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


ME men ana militia instanli returned the nre,
and tho oattle began tnat los \ mn! sunset
Whsn Colonel smith orJcred tae fereat,
although he ana hts officers may nave had some
misgiylngs they had probably lost them IA IN. tne
contempt OF regulars Tor the militia But from
ine moment OF the nrlng al Merriam's corner lucy
were undeeelyed. The landscape was awe WIN
armed men. Ihey swarmed through every wood
pain and olway, across the pastures ana over me
hills. some came up ia order along the ROADS, as
from Reading and Billeuca, from East sudbury
and BEDFORD, and John Parkers company rom.
Lexington waited N woody denle 70 aVenge the
death q their comraues. Inc BIi'lsn Goluinh i
marched steadily on, while rom trees, rocks ana
fences, from houses, barns ana shecS, blazea ING
whitening American hre. me mus eeaoeu nna
Mashed, tne woods rang, the ROAD became an snu,
less ambuscade OF flame. The Americans seemed
10 the appalled, British troops 70 drop rom me
clouds, 70 spring rom the earln. Win eSeIJ
step The attack was deadlier, the danger more
imminent For some rime discipline ana the
ordvr OF the BRUSH line; out the
stnlng clouds OF dust, inc consuming
wagons fun OF wounding men moaning and DYING
madly pressing through the ranks TO the 'front.',
the constant hling o. their comrades, olncels
captured and Killed, and through ali the latal ana
incessant shot Of an unseen Toe, smote with teri or
that naughty column, winch. shrinking, bleeding,
waverlng. reeed through Lexington panic
stricken and broken lhe officers, seeing the dlre
extremity, fought their way TO the 'front.' ana
,hreai ned he men with death II they advanced.
Tue breaking line recoiied lllte, aud even
seaaied under one oil the sharpest attacks OF the
DAY. For not as yet we're Hessians hired TO en-.
slave Americans, and IL was English bio. ana
noon, nall mile bevond Lexington meeting
house Just as the English officers saw tuat lie
struct1on or surrender was the only alterna-
tive LORD Percy. with a reinforcement OF
l,200men came up. and opening with two cannon5
upon the Amerlcans succored MS nyng and des-
perate comrades. VINO Tell upon the ground among
Percy's troops, thelr parched tongues hanging
the nower OF General Cages army was now
upon the field, but us commander saw az once
Una. Tvs soe nope 3 o. nors do 10
resumed and with IL the oarDarlttes as well
as the sufenngs OF war Lord Percy threw out
the line OF march, plunderng ana burning. The
fields OF Menotomy or Arlington, through winch
and 1re. But the American pursuit was
relentless, and beyond Lexington the lower
battle. Many man aiterward famous was con-
splcuous that day, and near West Cambridge
gle. IL was now PAST five O'Clock. The British
ammunition was giving ont The onlcers, too
mucn exposed IN the saddle, alghted and marched
with Tue men, VINO US they dpPV00acue9 SnaLLes
town, encountered the hottest nre oil the day.
General Gage had learned tie perllous extremity
OF MS army rom messenger sent by PERCY and
had issueu proclamation threatening 10 lay
i Charestown In ashes ii the troops were attacked
/ IN the stieets The town nummed with the vague
and appalling rumurs OF the events OF the day,
and lust before sunset the excited inhabitants
heard the distant guns ana soon saw the British
troops running along the old Cambridge road 70
Cnarestown Neck, firing as they came. They mad
just escaped the militia, 7pO strong, from salem
and Matb ,ehead-the mower OF Essex-and as the
sun was Sc ting they entered Cnarlestown ana
Rallied the shelter OF their hl9ate gus. Then
General Heath ordered tae American pursuit to
stop aud the haIte was 'over. But all that day
and night The news was Tying from mouth 10
mouth, rom heart 10 hoart, rousng every city,
town ana solitary farm IN the colonies; ana pe-
fore the last snot OF the minute men on the
81 ttish retreat rom Concord Bridge was fred or
the last wounded grenadier had been rowed
across the river, the whole country was risng I;
Massachusetts, New England, America were
closing around the city, aud the siege Of Boston
ana the war OF American Independence had begun.
Such was the opening battle 81 the Revolution,
q conflict when, 50 lar as we can see, saved civil
nnerty in two hemispheres saved England as we'll
Il
through the world a. the beacon iigbt OF Tree
popular government. And VINO won this victory 7
The minute men and mlni.a VINO IN the history Of
! our En- gllsn race have oeen always the vanguard
OF freedom. Inc minute man Of the American Revo-
luton VINO ne2 lie wa the hus Jand ana at ner
VINO. bred 70 love liberty, and 70 know that lawful
\ liberty Is the sole guarantee q peace and prog
ress. lett the plough IN the iurrow ana the llam-
mer on the bench, and. kissing vile and children,
marched 70 die or be Tree. lie was the son and
lover, tue PLAIN, shy youth oI the singing school
aud the village choir, whose neart beat TO arms
Y Iot MS country. aud he let, though ne could not
say, with the old English cdyaner:-
could not love thee deare, much,
Loved not honor more.
/ The minute man or the Revolution. He was the
4 OLD, the middle-aged ana the young. lie was
/ Captain Miles, OF Concord, who said that ne went
| TO battle as he went 10 cnurcn. He was Captain
DAVIS, Of Acton, who ieproyed MS men Tor testing
sud oury, eighty years Old. VINO marched with ms
company TO the soutn Bridge at Concord. tnen
Joined in the hot pursuit 10 Lexington, anulell as
gloriously as Warren az Bunker Hill. He was
James Hayward, OF Acton, twenty-five years OLD,
oasrIoston, who raIsea Ills Ikece at the same mo.
ment with British soldier, each excmlmlng.
through the reart. jane Hayward Tell mortally
wounded. Father ne SAID, ~ started with .orty
balls; nave three ieit. / never ala such days
work before len mother not 70 mourn TOO MUGS
ana tell her wnOm love more tGan my mo ner
that am not sorry turned out.p
1nls was tue minute man 81 the Revolution, the
rural citizen trained In the commUn school. the
cnurcn, and the town meeting, wac carried q
bayonet tnat tnOugal, ana wng sc gun, loaded with
principle brought down not man, out sys-
TEN. HIM we gratefully recsl tO-iay-him, IN
yon manly figure wrought IN toe metal whlcn nut
ieebly typihes MS lnexoraOle Will, we commit in
his immortal youth 70 tue reverence 81 our Gull
oren. AND mere among these peaceful helds mere
IN the comfy whose children nrst gave their
blood Tor American union and independence, and
eghty.six years later gave IL nrst also TOT truer
union ana a larger IOerty; here, In rue heart OF
Middlesex. covnty ~ Lexington ana concord and
Bunker hlll stand at, son oI l1Der3 a. tne
minute man STOOD M the old North Bridge. But
saOuld We Or our descendants. false 10 liberty,
faise 70 justice &nd humanity-Oetray ia any way
tner csusc-spring INTO lie as o hundred years
ag0, take one more step. descend and lead us, as
Coo lea YOU, - saving America, 10 saye tie hopes
oil man.
Al tie END u a century We can see the work OF
this daF as our latners cOuld not We can see mat
then tne nual movement BEGAN OF a process long
anu uucOnsclOusn preparing. which was 10 ln-
trust liberty ID ne y forms aud institutions tlat
seemed luli ~ happy promise ior mankind. And
nov Tor nearly century what was formerly
oalled the experiment VI representative repuO-
lie Of imperial extent anu power mas Oeeu tired.
Has II uiiled tie aOpes q It's lounders ana tae
just expectations 81 mankind l nave areaGy
we know nov yast ana splendid rs cary growth
ana development we're. our material statistics
soon dazzied the word. Europe no longer
sneereu uut galsd IA wonder, waiting ana
watching. cur pOpuatlOn doubled every nltfen
years. uhd our wealth eNeil ten years. Every
little stream amulg the hIls turned mil; am
Tic great lulanu - Z, DounU oy tie genius 81
Clinton e. Tie ocean, became TIE highway 81
boundless commerce. me patd y an uDpreCedeni Ell
empire our iafMs were the 2ranarJ ~ otner
lands. Our cotton neias made England rich. , ~
We chased tue wnae m lie Paciuc ocean, anu
took nsn N the tumblng seas o. Labrador. We
hung out friendly 2hts aiung thousands 81 miles
OF coast TO tempt Tue trade o. every cline; aDd
Wherever on the dim IN 81 tue gone there was
hafb0r y was Nhlte with American saIs. Mean
wnile az home tne pohticai ioreooding OF lederal-
Ism had dleU away, ana us very wan seemed Q
tribute 70 the pacific giores o. tRe LAND.
Tho ornament 81 beauty i suspect,
crow tuat lies m heHNcn's sweetest air
Tue government was ieit to DC Dat a nand OF pro.
lection aud ule,siug; iaOOr was iully emp oi ed
capta was secure; TIE army wa Jest: enter
PRISE aas bAshlhg tnruugn he Aleghahtes, Rrasp
lug anu setting the ~ Dorado o. tue prairles, and
SUI, craving the tldcrneas reached out toward