The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-04-19

! ia II INA al various town meetings, they
voted TO increase t1elr stoea o. Nmn ~ ~
themselves IN a posture OF defence against thelr
enemies 10 December tney alstrinutea 70 Inc
tou anu resolved 70 supply ire training so!alers
with oayOnets." u, 49,,
minister and or Hancock and Adams, Lexington
Common was alive with the mluuie men, ana
VINO we're exempts except ia case Of immediate
danger to me town. me IolA was calieu,
and OF militia aud alarm men about
100 answered 10 their names. the CAPTAIN, John
Parker, ordered every one 70 ioau with powder
ana ball but not 70 DC the nrst 90 nrs. @
there were no signs OF their approach. Watcn
was therefore set, ana tne company dismissed Missed
win orders 10 come together az peat OF drum
some went 10 their homes some 20 the tavern,
near the southeast corner OF the Common.
Adams aud Hancock whose prescription had
already been diVuiged and whose seizure was be-
ileved TO be intended, were persuaded 10 retire
the last stars were vanishing from night.
when the foremost party leo oy Pitcairn,
Ssn %niGf quickly ana in silence Harm guns
were sred. and the drums beat, not call
90 village husbandmen only. but tire reveille
TO numanity Less Than seventy, perhaps less
than sixty, obeyed the summons, ana IN sight OF
nall as many boys and nnarned men were
paraded in two ranks lew RODS north OF the
How often a that building mad they looked
no 70 COD as the stay Of their fathers and the
protector u their privileges How often on
that village green, nard 10y the burial place or
each otner TO combat manfully Tor their birthrlght
inheritance or liberty There they now stood side
by side under the provincial banner, with arms Ia
their hands silent and fearless, willing TO hgnt Tor
their privileges, scrupulous not 10 begin clVll
war; ana a. yet ., troa d sds
altar oil lreodom and they were 10 iurnish us VIC
TINS
The British van, hearing the drum and the
alarm guns, matted to load; the remaining COM
panes came up, and at han an hour before sum
rise the advance party hurried forward al double
Qutck almost upon u run, Closely lOllOMeu Oy
tue grenadlers. Pitcairn rode IN front, and when
within Ave or SIX rods OF the minute men cried
out, "Dlyperse, ye villains ye reoels, dlsperse
lay down your arms! why don't you lay down
your arms ana disperse ~ Inc main part OF the
country men stood motlonlesS III the ranks, wit
nesses against aggression; too lew 10 resist, too
brave TO ny. AT TINS Pitcairn discharged PISTOL
anu with loud voice cried, "tlieW Inc order
was followed first by lew guns, which did no
execution, ana then BY close ana deadly DIS
In the dlsparity or numbers the Common was
q neId Of murder. not 81 battle Parker taereiore
the o, dId lew OF them, on their own Impulse, re-
turn the BRUSH fire. nese random SHOTS OF iugl-
tyes or dying men dia no harm, except tnat ny.
OF the Tenth ngnt infantry was touched slightly
IN the leg
Lexington. had promised never 70 ran from
BRUSH troops; and ne kept his vow. A
aiscnarQed nIs gun, he VAS preparing 10
load IL again, when a. SOUND heart as
net, and ne lay On tue post wnIca he took al Tue
mornings arum oear so iell Isaac Muzzey, ana
so dled the aged RoOert Munroe, the same VINO III
1855 had Ueen ensign al Lousourg Jonathan
Harrington, Jr., was struck IN roAt OF MS own
house. on the NORTH OF the common. lbs wife was
at tne WINDOW as re Tell. WITH blood gushing
rom nls Dfegst he rose III her ssnr, tottered iel
again, then crawled on naads aud knees toward
mis- dwelling Sne ran TO meet hlm Dut only
reached ninl az ne expired on their Threshold
Calico Harrington, VINO nad gone into the meeting
mousse powder. was shot as he came OUT
Samuel Hadley ana john Brown were pursued
anu Killed after taey nad Lett the green. Asahel
py the British tue marcn, endeuvorlnR 10
escape, WAS shot WITHIN u lev rods oil the common.
Day came Ia all the beauty Vi al carry spIinR.
The trees were puddlngi the grass growing rdEAly
q lull month before It's time tue DlueDfu ana the
ropn gigddeutny the genial season, ana calling
Iorth tue peams vi the sun u men on tnat morning
shoue With tile warmth VI summer; out distress
ana horror Eathered over tng Inhabitants vi the
peaceful Town lnere on the green Jay ~ death
the gray.naired and tue young the grassy nelu
was red 'wltn the innocent uloJa oil their brethren
slainr crying unto God LOT vengeance from the
ground.
seven the men Of Lexington were KILLED
nine w0unded-a quarter part OF all VINO
stood IN arms on tue green. These are
the village heroes, VINO were more than
III noble llooa, proving ny tner spirit that
IN testimony 70 the FsGnts OF mankind, oequsaln
Ing country an assurance or success IN Ine
mighty struggle which iney began. Their names
are Beld in grateful lemembTauce, ana tue ex-
multiply their praise rom generation 70 genera
ton.
Needless OF his own dan ger samuel Adams ex.
claimed. 'Wnat q GLORIOUS morning IS his ~ Tor
lie that his country's independence was has
teuing on, and, IKE Columbus IA the tempest,
knew that the storm bore nln Inc more swnuy
toward the undiscovered worlG.