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


the early morning Of Aprll H. 1775. may not nave
been the one whlcn was 'heard round the word.u
II would not well Tor any person to say nov
tnat IL was for he would invite destruction from
the hands OF the Gebaters the cause o. that
poeuca. remark. vot rhe sho5 fred at
Lexington by Major Pitcairn, the British
Major OF marines. the explosion whose
sound, bounding on the air through the length
ana breadth o. the American Colonies, startled
the ears OF every patriot and made them painfully
acute lor the shrieSs and groans OF the minute
men who were massacred on the green OF the
Massachusetts village. Major Pitcairn's shot sig
nailed the massacre, and the massacre
signalled the Revolution the boastful and
brutal Pitcairn never dreamed that the brethren
OF tho men ut whom he discharged his pistol
would very soon possess that little arm after
having first wounded It's proper owner. Wnen in
the gloamlng on the greea, he said arroganty to
| the sixty or seventy boys and men standing
| anxlously but Without fear :-"DIsperse yel
villains, We rebels, disperse; lay down
| your arms" he expected sudden scamper-
| ing OF scared proyinclals. He was mad
dened that not one or the villagers moved,
and crying out why DON'T you lay down your
arms ana dsperse.n he fred his pistol The
massacre followed. To the ordinary man 1t Is q
pleasant thought that 1t may have been one OF the
villagers VINO escaped unhurt from Lexington
! Common, that later IN the day. following the
1 treating British like Nemesis sighted and shot
Major Pitcairn. AT ali events g was shot, ana
his equipments were captured, the pistol with
which he began the bloody day and It's compan.
ion Of the holster being among the prizes Those
weapons now in this city n the possession OF
Dr.. W. iren9us Prime, the editor OF the New York
Observer The writer visited the office OF Dr.
Prime yesterday and was SHOWN
THE PITCAIRN PISTOLS.
They are or the Old fashioned nint lock. smoo ca
bore and straight trigger pattern, about twelve
inches In length from stock TO muZzle and most
richly chased with hligree designs. At that time
they evidently were considered weapons de luce,
such as might nttingly be carried by dandy
| British odlcer. me astory or their descent rom
the possession OF Major Pitcairn TO that OF their
| present guardian may ne deE-ied as follow
On April 10, 1875, at the early hour OF two IN the
/ morning. l36 militia men or Lexington wore
i assembled on the common, but when word was
/ brought that no troops were coming they sepa-
/ rated to their homes, TO return az the sound or
| the drum. At hall-pasJ Jour, by order OF Captain
| Parker, the signal was given or the approach OF
| the enemy, and the brave men Of Sergeant Mon
| roes company, some OF whom IN a few
/ minutes to die took their posts near the
| church. When the British appeared, Major Pit.
caIrn commanding, that officer was on horseback.
He shouted an order TO the Americans to lay down
their arms and dispense. This order producing no
effect ne drew his pistol and nred il, at tue
time giving 70 his soldiers the command TO fire.
The events that follow form the familiar history
OF the War OF Independence. The British, having
compelled the reirement OF the militia after many
had been killed or wounded, went to Concord the
news or the mornings work spread over the sur
rounding country the minute men rushed TO the
scene OF action; and when the British, at ION,
began their return march to Boston, they were In
the midst or an enemy's country and every in
habitanr an armed soldier. Major Pitcairn's
horse was wounded. and with his equipments fell
nto the hands OF the Americans Confusion
spread through their ranks.
MAJOR Pitcairn was wounded ana endorsed The
horse, having lost his rider, ran over the helds,
till
CAPTURED BY ONE OF THE MINUTE MEN
| and taken hack TO Concord. the animal and the
accoutremeiAs were subsequently sold In that
| town Mt auction. Captain Nathan Barrett, who
| commanded one OF the militia companies or Con-
cord at the old North Bridge, purchased the hois.
| ters ana pistols and offered them 10 General
| Washington, then In command OF the provlncials
around Boston He declined them. Captain Bar.
| rett then presented them 10 General Israel Put
\ NAM
| Israel Putnam. the hero OF the wolr den and
Horseneck Hill, who had won honors In the French
war and mad oeen made brlRadler Qeueral az
| SPECIAL meeting OF the Connecticut Legislature,
| having heard OF the explosion at Lexington, un:
| rode on horseback slxty.nve miles IN one day to
| Cambridge, Mass. and put himself Immediately
1 into contact With the American leaders. To MIN
I was assigned the command OF the militia. anu ms
| dash, daring and skl. as displayed at Bunker
| Hill two months afterward, form brilliant D as
l snRes in the early history OF inc war; IL was very
proper thar the bls ola which belonged 10 Major
i Pitcairn should be committed 70 MS hands.
| His grandson was Mr.. John P. Putnam, gradu-
4 ate OF Williams College, Massachusetts, citizen
OF Cambridge, washington county, y. T., which
\ was alterward divIded INTO three towns, OF when
Waite Geek was one. lie was a gentleman OF
great culture ana worth, and very special friend
| OF my cnlldnood. He had In his possession, and
\ received from his iatner and grandfather, General
with tne greatest care and exhiDlted 10 his friends
\ as interesting relics of the Revolutionary war;
she has S very Kindly aeeeded to Dr. Primes re.
quest 10 permit tnem TO go 10 Lexington TO be ex-
hlbited there at the approaching Centennial.
4 Tney we're undoubtedly the pistols used 10y Major
4 Pitcairn IN giving the command 20 the Brltisn
\ soldlers 70 Ore upon the Americans on the morn.
ing OF April ~, 1873. and one tnem Is therefore,
the nrst weapon DISCHARGED IN toe War OF the
\ BY JoBn +. Putnam recites the facts and The evil
dence that these arc the pistols that were In the
hands q MAJOR Pitcairn on tnat day.
am grandson Of tue late MAJOR General Israel Put
more than sixtythree years Ny hrst recognition Of
eon ~ ~ Sas borne to The grave They were then The
property Of ny iaIher-a gut q MS ,a,aerana nave
IRON my nncies. Colonel Israel Putnam and Colonel
/ Daniel Putnam, who were both aldes.de camp 70 me
SehcTa ans ,e r9 game mat a. dse commenes
ment Of the war Of the American Revolution these
| british Army: that on his from Concord and
Lexington Boston the 18th Of April. l75 his horse
was SHOT under him, and iell parry OF pursuing
Americans; the Major narrowly escaped capture
leaving his and equpage that mis- pursuers Stripped
horse OF his furniture Of which these pistols formed
/ RaoucHr ruEM INTO AMERICAN CAMP
and few days after his arrival camp they were
General Pntnam. who carried them through
! the residue his active service In said war
And do further certify that, H. the wear lS- spent
Al Lexington, had these pistols Win me
| and introduced three Of the members 81
| Captain Parkeris company Of militia that attacke0
oritsh that place, and that one d them
/ think. stated tt as his arm belief from
reeol Of something unusual in their constr
that he pistols that morning Ia M hanL
OF the commander OF the detachment who ne ahefwsr1
| learned Pitcairn, and saw hin discharge ~
| 1879 - JOHN r. PUTNAM
Wars GREER n ", Dec. s 1883
cERrtsIcArE o. coLoSFL SURF
\ certify that, inspec lon Of a PAR q r reel