The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-04-17
An Explanation or the Pre-cminencs
Accorded 10 Lexington.

II
BY Americans, whose local pride is not en-
listed by residence in Lexington or Concord,
the important events Of April 10, 1775, are
regarded as connected whole, and all the
| fighting OF that memorable day as parts Of the
same transaction. The best part Of the fight
ing was neither at Lexington nor at Concord,
but along the route Of the redcoats, in their
precipitate retreat to Boston. The greater
part Of the seventy-three British soldiers
killed on that day and Of the one hundred
and seventy-four wounded, fell on the road in
the course of the retreat 1t was not merely
the patriotic yeomanry of Concord and Lex
ingtun, but Of ten or twelve neighboring
towns that participated in the honor of in
ficting disaster and disgrace on the redcoats
Each OF those towns is entitled to its share
of grateful remembrance of the noble par
all acted on that eventful day. If that sec
ton OF Massachusetts, had not been divided
into townships the centennial of April 10,
1775, would be equally worthy of celebra-
ton and, in that case, the selection of the
spot would not have been embarrassed by
local rivalry. AS the patriots who hung
lose more than one or two of their number at
any one point, the range of selection would
have been confined to one of two places
either the place where the first American
blood was spilled or the place where TIE first
British soldiers fell. The first American blood
was she'd on Lexington green, and the first
British soldiers fell at the Concord bridge.
Del IL IoI 81 in
single township, so that local pride and
rivalry would have been out of the question,
the controversy among its citizens would have
been between the site of the bridge and the
green. But on what principle would it have
been decided? On the ground of personal
bravery the claims are equal for although
the patriots at Lexington dispersed and fled
and those at Concord stood their ground, it
must be remembered that on the Lexington
green they numbered only seventy or
eighty, while at Concord they were
four hundred and fifty, with numbers con-
stantly increasing. III the decision were to
turn on the number of martyrs, the advan-
tage would be on the side of Lexington,
where eight Americans were killed and ten
wounded, whereas in the affair at Concord
only two Americans were killed and one
wounded. Such honors, SO far as they relate
to the mere selection of a place, are often
governed by respect for the memory Of mar
tyrs. Bunker Hill Monument, for example, is
erected on the spot where Warren fell, al
though he served in that engagement only
as a private soldier. Altogether more
martyrs to liberty fell at Lexington on the
10Th of April than at any other spot, and, on
the principle of consecratihg the ashes of
those who have died for their country, Lex
ington is entitled to the precedence; but if
awarded to vigor of resistance to the British
arms it as clearly belongs to Concord.
However these local claims and this ques-
ton of fitness may be ultimately decided it is
true as historical fact that the chief honor
of that day has heretofore been accorded to
Lexington by the most accomplished histo-
rians of our country and by traditionary pop
ular sentiment. 1t has been the constant
practice OF our orators to link tho name of
Lexington with the 10th of April. AS one
example out of thousands we cite the follow
ING sentence of the speech of Mr. Evarts ut
the great meeting in Union square after the
fall of Sumter: -"When Providence puts to-
gether the 10Th of April, 1775, when the first
blood was shed at Lexington, and the 10Th of
April when the first blood was shed at Balii-
more, / tell you it means something" The
fact that Lexington rather than Concord has
always been associated with that day by our
historians, orators and people-even if it has
been done by mistake requires some intel
liglblc explanation. The explanation will
not seem difficult to those who are
history. 1t is idle TO cite later historians or
anything but original documents on disputed
points. Nov, in regard % the events of April
10, 1775. the authentic fountain head of in
formation is the records Of the Massachusetts
Provincial Congress on April 26, 1775-just
one week after the transactions. Benjamin
Franklin was at that time the agent in Eng
land Of the Colony Of Massachusetts,. Imme-
diately after the events which are to be COM
ncmoratcd on Monday the Provincial Con-
gress assembled at WATERFOWL, and within a
week ii had prepared an authentic account to
be despatched to Franklin, IN London, ac-
comparied with an address to the people of
Great Britain, with instructions to Franklin
to circulate both the address and the evidence
through every town in England. The evidence
consisted OF afidavits, twenty-five in number
by eye-witnesses Of the transactions. OF those
TWENTY-FIVE afIidavits seventeen were dated nj
Lexington, two at Concord, ono at Lincoln,
one at Worcester and one at Med
ford. This SIMPLE statement shows
how greatly Lexington overshadowed and
eclipsed all the other places in the estimation
OF responsible actors who we're nearest to the
event. That great array Of afidavits, pre-
pared within week, related chiefly to the