Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1875-04-23
THE EGksSs' sssDs ~ EsRs3 ~ va
sGgEON

have il nay hand. cot sxac ly, FOR the
pen would make 1t q fficuit to ho.d III
other but lying at my elbow, the FIRST
weapon that yrs discharged :. the war
of the Amerlcau k-voIatIcn.
The brace Of pistols. preserved IN a
handsome ca>ket aud covered with
glass, have a history SO brief and dl-
rect, so romantic and remarkable, that
they are identified with the first biooa
shed i'll that war which resulted In the
independence Of the United Suites OF
America.
AS We now have entered upon the
month which Witnessed the opening of
that long drama, and as tue State OF
Massachusetts has declared the 18th
dav Of this month a legal holiday, tbat
ali her sons and daughters may par
ticipate IN the celebration Of the ce.-
tenLial oil 5bat battle that iuaugurate1
th. war, 1t is fitting tine To tell the
story. and present the pistols.
The Vigilance OF General Gage, in
Boston. WAS very great, but not suffi-
clent to prevent 1lo Intelligence of his
movements from leaking out ard
being sent over the country. 1t was
In ,.yH to the Committees of Safety in
Lexington, Concord and other towns.
an expedition 10 destroy the pariikc
store. that pat,iotIc prudence had ac-
cumui3;c1 III these places, and rfepa-
ralons were sps eddy made to give the
exp, di:inn Il warm reception.
April IS. 1875, at the carly hour of
two IN the morning, 100 militia Mel. OF
Lex nGton ere assembled ON the com
mon. but when word was brought that
1,Ev Il
to their hOm4s, 70 =, turn at the sound
Of the drum. Al ba!f-pa-t four. by
oidel OF Captain Parser, the signal
was given Of tile approach Of the enc
my, aud the brave men Of ;5ergt ant
Monroe's company. hoD:- of whom
We're III few INMATES u di,, took
th"!r posts near the cbnich. Here
thy await! i ;he moment TO gin thl7
f1uggie 1ilat is stlH ~ progress GN,.I
tn world, 20 dett rm nc tie ,ight Of z
people to have their own form # Euv-
ernment. Please Keep In mind tie.
names Df Park aHd Monroe, as IL,
Hlli nFpta.l "a AN
T..e- BiltI.:. were IL the G.t.ir t
II .Iur i'itc,i II cu-,t;,anu5u&. aud Of
hnrstltch. He siirutod an order to
til, Amer means to lay down their arms
ana dispense. His Order producing
~ Il, q, re drew his pistol and IL. j
It. It lie same tim" giving TO his sol
;i,-l+ Tar. { lnu!sji,t - ire. IEe cvenis
tnat followed ;uf IL tire familiar history
OF ii" war OF led re@dencc. Tn
British, havlrg cumpeti>0 he retire
ntnt a. the militia after many lad
been h-i,e,i or wounded, went to Gu
cord tn News 81 ;he uCrDiTg'a work
spa .-t.a ..ytr the surrounding country ::
- minnie men rushed TO the sceMe IL
action; and when inc British, at noon.
began then II turn march 20 Bo,, ton.
they were IL the u;idst on az <'uCuy :
county, and eVe!y ii-ilaDita;itau ii nm d
soldier. Major P',cairn's ho:se VS.
wounded. ana with his equipments fe:I
into the hands Of he Amerlcans Con
fHsion spread through their tnnks
They were exhausted with the ia
tieu3. their Tongues hanging cut Their
mouths Ike dogs after a chase. Re
enforcement W. re sent out from Bos-
ton and the remnant saved.
I~Taei rutuam, the hero Of the Wolf
den and uUrscGech hill. who had wul.
hcnoTs i'll the French war, aud h.:3
been made BrIgadier General IS q
special meeting of the Connect;cJt
Legislature, having heurd of the cx-
pinzIon NJ Lexington. uuvokcd tie
TENN with which he was rinwlng, aid
rode on horseback atx;y-iYe mics, III
one Gay, TO CncIpri lge, Massachusetts
and put himself lrpmt dIateiF liit,, IRE
hant.a OF the American leaders. To
hun was assigned the command or ne
mll.t,a, and his DAFT, daring ,4a,i skill,
a dI~play ed al Bunker Hill two months
after ward, form brIluaut phssa2ta IL
the early history Ut tGe war. 1t va
WY proper tat tie pistols Wh;c:, ;'i.-
IouSvu 10 Major Pitcairn should ~
committed to his hands.
HIS grandson was JOHN =. Putnam.
Esq Il graduate of William College.
GI4s-aoausest "a CT Zen OF Cambridge,
Washington county, New y urk, which
Was afterwards divided into tnee
towns, Of which WHITE Cre. \ was ne.
H VIZ d gentleman Of Freat culture
ans! worth, ana a Wy grt;:r friend II
my childhood. lie had u his POS, G
s'on, end receive q from Lis father. and
his grandfather Gcueral Putnam, Z.
brace o. his pistols which be preserye,i
" IL liz greatest care, and eXh:b!t.d
hi friends d. Interesting relies OF
tn. i vJ.ut!oAa.sy war.
HEY are now the property OF lis
"i''t"5 fSi-d SitS Las .ti. kiEtiN ICCCN-
Ell IL my r, qlo5t TO permit them to :.
to l. X,ugtOu, to be exhibited tiers ~
the approaching centennial A. /
have sand they were the pistols u~lu
by Major Pitcairn III giving the com
maid 70 the BRITISH soldiers to tire al,
the Americans on the morning Of j ,5riI
-, l715, and one Of them is therefore
the first weapon discharged in the ar
OF the American Revolution. TIL to-
loving certificate, ky John +. Iu5
nam, reCites the facrs and evidence
that these are the pistols that were In
the h .i,dH OF Major Pitcairn or that
day
CERTIFICATE.
fn grandson of the late Majnr- .
General IsIste! Putnam | have d., |
tlnct recollection of these pistols tor |
more tnan sixty three wears, Nv first |