New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-04-16
APRIL 10TH. 1875.
no CONCORD AND BACK TO BOSTON.
the FIRsr FIGHT on rHE REVOLUTION


was one of his characteristics You will have heard
before this reaches You of tho march stolen by reg
ulars insote country by night and of their epei'-
Zion back again. They retreated 20 mics IN SIX
honrsH The unsuccessful raid the series OF skir-
misbes thus lightly alluded TO- had more serious
significance in England. In speech delivered AT
Concord in 1850, Edward Everett said:
often heard in England gentleman OF gFea'
H,srorv emjnenee-I wish it were proper TO
repeat his namo-say that whom the news OF
the 10Th of April arrived in England, his father
,.itb a sorroyyfnl countenanoe announced it TO his
family assembled at prayers. He then ordered SUIT
Of nltmourning. Some one asked il no had lost
fricndf-a relative9 Yes was the answer;
smany friends, many relatives, many brethren
nj one blow in Lexington and Concord in america.
Mr. Bancroft relates the same story in two parts,
assigning the announcement ut prayers to the father
Of Rogers the pOot and tho "suits OF full mourning
and the "many brethren" to the Recorder OF Lon
don OF the extraordinary effect OF these sklrmShtS
for battles they could hardly be called, both IN
America and abroad. we shall say something IN our
conclusion.
TIE INSTINCT or MILITARY RESISTANCE.
The exact position Of affairs at the moment Of this
memorable event may be briefly stated. The town
of Boston was in military possession OF Gage Inc
Massachusetts Congress, John Hancock PRESIDENT
and Banjamin Lincoln, aftorward a MaloT-Generai'
Secretary had ali along protested their attachment
20 Grcat Britain their loyalty 10 the king and their
love of peace and order" 1t was OF acts 0t farl'-
ment that they complained--Of the military oocnpa-
zion Of Boston, and of the despotic policy OF the
Ministry A Committee of Safety of which Han
cock was the ho,d, had been appointed with "powcr
20 call ont the militia" There also Committee
raised to take measures for the defense of tho prov
ince and another 10 procure military stores toward
which the SUN of $G6666 lG2O,OOO) was voted.
Three generals had been commissioned-Preble oil
Falmouth was an old militia officer Ward, who had
been n Judge, and PomeroY, who had COM
manded regiment at the battle OF
Lake George. The province WAS really IN
state of insurreotion in spite of ts avOwed loyalty.
It's capital had been occupied BY foreign troops its
military stores had been seized and all its proteSta-
tions had been mot by Gage with nothing more sat-
isfactory than proclamations donunciatory Of
the proceedings Of tho people, Already q
battle had been imminent and was prevented
only by the inactivity of Gage. The powder
of the province kept at point OF land within
the limits of ChaTlostOwn, seized by q royal
force and 900 half barrels were transferred TO the
castle. Two field pieces were also carried forclDly
away from Cambridge. -Four thousand people In q
very short time wero gathered i'll that town, an or
DERBY mob armed only with sticks but with fire
arms in reserve should they be needed. Gage wisely
determined TO send troops to dsperse Them If
he had done so, the affair of Lexington might
have been by some months anticipated. Nothing
could be more sensitive than the mind of the people
The news of the removal of the powder started the
militia of Worcester County upon march to Bos-
Ton. The volunteers of Hampshire County were fol-
lewing. "0n the smallest computation" says Ban
croft, 100000 were in motion" When the news
reached Israel Putnam in Connecticut he summoned
The neighbOring militia to arms; and their march
TOD ouly Inv
ut present nothing was to be attempted
IL will be seen, therefore, that tho idea of military
resistance to the power Of the crown was already
familiar TO tho inhabitants Of Now-Engand. AL
ways they had boon accustomed 10 boar arms and
every generation had been familiar with war, and
sometimes with war upon a considerable SCALE Nor
must it be forgotten that after long and acrimOni
Gus debate the Parliament had declared MnSSachu-
sets in rebellion, and tho whole force of Great
Britain had been pledged to its reduction, while
Chancellor, Speaker, majority of the Lords and
Commons had proceeded in u body to the Palace to
assure George tho Third of their sympathy with his
efforts TO open the eyes of his deluded Americans"
PAUL. RFvERE's RIDE-TnE ALARM.
The Provincial Congress of Massachusetts had adj
jeured: but the Committee of Safety was still upon
the alert The military of the people had been
deposited at Concord, about miles from the town
Of Boston, To destroy these, the night of the 18th
of April, l775, Gage dispatched force or nOb less
than 500 grenaders and light infantry, his whole
army at this time amounting to 1850 men. The
marching parts under Lieut-COl Smith, an inCOm-
petent officer crossed in tho boats of tho transport
ships from the foot of the Common TO East Cam
bridge 1t had been intended to keep the expedition
strictly secret but the alarm had been given. 1t
was at first supposed that the object of the British
was to seize the persons of Hancock and Samuel
Adams who wero lodging at Lexington. mtol-
genco Of tho movement, whatever its purpose,
it was necessary to send to the patriots in
the country Warren therefore dispatched
William Dawes through ROxbury to Lexington
while Paul Revere, whose ride" has been com
inemorated by the poet, set off by way of Charles
town, having previously engaged friend to raise
concerted signals of the movements of the troops.
Revere rode on, arousng almost every house on tho
way to Lexington. As tho troops advanced into the
country tho firing Of guns and the ringing of bells
proved that their coming was not unexpected; and
Smith sent back for re6nfOrcOmentS Revere had
reached Adams and Hancock on tho morning of the
10TH between the hours Of ~ and l. he then pressed
on with Dawes and Samuel Prescott, but all were
captured by party of British officers in the town of
Lincoln. Prescott loapDd over Il stone wall and es-
Gaping, galoped on for Concord The bell Of the
Westinghouse sounded the alarm at about o'clock
in the morning. Into the town hall caTno pouring
the old and young men of the hamlet armed and all
ways ready for battle. At thor head their min
lister, the Row. William Emerson. gun in hand with
his powder-horn and pouch slmng over his shoulder
Mr. Bancroft has described the important moment
in a passage of considerable ooquonCe. IIc says
express messengers and vOleys from minute mon
spread the alarm How children trcmblod as they
MAR spar I'D mt nfg Inv cTipa