The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1875-05-01

| party OF BRITISH ofhcefs on horseback, and
returned to notify their friends at Menoto.
my Mr.. Gerry at once dispatched an
express to Lexington, to inform Hancock
and Adams that "eight or nine officers
were out, suspected Of some evil design
The messenger took bypath, delivered
his letter, and precautionary measures
were thereupon adopted at the latter place.
Mr.. Deyens, of the Committee of Safe.
ty, soon received information that British
troops were in motion in Boston, and were
making preparations for movement into
hecountry. Soon after, the signal already
agreed upon was given, namely, lantern
hung out from the belfry-tower of the old
North Church in Boston and Paul
Revere, who had, about eleven O'Clock
rowod across the river to Charlestown, was
furnished by Devens with a feet horse,
and started to alarm the country. At
Charlestown Neck he was nearly captured
by British officers, but he pressed on to
Medford, where he awoke the captain Of
the minute-men, and at midnight he arrived
safely at the house Of Rev. Jonas Clark in
Lexington, where on the previous evening
a guard Of eight men had been stationed
for the protection Of Hancock and Adams.
Revere was soon joined by Mr.. Dawes,
whom DR. Warren had sent out through
Roxbury; and the news brought by them
was THAT large body of the Kings
troops, supposed to be brigade of twelve
or fifteen hundred, had embarked, in boats,
from Boston, and gone over to Lechmere' 5
Point, in Cambridge, to seize and destroy
the stores belonging to the colony, then
deposited at Concord"
The village of Lexington is about twelve
miles to the northeast of Boston, and six
miles southeast of Concord The road
from Boston divides near the centre of the
town. That leading to Concord passed to
the left and the one leading to Bedford to
the right Of the meeting house, and form
ed two sides of a triangular green or com
mon, on the south corner of which stood
the meeting house, facing directly down
the road leading to Boston. To the right
of the meeting house. on the opposite side
Of the Bedford road, was Buckmans tay-
ern.
An hour after midnight, the Lexington
militia were ordered to meet on the com
mon, and at two o'clock one hundred and
thirty assembled with arms. Meanwhile,
messengers who had been dispatched to
Cambridge for further information, return
ed with the intelligence that no troops
were on the road, and the militia were al
lowed to disperse, with instructions to s.
semble again at the call Of the drum.
In the meantime, the British troops
were on their way towards Concord.
Lieuteuant-C Colonel Smith, with body of
eight hundred, embarked at ten o'clock in
the boats of the ships ps-of-war, at the foot
of Boston Common landing at Lech-
mere Point, they took an unfrequented
path over the marshes, and entered the
Charlestown and West Cambridge road.
Silently and stealthily they pursued their
way; but they had marched only few
miles, when the ringing of bells and firing
of guns told plainly that the country was
alarmed. Major Pitcairn, with six com
panics of light infantry, was sent forward
to secure the two bridges at Concord,
while messenger was sent to Boston for
a reinforcement; aud as he advanced, he
succeeded in capturing every one on the
road, until he arrived within a mile and
half Of Lexington meeting house, when
Thaddeus Bowman succeeded in eluding
the advancing troops, aud galloping to the
common, gave the first certain intelligence
to Captain Parker of their approach,
This was about half'past four o o'clock in
the morning. Captain Parker ordered the
drum to beat, alarm guns to be fired, and
Sergeant William Monroe to form his
company in two ranks few rods north
of the meeting house. Att little distance
from the common, the British officers,
considering the American drum as a chal.
lenge, ordered their troops to halt, to prime
and load, and then to march forward in
double quick time. In the meantime
about seventy Of the militia had assembled.
and about forty spectators, some of whom
had arms. The men were ordered not to
lire until they were fred upon, A por-
ton Of the company had time to form in a
military position facing the regulars; but
while some were joining the ranks, and
others were dispensing, the British troops
rushed Oh, shouting and firing, and their
officers exclaiming, "Lay down your armsi'
"Ye williams ye rebels dispersc r "Why
don't you lay down your arms? p [Los-
sing gives the events in this order -
"Pitcairn then drew his pistol and dis
charged it, at the same moment giving the
word IRE A general discharge of musk
etry ensued; four patriots were killed and
the remainder were dispersed" The mi
litia did not instantly disperse, nor did
they lay down their arms The first guns,
which we're few in number, did no execu-
tioni but a general discharge followed, with
fatal results. A few of the militia who
had been wounded, or who saw others
wounded or killed, no longer hesitated,
but returned the fire Of the British. Jo-
mas Parker, John Monroe, and Ebenezer
Monroe, Jr., and others, fred before leav-
ing the line; Solomon Brown aud James