The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1875-05-01
May Magazines.
iIarper'S.

Harper's Magazine for May, apropos OF tl,e
chusctts opens with a graphic and complete
story Of the Lexington massacre and Concord
fight, illustrated with numerous engraviags
and fac SMILES of Emcrson's poem and
Longfellow's ride OF Paul Revere"
After century OF annoyances and oppres.
sions heapad upon the colocists by the moth.
err country, the spirit Of resistance became SO
strong that a conflict was Inevitable Under
the guidance of men like John Hancock and
Samuel Adams, the .ooloE;sts began their
perpetrators by gatherng ammunition and
stores in the vicinity Of Concord and Lexlng-
ton. The British commander, who now had
force of some 10000 men around Boston, de.
cided to send a night expedition to LeIing.
ton and Concord to destroy these stores. The
"patriots" got wind Of it, and it was then,
when the B2itish expedition Of 900 men left
Boston at midnight for Concord, that Paul
Revere made his fausous hight ride IN adj
vance of Their. TO arouse the inhabitants. The
British arrived at LeNiegt0n about o clock in
the morning. Fiftysir apned Men were on
the common, with thirty or forty unamned
spectators, when the British came in sight
Immediately on the appearance of the enc
N.Y. Captain Parker, the commander OF the
militia company, ordered his men to dispense
and not to fire. 1t was deemed useless and
reckless to make stand AGAINST such over
whelmlng numbers; but the bodness OF tl.e
4 - anpnaripp In nd
the British officers, and they rapidly advanc-
ed One Of them was heard to say, Damn
them, we will have them The enemy
shouted and cEeered ard rushed furiously
toward the provincials. Mayor Pitcairn cri-
ed out Lay down your arms, damn you,
why don't you Icy down you. armsW and i'm
mediately discharged pIsto. toward the few
men before hin, as they ,Serc retrcating
Colonel Smith, then within few yards of
the provincials, brandiShei has sword and
gave the order N loud Voice, Fire, by
God fire." The order was instantly obcyod
Eight Americans were killed and ten wound
e.. THIS was the result Of this cowardly at
tack. and 1t was a!mply cold bloodcd mas
Sacre.
The British ln0scd to Concord, and arrived
by daylight. The colonsts, thovgh rapidly
gathering from all quarters, were ia too small
foro9 TO offer any resistance az Col. Smith
with his 1000 men entered Concord, end the
hunt for stores was commenced, and such
as we;e ioand destroyed without opposition.
1t was between nine and ten O'clock in the
morning., when the British and the oGlonists
came for the first tinc in collision at the
north bridge" in Concord. The coionists,
who were drawn up on the west side, still
doubted whether the British would Gre upon
them except with blank cartridges, but were
soon undeceiyed. When the Americana were
within ten rods of the bridge and moving
forward, British sharp shooter stepped from
the line and discharged his musket, watch
was Immediately followed by volley, in
stantly killing Captain Isaac Davis and pri.
yatc HOsmer.
Major Buttrick, then in frnat of Captain
! Browns company, instantly jumped from
the ground, and partly turned TO his men,
| impe,uously exclaimed, Fire, fellow-Sol.
diors for Gods sake, fire." dischargng his
| own CUR AT the same moment Captain
Brown, who never before nor after used a
proCane word, exclaimed, God damn them,
they are firing balls! Fire, men, fire. drew
up his own musket, deliberately aimed, and
| fired. One ofthe dead British soldiers, burr.
ed near the old monument, was believed 10
have been the result of that shot. Major
Bul;rick's order ran along the line of militia
and minute men, the word Finer "Firer
came from hundred lips, and general dis
Ichage instantly followed from the Americans
They fred as they stood, and oyer each 9th
ers heads. The fusillade construed for n
few minutes only, when The British broke
and fed in great alarm and confusion. Noah
Parkhurst, one of the Lincoln men, said 10
one Of his comrades, Now the war has be
Igun, and 20 one knows when il win endl'
The fire of the Americans was destructive.
) Two British soldiers were instantly killed.
-Four officers, Lieu,cnanis Gould, Hal, Sun