Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-04-29
The views pr scented but for their high
suggestiveness for future inquiry and Re.
ENTHUSIASTICALLY. american.
The Concord Fight.

.hs British, somewh al scattered in small
groups on the bridge and on the west bank
of the river, noticing thu advance Of the
Americans, immediately formed and
crossed 10 the east bank, taxing up some
Of the planks Of the bridge as they passed
over. The soldiers under Capt. Lawrie,
who had previously retired 60 the hill,
moved forward and joined their COM
panions on the right bank ofNthe river.
The attempt Of the British 10 &ismantle
the bridge attracted the attention of Mai.
Buttrick rs the Americans were Ndvanc-
ing "two and two, and turning the cor.
ncr Of the sross-road." He demonstrated
against the act in a loud and emphatic
tone, and ordered his men TO march In
quick step. Thereupon the enemy de-
sisted from the destruction. They be-
came alarmed at the menacing movement
of the Americans; and IL may have oc-
CURED TO them at the time that whatever
distractions were placed in the way of the
Americans would leopard the safety of
Capt Parsons detachment,
1t was, according to Capt David Brown,
between nine and ten Of the clock in the
forenoon" The British fired two or three
guns in quick succession. These were
preconcerted signal.guns for the dis
tant attachments of the enemy to
return at once. When the Ameri-
cans arrived within ten or fifteen rods
of the bridge, and were rapidly moving
forward, one of the regulars, sharp
shooter, stepped from the ranks aud
discharged his muskct, manifestly aimed
at Mai. Buttrick or Col. Robinson,
the ball from which, passing under
the arm Of the latter, slightly
wounded Luther Blanchard, the fifer
of the Acton company, in the side,
and Jonas Brown, one of the Concord
minute men. This gun was Immediately
followed by volley, which instantly
killed Capt. Isaac Davis and Private Alb
ner Hosmer, of Acton, ball passing
through the heart Of the former and an.
other through the head of the latter, and
slightly wounding Ezekiel Davis, broth.
er of Capt. Davis, ball passing through
his hat and grazing his head. When he
saw that his fifer was wounded Capt.
Davis impulsively stepped TO the wall by
the road, and was in the act Of sighting
his gun when he was hit by the enemy's
shot. lie sprang two or three feet in the
air, fell on the north side of the wall and
expired without uttering word. Joshua
Brooks, Of Lincoln, was struck with ball
that cut through his hat and drew blood
on his forehead. II appeared "a il he had
been cut with knife; and ~ concluded"
said Private Baker, that the British were
firing jack knives"
Mai. Buttrick, then in front Of Capt
Browns company, instantly jumped from
the ground, and partly turning TO his men
impetuously exclaimed: Fire, fellow
soldiersl for Gods sake, firc" discharging
his own gun ut the same moment. Capt
Brown, who never before nor after used
proiane word, exclaimed with an OATH:
"They are firing ballsi Fire, men, firen'
drew up his own musket, deliberately
aimed and fired. One of the dead British
soldiers, buried near the old monument,
was believed to have been the result OF
that shot. Mai. Buttrick's order ran along
the line of militia and minute. men, the
word Fret" Firei' came from hun.
dred lips, and a general discharge instant
ly followed from the Americans. They
fired as they stood, and over each others
heads. The fusillade continued for afew
minutes only, when the British broke and
fled in great alarm and confusion. Noah
Parkhurst, one Of the Lincoln men, said
10 one of his comrades Now the war has
begun, and no one knows when 1t will
endp'
The fire of the Americans was dcstruct-
i've Two British soldiers were instantly
killed -Four officers, Lieuts. Gould, Hall,
Sunderland and Kelly, and Sergeant and
six privatcs were reported To have been
wounded at the same time. 1t has never
been accurately ascertained how many
privates suffered In this engagement.
More than dozen had their wounds
dressed in the village by Drs. Minot and
Cummings, and, Of course, there were sur.
gcons with the expeditionary force. Many
of the troops were covered with blood as
they passed the houses on their retreat To
the village, and were seen In this condi-
ton from the windows. The sudden flight
of such veteran soldiers showed that tho
fire of the Americans must have been very
severe. Frederick Huctsoa, In Harper's.