepared an expedition to de-
stroy the Colony's stores ct Concord. But
the attempt had for several days been ex-
pected; a strict watch had been kept; and
signals were concerted to announce the first
movement of troops for the country. Sam.
uel Adams and Hancock, who had not yet
left Lexington for Philadelphia, received
timely message from Warren, and, in conse-
uuence, the Committee of Safety removed a
part of the public stores, and secreted the
cannon. .r.
On Tuesday, the 18th, ten or more SER
peants in disguise dispersed themselves
through Cambridge andfurther west TO inter-
rupt all communication. In the following
night the grensdiers and light infantry, not
lessthan 800in number, the flower of the army
AZ Boston, commanded by the competent
Lieutenant Colonel Smith, crossed in the
boats of the transport ships from the foot of
the Common to East Cambridge There
they received DAYS provisions, and, near
midnight, after wading wet marshes, that
are now covered by q stately town, they
took the road through West Cambridge to
Concord.
lDeH Will mlsS lutlT Sdlu JUG vi
the party who observed their departure.
'What aim2n asked Lord Percy, who
overheard the remark.
"Why, the cannon at Concord" was the
answer.
Percy fastened to Gage, who instantly di-
rtc'ed that no one should be suffered to leave
tie town. But Warren bad, already, at 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 en-
gage q friend to raise the concerted signals,
and, five minutes before 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 peered above the horizon (;
while from couple of lanterns in the tower
of the North Church, the beacon streamed
to the neighboring town, rs fast as light
could travel.
A little beyond Charleston Neck, Revere
was intercepted by two British officers on
horseback, but being himself well mounted,
be turned suddenly, and leading one Of them
into clay pond, he escaped from the other
by the road to Medford. As he passed on
he walked the Captain of the Minute Men oi
that town, and continued to rouse almost
every bouse on the way to Lexington. The
troops had not advanced far when the firing
OF guns and the ringing of bells announced
that their expedition had been heralded he
fore them and Smith sent back to demand
a reinforcement.
On the morning of the 10th of April, be-
tween the hours of twelve aud one, the mes
sage of Warren reached Adams aud Han
cock, who OWNED at once the object of the
expedition. Revere therefore. and Dawes
joined by Samuel Prescott, "a high son o!
Liberty" from Concord, rode forward, calling
up The inhabitants rs they passed along, till
in Lincoln they fell upon party of British
officers. Revere and Dawes were seized
and taken back TO Lexington, where they
were released but Prescott leaped over q
low stone wall and gallOped on for Concord.
There, about two o'clock in the morning,
peal from the belfry of the meeting house
called the inhabitants of the place 10 their
town ball. They came forth, old aud young,
with their frelocks ready to make good the
resOlute words of their town debate. Among
the most alert was William Emerson, the
minister, with gun in hand his powder
horn and pouch for balls, slung over his
shoulder. By his sermons and prayers, he
had so hallOwed the enthusiasm OF his flock,
that they held the defense of their liberty a
part of the covenant with God his presence
with arms, proved mis- sincerity and strength
ened their sense of duty. From daybreak
to SUNRISE the summons ran from house to
house throughout Acton. Express messen-
gers and voIeys from minute men spread
the alarm.
Lexington, in l775, may have had 700 in
hsbitants, forming one parish, and having
for their minister, the learned and fervld
James Clark, the bold inditer of patriotic
prayers that may yet be read on their town
records. In December, l772, they had in
structed their Representatives to demand a
radical redress for their grievances, for mot
through their neglect should they be en-
,slaVed" A year later they spurned the use
of tea. In l774, at the various town meet
ings, they voted to increase their stock Of
ammunition, ITO encourage military discip-
lire, and to put themselves in position of
defense against their enemies" In Decem-
ber they distributed TO ''the train band
and alarm list, arms and ammunition" and
resolved to supply the training soldiers with
tAyouets
At two in the morning under the eyes of
the minister, and Of Hancock and Adams,
Lexington Common was alive with the min
ute men and not with them only but with
msny,old men also, who were exempt, except
in immediate danger 10 the town. The roll
was called, aud out of militia and alarm men
about 100 answered TO their names. The
captain, John Parker, ordered every one to
load with powder and bali, but TO lake care
not 70 be first TO FIRE. Messengers sent to
look cut for the British regulars reported
that there were DO signs of their approach.
A watch was therefore set, and the company
dismissed with orders to come together at
the beat OF the drum. Some went to their
homes, some to the tavern near the south
east corner of the common,
Adams and Hancock, whose prescription
had already been diyulged, aud whose seiz.
uIe wss believed to be intended, were com
PEELED by persuasion to retire toward Wo
bUrn.
The last stars were vanishing from sigh
when the foremost party, led by Pitcairn 6
Major Of Marines, was discovered advancing
quickly and in silence. Alarm guns were
fred and the drums beat. Less than sew
enty-perhaps less than sixty-obeyed tht
summons, and IN sight Of half as many un
armed men, were plraded in two ranks
few rods north of the meeting. house.
The British van, hearing the drum ant
alarm guns, halted to load the remaining
Companies csme up and halted to load; anC
at a half an hour before sunrise the advanced
party hurried forward in double quick time
almost upon run, closely followed by tbl
grenadieTs. Pitcairn rOdein front, and whel
within five or six rods of the minute men
cried out-"Disperse, ye villains ye rebels
disPersel lay down your arms and dispefse
The main part OF the cOuntrymen stood mo
tionless In the ranks, witnesses against ag
gressionsi too few TO resist too brave B
Ry. AT this Pitcairn discharged a pisto
and with loud voice cried, aFire r Til
order was instantly followed, first by fey
guns which did no execution, and then b
heayy, close and deadly discharge of mus
In The disparity Of numbers, the Commo
M neld Of murder, not of battle; Parke
sneIsioIe ordered his men to disperse. Ther
sna hot uli thenI did a few of them, ON thei
vrd.., vwSt Shas, oha, return the British fre. Thes
no harm, except that Piteair1is horse W, W.
perhaps gfazed, and private Of the Tent
Light Infantry was slightly touched ON Ii
leg. t. 49,. -.-' -
John Parker, the strongest and best vres
Ter II Lexington, had promised never 10 n
from British trOops; and be kept his yo