The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-04-16
won, SO that 1t is Concord, after all. which sub
stantially carries OF the honors OF the day."

won, SO that 1t is Concord after all. which SUBJ
stantlally carries OF the honors OF the day."
Mr. CURTIS AUTHORITIES
Mr. Curtis pointed out that Mr.. Hudson In
speaking OF the skirmish at Lexington makes no
mention or the firing by the Americans. "Captain
ParEer,v thus Mr.. Hudson concludes this portion
OF his intensely interesting narrative, "the COM
mander OF the (American) militia company.
ordered mis- men to dispense and not to nre." He
omits TO add that IN the teeth OF this order they
did IRE. Mr.. Curtis said that both Richard
rockingham and Edward Everett who were
very careful and accurate authorities, agreed
that there were scattering shots from the Ameri.
cans Mr. Curtis readily pointed out The passages
in both authors abiding to this event. In bis
Grafton at Lexington OF the 2otn Of April, 1885,
Everett says:-"Captain Parker now felt the
necessity oil directing bis men TO disperse. but II
was not until several OF them had returned the
British IRE, and some OF them more than once.
that his handful OF brave men were driven from
the neid.p And Richard rockingham in mis- "His-
tory OF the Siege OF Boston and OF the Battles OF
Lexington Concord and Bunker Hill" says:-"A
few OF the militia who had been wounded, or VINO
saw others killed or wounded BY their side, no
longer nesita,ed but returned the IRE OF the regu
lars.n
AN INTERESTING NOTE.
And In a marginal note the historian says:-
.srhe contemporary evidence OF this return IRE is
II maj
fes,o 10 Cages proclamation prepared in June,
1775. which was not published at the time, It Is
said that the British 'tn . most oarbarous and
infamous manner nred upon . small number OF
the inhabitants and cruelty murdered eight men.
The IRE was returned BY some OF the SURVIVORS,
but their number was too uncomfortable TO an
nov toe regular troops, who proceeded ON their
Grand and upon coming mp 10 Concord"
&C. copy nom Ms. IN Massachusetts, archives.
Gordon, May II. ITS, says that James Brown
informed him thar, "betng got over the wall. and
seeing the soldiers Ore pretty freely. he red upon
them, and some others did the same.n DEPOSIT
lion No. 8. OF 17T5, il clear:-"Aoout nSe O'Clock
in the morning we attended the beat OF our drum
ana we're formed on the parade. We were faced
toward the regulars then marching up TO us, and
some OF our company were coming to tbs parade
with their backs toward the troops: and others
on the parade began TO dispense, when the regu-
lars fred on the company before gun was nred
by any OF our company on them" The great
point was as to who fred nrst Clark says:-"so
far from nring nrst upon the Kings troops, upon
the most careful inquiry it appears that but
very lew OF our people fred at all. and
even they did not IRE till, after being fred upon
By the troops, they were wounded themselves"
&C. Phlnneyis history contains the details. with
dispositions, winch, az TO the main fact, are sup
ported BY the authorities ofl77S. All the British
accounts state that the are was returned. or
rather they state that 1t was begun by the militia.
This last assertion, made In Cages handful,
was contradicted. Much controversy took place
ABOUT 1t, and the Provincial Congress- account
was prepared In reference to 1t. AS late as May
Q, lT7e, a London journal says:-'1t Is whispered
that the Ministry are endeavorlng to tx GER
tainty wnlcn party fred nrst at Lexington, before
nosulties commenced, a. the Congress declare, II
IL can be proved that American blood was nrst
she'd il win 20 great way toward enectlng a REQ
oncinatlon with most favorable terms.n
Even william Gordon, the British historian,
says In his account or the ACCOMPLISHMENTS
ais (meauing Americansl finding they were fred
upon though dispensing. had spirit enough 10
stop and return the IRE"
TUE GaRAr POINT.
'Tns great poInLn remarked Mr.. CARTS, apfo-