The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-04-29
PITCAIRNs PISTOLS.
HISTORY OF THE WEAPONS.

HISTORY OF THE WEAPONS.
THE FAMOUS SHOT THAT PRECIPITATED TIKI
| REVOLUTION AND LED To THE LIBERTY OF
! THIS CoUNrRY-HOw THE REBELS DIS
! PERsED-AFFIDAvTTs OF aaron BURR AND
| OTHERS.
The correspondent of the New York Her
aid at Boston, writes: fhe first shot fred on
Lexington Common in the early morning O:
April 10, l775, may not have been the one
which was 'heard round the world" 1t
would not be well for any person to say now
that it was, for he would invite
destruction from the hands of the
debaters over the cause of that polit-
zeal remark. Yet the first shot fired at
Lexington by Major Pitcairn, the British
major OF marines, was the explosion whose
sound, bounding on tho air through the
length and breath of the American colonies.
startled the ears OF every patriot and made
them painfully acute for the shriexs and
groans of the minute men who were Rnssa-
cred on the green of the Massachusetts vii
lage. Major Pitcairn's shot signalIed the mas
sacre, and the massacre signalled the revolu-
ton. The boastful and brutal Pitcairn never
dreamed that the brethren of the men at
whom he discharged his pistol would Yerv
soon possess that little arm after having
When in the cleaning on the green,
he said arrogantly to the sixty
or seventy boys and men standing
anxiously but without tear: "Disperse, We
villains, ye rebels, disperse; lay down your
arms" he expected sudden scampsring of
scared provincials. He was maddened that
not one of the villagers moved, and crying
out, "why don't you lay down your arms
and disperse?" he fired his pistol. The mas
sscre followed. To the ordinary man it is
pleasant thought that it may have bsen one
OF the villagers who escaped unhurt from
Lexington Commons, that later in the day, |
following the retreating British like a Mem |
esis, sighted and shot Major Pitcairn. At
all events he was shot, and his equipments
were captured, the pistol with which he be- |
gan the bloody day, and it's companion of
THE HOLSTERS BEING AMONG
the prizes. Those weapons are now in this |
city in the possession of DIR. w. Irenaeas
Prime, editor of the New York Observer
The writer visited the Office of DR.. Prime
yesterday and was shown Pitcairn's pistols. |
They are of the old fashioned flint lock. |
smooth bore and straight trigger pattern, |
about twelve inches in length fr ON stock to |
muzzle and most richly chased with fill |
gree designs. At that time they evidently |
were considered as weapons de luxe, such as |
lUtS0t D6 ny
officer. The history of their descent from |
the possession of Major Pitcairn TO that of |
their present guardian may be detailed as |
follows: On April 10, l775, at the early hour
OF in the morning, l36 militia men of Lex
ington were assembled on the common, but |
when word was brought that no troops were
coming they separated to their homes, to re-
turn at the sound OF the drum. At halt past
4. by order of Capt. Parker, the signal was
given OF the approach OF the enemy, and
the brave men Of Sergeant Mon
roe's company, some of whom were in few
minutes TO die, took their posts near the
church. When the British appeared, Major
Pitcairn commanding, that officer was on
horseback. He shouted an order to the
Americans to lay down their arms and dis
perse. The order producing no effect, he
drew his pistol and fired it, at the same time
giving to his soldiers the command to fire.
The events that followed form the familiar
history of the war OF Independence. The
British, having compelled the retirement OF
the militia after many had been killed or
went to Concord; the news OF the
work spread over the surrou1d-
ing country; the minute men rushed to the
scene of action; and when the British, at
noon, began their return march to Boston,
hey were in the midst Of an enemy's cOun-
,ry and every inhabitant an armed soldier.
Major Pitcalrn's horse was wounded, and
with his equipments fell into the hands of
;he Americans. Confusion spread through
heir ranks. Major Pitcairn was wounded
Ind endorsed. The horse, having LOST
lis rider, ran over the fields, till
CAPTURED BY ONE OF THE MINUTE MEN
md taken back to Concord. The animal
md the sccoutrements were subsequently,
old in that town at auction. Capt. Nathan !
Barrett, who commanded one of the militia I
companies of Concord at the old North
Bridge, purchased the holsters and pistols,
md offered them to Gen. Washington, then ,
n command of the provincials around Bos-
on. He declined them. Capt. Barrett
hen presented them to Gen. Israel Putnam.
srael Putnam, the hero of the wolf den and [
iorseneck Hill, who had won honors in tine i
french war ana had been made a brigadier >
General at special meeting of the Connecti-
ut legislature, having heard of the explo-
ion at Lexington, unyOked the team with .
which he was ploughing and rode on horse
Jack So miles in one dav to Cambridge, q
dass., and put himself Immediately into :
ontact with the American leaders. To him
vas assigned the command of the militia, .
nd his dash, daring and skill, as dis Q
layed at Bunker Hill two months y
form brilliant passages in y
be history of the war. It was very q
roper that the pistols which belonged to v
fsjor Pitcairn should be committed to his