The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1875-04-22
KENosHA WISCONSIN, THURSDAY, APRIL %, 1875.


men of the place, and in the fields and
woods in the neighborhood. These
preparations did not. of course, escape
the vigilance OF the British commander,
who soon got wind of the secret, and
began sending out spies and expeditions
from Boston to ascertain the quantity
and location of the stores, 20 get
knowledge of the country, the roads, and
bridges, and to gather information as to
the state of public feeling. AS early as
February 8, 1775, the ProvincialCo Congress
had intimared its intention of stopping
these expeditions, or excursions" as
4hey were called, and appointed a
Committee of Safety for the express
purpose of checking lhem. The business
and duty Of this committee, according
to the resolution appointing them,
were:
Most carefully and diligently to inspect
and observe all an0 every such person or
persons as shall at any time attempt to
carry into execution, by force, an act Of
the British Parliament, entitled AN Act
for the BetterRegulatlng the Government
of the Province of Massachusetts, Bay, in
New England x y <
which svid committee, orany five ofthem
provided always that not more than one
of the said five shall ne an inhabitant of
town Of Boston, shall have power, and
they are hereby empowered and direct,
ed, when they shall judge that such
attempt or attempts are made, to alarm,
mu ter, and cause to be assem- bled with
the utmost expedition, and completely
armed, accoutered, and supplied with
provisions sufficient for their support in
their march to the place OF rendezvous,
such and SO many of the militia of this
Province as they shall judge necessary
for the end and purpose of opposing
such attempts, and at such place or pls ces
az they shall judge proper, and them to
discharge as the safety of the Province
shall permit"
THE FIRST BLOW.
1t was meant. it is seen, that Gen. Gage
should strike the first blow. but it was
meapt, too, to be thoroughly prepared for
it when it came. The designs of the enemy
could not be concealed from the vigilant
Sons of Liberty in Boston, who found various
ways of communicating the intelligence of
the contemplated movements of troops to
the Interior. Their constant watchfulness
is seen by The following message, sent on
the evening before the engagements at Lex
ington and Concord, from the Committee of
Safety, then sitting at Cambridge, to the
Hon. John Hancock, Esquire:''
Eight or nine officers of the Kings troops
were seen just before night passing the road
toward Lexing ton IN musirg, contempla-
tive posture, and it was suspected they were
out on some evil design"
On this same evening of the 18th of April.
when it was supposed most of the Boston
people were in bed, abouv 800 British troops
were ferred across from their barracks in
Boston, and took up their silent march
through Cambridge, on the Concord road .
Longfellow thus describes one of the ways
in which the departure of this force was
notified to the people Of the towns and
villages In the country ahead of them
Listen, my children, and you shall hear
Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere
On the eighteenth of April, in Seventy five.
Hardly a man is now alive
Who remembers that day and year.
He said to his friend, IF the British march
By land or sea from the town tonight,
Hang lantern aloft In the befry arch
OF the NorthChurch tower asa signal light
One, if by land, and two, If by sea-
And | on the opposite shore Will be,
Ready to ride and spread the alarm
Through every Middlesex village and farm.
For the country folk to be up and to ARM )"
The memoirs of Gen. Heath" q member
of the Committee of Safety, which had been
in session at Cambridge the day before, but
who had himself gone home to Roxbury.
gives the following account of what hap
pened to those who stayed
"On the 10Th, at daybreak, our general
was awoke, called from his bed, and In
formed that a detachpent Of the British
army were out, that they had crossed from
Boston to Phpp's Farm in boats, and had
gone towards Concord, as was supposed,
with intent to destroy the public stores.
They probably had notice that the commit
tees had met the preceding day at Wetherby's
Tavern, at Menotomy for, when they came
opposite to the house, they halted. Several
Of the gentlemen slept there during the
night. Among them were Col. Orne, Col
Lee, and Mr.. Gerry. One of them awoke, i
and informed the others that body of the
British were before the house. They imme-
iiately made their escape, without time to
dress themselves, at the baek-door, receiving
some injury from obstacles in the way, in
their undressed state, They made their
way into the fields -