Arizona citizen., 1875-04-24
LOCAL MA TIERS.
Lexington and Concord.


 of strife,
 "The morn the marshalling in arms"
 Once upon 8 time, that is to say early on the night of April IS, l775, a solitary horse man might have been seen, eluding the vigilance of the British sentinels and es- caping across the Charles river, to finally lose himself in the shadows of the path less woods beyond. This was Paul Revere carrying the news to Mary that detach- ment Of Britons bold, 8U0 strong, would leave Boston that same night to march on Lexington and Concord and to seize the provincial stores and cannon at the latter place. About midnight Paul reached the house of the Rev. Jonas Clark, where the since somewhat celebrated Hancock and Adams lodged. Revere told his story. Lexington then contained about zoo In- habitants and nearly all the able bodied men had been trained to arms. The alarm was quickly given. By o'clock in the morning aDOut l30 militiamen were as sembled under arms on the com mon, com manded by Capt. John Parker, who or dered them to load with powder and ball, but to take care not to be the first to hre. Messengers were sent out, who in time re- turned reporting no signs of the British. watch was then set and the militia dis missed with orders 10 assemble again at beat of drum. Just at daybreak, April l9, the advanced guard of the enemy, com manded by Major Pitcairn, was discovered approaching the village. On nasty sum- mons between sixty and seventy of the militia assembled, and were paraded m two ranks on the common, just north of the town meeting house. The British halted to load, and to allow the rest Of the detachment to come up. They then vanced almost on run. That nasty Pitcairn rode in front, and when within five or six rods of the Amer jeans, he called out, "Disperse, ye williams, "ye rebels, disperse; lay down your arms; "why don't you lay down your arms and "disperse: This is just exactly what Pitcairn said, and our forefathers had to come to one Of two conclusions; either that this was a blausted conundrum, or that the angel of fate was about to baptize with their blood the first page of the chronicle of the greatest revolution since "there was light" These men of MaSsa- chusettS kept their ranks firmly and silently until Pitcairn discharged pistol at them and ordered the soldiery to fire. A heavy discharge of musketry followed and seven immortal heroes of Lexington were killed and nine wounded When the British fired, Capt. Parker ordered his men to disperse. A few of them then re- turned the fire, and Pitcairn's horse was grazed by bullet, and private soldier slightly wounded. Thus ended the first chapter.
 In half an hour after this fight the British marched on to Concord, which pidce tuey TeaCneu atII2 O'CLOCK this same morning, April l9. The country had been thoroughly alarmed. When the enemy came in sight, some were for resisting them; but as it was thought proper to throw the entire responsibility upon the invaders, the militia fell back, slowly and sullenly, before the British, and took post upon the side of d hill to the right Mai. John Buttrick first commanded the colo nial forces but he was early relieved by the arrival of his superior, Col. Barrett. hn prit tiSh hn.l part of the town and sent detachments 10 secure the south and north bridges over the Concord river. The detachment Of Americans which had retreated over the north bridge, was drawn up not far from it, where they were joined by recruits from neighhoring towns. The combat thlckens. The Americans, believing the British were pillaging the town, started to cross the bridge to attack. At this time a British detachment had reached the other side of the bridge and commenced to tear up the blanks. The British were ordered to desist and the Americans increased their pace. The British deSisted, and fired several muSket shots as signals. Then when the Americans were 10 or l5 rods from the river there was first single shot fired at them, wounding two men, and this was immediately succeeded by a yolley killing several. The American leader then turned to his men and gave the order to fire, immediately discharging his own Pl0SO' 1ho oiuCi was promptly ODeyeQ and a general firing on both sides enslied. After losing several men the British re- treated, to the center of the town. The de- tachment of Americans who had sustain ed the fightin" so far was Major Buftrick's. The rest of the Americans were holding different. positions. At about noon the British came to the conclusion that Con- cord was unhealthy and commenced re- treating. They were followed on the road back to Lexington by the provincials who inflicted much injury upon them. When passing through Lincoln they were attack by the Lexington men, and as they were ascending FiSke's hill in the west part of Lexington d sharp contest took place in which a number were killed. In fact the British had a mighty rough time of it on their road back, and about mile below the Lexington common, they were only saved from total destruction by the arrival of endorsements. The battle of LeXing ton reused the whole country. The night before il there were few people in the colonies who expected bloodshed. The night after, says Bancroft, the kings ed in Boston. Concord has since become celebrated.as the birth place of Concord coacheS.p.
 CHAPTER II.
 There was C. sound Of reveIry by night"
 Leaving the grass to grow over the graves oI the slain, and the revolution, inaugurated at Lexington and Concord, to glOriously close at Yorktown, and hay ing buried nearly all the survivors decent ly, let us take the reader in spirit on a little Journey of 100 years and introduce him to the city of Tucson on the night of April 19 1875. On that night, under the auspices of the Ladies Centennial Com mittee of Arizona, with the able leader chi in <Nf; ~