Middletown transcript., 1875-05-01
Iuty. under the pretence of learning a

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new military exercise, and at night tn
boats Of the transports were meored un
der the sterns of the men. Of war. Thes'
suspicious movements we're eagerly OBJ
served by the patriots, and Dr.. Warrel
communicated intelligence Of them t.
Hancocx aud Adams, who were then a
the house Of Rev. Jonas Clark, in Lex
ington. The Committee Of Safety were
thus warned of the necessity for taking
additional measures to protect the stores
at Concord and on the 18th. they
ordered cannon to be secreted, and
some Of the stores removed to Groton
and Sudbury
On the next day. April 18th, Gen.
eral Gage stationed parties of officers
on the roads leading from Boston. te
prevent information of bis movements,
that night, from reaching the country
Some of these dined that day at Cam
bridge On the same day the Commit
tees Of Safety and Supplies were hold
ing session at Wetherby's tavern,
in Msnotomy. now West Cambridge.
Three of the members-Mr. Gerry, and
Colonels Orne and Lee-remained to
lodge for the night. Two others Mr..
Watson and Mr.. Devens-on their way
towards Charlestown, met a party Of
British officers on horseback, and re-
turned to notify their friends at Men
otomy. Mr. Gerry at once dispatched
an express to Lexington, to inform
Hancock and Adams that "eight or
nine officers were out, suspected of some
evil design" The messenger took a
bypath, delivered his letter. and pre-
cautionary measures were thereupon
adopted at the latter place.
Mr. Devens, of the Committee Of
Safety, soon received information that
British troops were in motion in Boston.
and were making preparations for
movement in the country. Soon after,
the signal already agreed upon was
given, namely lantern hung out from
the belfry-tower Of the old North
Church in Boston and Paul Revere,
who bad, about eleven o'clock, rowsd
across the river to Charlestown, was
furnished by Devens with feet horse,
and started to alarm the country. At
Charlestown Neck be was nearly cap
tured by British officers. but he pressed
on to Medford. where he awoke the
captain of the minute. men, and at mid
night be arrived safely at the house Of
Rev. Jonas Clark in Lexington, where,
on the previous evening a guard Of
eight men had been stationed for the
protection of Hancock and Adams.
Revere was soon Joined by Mr.. Dawes,
whom DR.. Warren had sent out through
Roxbury; and the news brought by
them was "That large body Of the
Kings troops. supposed to be brigade
Of twelve or fifteen hundred, had en-
barked, in boats, from Boston, and
gone over to Lechmere's Point, in Cam
bridge, and it was suspected they were
ordered to seize and destroy the stores
belonging to the colony, then deposited
at Concord
The village of Lexington is about
twelve miles to the northeast Of Boston,
and six miles southeast Of Concord.
The road from Boston divides near the
centre of the town. That leading to
Concord passed to the left, and the one
leading to Bedford to the right of the
meeting house, and formed two sides Of
triangular green or common, on the
south corner Of which stood the meeting
house. facing directly down the road
leading to Boston. To the right Of the
meeting house, ca the opposite side of
the Bedford road, was Buchman's
tavern.
An hour after midnight, the Lexing-
ton militia were ordered to meet on the
common, and at two o'clock one hun
dred and thirty assembled with arms.
Meanwhile, messengers who had been
dispatched to Cambridge for further
information, returned with the intelli-
gence that no troops we're on the road,
and the militia were allowed to dis
perse, with instructions to assemble
again at the call of the drum.
In the meantime, the British troops
were on their way towards Concord.
Lieutenant Colonel Smith, with body
Of eight hundred, embarked at ten
o'clock in the boats of the ships-of- war.
at the foot of Boston Common Land
ing at Lechmere Point, they took an
unfrequented path over the marshes.
and entered the Charlestown and West
Cam bridge road. Silently and stealth
lily they pursued their way; but they
had marched only few miles. when
the ringing of bells and firing of guns
told plainly that the country was
alarmed. Major Pitcairn. with six
companies Of light infantry, was sent
forward to secure the two bridges at
Concord, while messenger was sent to
Boston for reinforcement and as be