The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-04-30
MISCELLANY.
LEXINGTON AND CONCORD.
First Accounts of the Beginning OF
the Revolution, Patriot and
British-Interestin Mis-
cellaneOus Items.
To the Editor of the Evening Telegraph:

/
( To the Editor of the Evening Telegraph:
| Enclosed hand you couple OF ex-
tracts copied from the London Unlver-
sal Magazine" published in 1775, Civ
ing both SIDES of The story of Lexington
give Lexington the honor of shedding
and drawing the first blood of the Rev
olntion.s / commend the orthography
and style to all Centennial tea party
committees If these extracts are IN
teresting enough to publish please do
so. W. H. C.
ALLEGHELY CITY, April 10, l775.
from the Essex Gazette, Printed at Salem, in
| New England.l
SALEM, April 25. 1875.
Last Wednesday, the 10Th of April,
the troops of his Britannia Majesty
commenced hostilities upon the people
of this province. The particulars re-
! lative to this interesting event, by which
] we are involved in all the horrors of a
! civil war, we have endeavoured to col
Iect as we'll as the present confused
state of affairs will admit.
| On Tuesday evening detachment
from the army, consisting, it is said, of
eight or nine hundred men, commanded
by Lieut. Col. Smith, embarked at the
bottom of the common in Boston, on
board a number of boats, and landed
at Phip's farm, a little way up the
Charles river, from whence they pro-
ceeded with silence and expedition on
their way to Concord, about eighteen
miles from Boston.
The people were soon alarmed, and be-
gan to assemble in general towns, before
daylight, in order to watch the motions
of the troops. At Lexington, six miles
below Concord, a company of militia, of
about 100 men, mustered near the meet
ing house; the troops came in sight of
them Just before sunrise; and running
within a few rods of them, the COM
manding officer accosted the Militia in
words to this effect: "D;sperse, you Re
bels-damn you, throw down your arms
and disperse," upon which the troops
huzza'd, and Immediately one or two
officers discharged their pistols, which
we're instantaneously followed by the
firing of four or FIVE of the soldiers, and
then there seemed to be general dis
charge from the whole body. Eight OF
our men were killed and nine wounded
In few minutes after this action, the
enemy renewed their march for Concord,
at which place they destroyed several
carriages, carriage wheels, and about
twenty barrels of -four, all belonging
to the province. Here about $50 men
going toward bridge, of which the enc
my were in possession, the latter fired
and killed two of our men, who then re-
turned the fire, and Obliged the enemy
to retreat back to Lexington, where they
met Lord Percy, with a large reinforce
ment, with pieces of cannon. The enc
my now having about 800 men made a
halt, picked up many of their dead, and
took care of their wounded, At Mena-
toing, few of eur men attacked IA party
of twelve of the enemy carrying stores
and provisions to the troops) killed one
of them, wounded several, made the rest
prisoners, and took possession of all
their arms, stores, provisions, &c., with.
out any loss on our side.
The enemy having halted one or two
hours, a. Lexington, found it necessary
to make a second retreat, carrying with
them many of their dead and wounded
who they put into chaises and on horses
that they found standing in the road
They continued their retreat from Lex
ington to Charlestown with great pre-
cipitation, and notwithstanding theil
field pieces, our people continued the
pursuit, firing at them till they got tC
, Gharlestown Neck (which they reached
little after sunset), over which the
enemy passed, proceeding up Bunker'
Hill, and soon afterward, went into th'
town, under the protection of the Som
5 erset man-of-war of sixty-four guns.
5 In Lexington the enemy set fire t.
, Deacon Joseph Loring's house and barn
Mrs. Muliiken's house and shop, which
j were all consumed. They also set fir
to several other houses, but our peopl,
) extinguished the flames. They pillaget
almost every house they passed by
: breaking and destroying doors, windows
' glasses, &c, and carrying off clothin!
| Inc Il
e to be their design to burn and destro,
e all before them; and nothing but ou
8 vigorous pursuit prevented their pur
e poses from being put into execution
d But the barbarity exercised upon tn
S bodies of our unfortunate brethren VIII,
3 fell, is almost incredible. Not conten
j. with shooting down the unarmed, ageC
/, and in6rm, they disregarded the cries o
a the wounded, killing them withou
II mercy, and mangling their bodies in th
IS most shocking manner.
a We have the pleasure to say, that
it notwithstanding the highest provoca
!, tions given by the enemy, not one in
d stance of cruelty, that we heard of, wa
% committed by our victorious militia.
The CONSERVATION of the people Q
e, Charlestown when our enemies were en-
? tering the town is inexpressible; tn
2 troops, however, behaved tolerably civil
$, and the people have since nearly all lei
ss the town. We had SO killed, 10 wound
ID ed and missing.
rt We have seen an account of the los
10 of the enemy, said to have come fror
If an officer of one of the men-of-war, b
'e which it appears that 69 of the Regular
it and 40 Marines were killed, and 103 {
;" both wounded; in all, 215. Lieu
he Gould, of the Fourth Regiment, WHO
:" wounded, and Lieut.. Potter, of tn
v. marines, and about twelve soldiers, ar
l. prisoners.
tOmcial report from the London Gazette
r June 10TH
ia & = Gen. Gape havin
G; received intelligence of largo quantit
be of military stores being collected at Cor