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

or ubefty--a faith which his descendants
nave piousJ cherished ana Illustrated 9eiore tne
word. IAe minute men gathered hastily upon
the common. The citizens hurryine from their
homes. secreted ne military stores. Messenge
were sent 10 the nelghborlnI villages and the
peaceful town prepared for battle. rhe minute
men on Lincoln whose captain was William smith,
ana whose lieutenant was samuel Hoar, name
not Unknown in Mlddlesex, IN Massachusetts and
IN the country ans Wherever known M h0nored
lor the noDlest qualities q me men Oh tne he.o.n,
uoD had lolned the Concord militia ana minute
men, and part OF them had marcned down me
Lexington ROAD TO reconnoltre seeing tne
British they Tell back toward the hui over the
road at tne entrance oil the village, upon winch
stood he liberty pole.
II was now seven O'Clock. There were per-
haps, 200 men IN arms upon the hill. Below them,
upon the Lexington roaa quarter OF mile away,
rose "a THICK CLOUD or dust from which, amid
dashed IN tue morning sun. The Americans saw
that battle where they stood would be
bu'cnery, and they ie gradually back TO
a rising ground about mile north OF the meeting
bied. The British troops DIVIDED as they entered
the town, tue infantry coming over the hill rom
winch the Americans had retired, the marines ANA
was wen KNOWN a I 10 the s' British a officers
through their spies, and Colonel smith. halt
tachmenIs 10 mold the two bridges and others
10 destroy s2 s Bat 50 Os eqr rel t0 pss
hours IN which they were engaged IN the wo
the Br tish merely broke open about sixty barrels
oil hour hall of which was alterward saved,
Knocked on the trunnions OF three cannon, burned
sixteen new carriage wn els and some barrels OF
WOODEN spoons auu lreucneTS; tney tnFcW SOIHe
500 pounds OF balls into the pond and wells, cut
aown the liberty pole and fired the Court
house.
The work was hurriedly done, for Colonel Smith,
veteran soldier, knew his peril. lie mad advanced
twenty miles INTO country oil intelligent aud
Iesolute men, who were rising around him. All
MlddieseX was moving. From Acton and Lincoln,
rom Wesuord, Llttleton aud Cuelms ord from
Bedford and Blierica, from stow, sudbury
and Carlisle, the sons OF lndianN hgnters
and OF soldiers or the old French war poured
along the roads. shouderlng the nrel0cKs and
towing pieces ana ola Kings arms tnat had seen
famous service Wnen the earlier settlers had gone
against King Phlllp, or the later colon7ts mad
marched under the flag on which George White
field mad written M deSperaIG3tn christie
Ducei-Neyer despair while Christ IS captain;
aud those words the children OF the Purltans had
written on their hearts. As the minute men from
the other towns arrived they joined the force upon
the rising ground near the North Bridge where
they were drawn into Inc by Joseph HOsmer, or
Concord, VINO acted as adlutant. BY nlne O'Clock
some 500 men we're assembled and consultation
o officers and chlei ct1zens was held. Tnat group
OF MidueseX farmers, here upon PunAatasset,
without thought nat they were heroes, or tat the
day aud. Its deeds were to ue so m entuus, is
group as memorable a. the men Of KUN on the
SWISS AIDS, or lie Darons IN The meadow or Runny-
the world, lnvinclble on lane, supreme on the sea-
whose guns had Just been heard 10 fuur CONT
nents at once, girunng the globe with victory.
And that empire was tnelr mounerland, In whose
renown they mad slared-the land dear 10 their
hearts by Thousand ties of love. PRIDE and rever
ence. Tney TOOK sublime and awful RESPONSE
ones or even tner nelgnoors OF Massachusetts,
would justify their action. Inere was as yet
no Declaration OF Independence. no CONT
rental army. There was, indeed, gen
struck, but to mistake the time, the place,
the way, might be TO sacufce the great cause ana
10 rum America. But IN ir conscience and their
judgment assured them that tne hour had come