Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1875-04-22
l77s-LxxIMGrOM AND CONCORD ls76-
THE CENrEMARY OF TIE WAR OF IN.
DEPEHDEMCE.

|
A hundred years ago, to-day, the War OF
American Independence began, although for
nearly year and = quarter the armed struggle
did not become Avowedly war for lndepend-
once. The celebrations at Lexington and Con-
cord, to-day, mark the actual outbreak OF hos
tilities-the appeal to that arbitrsment OF force
without which, rs is seems, nations cannot be
born.
Tie actual conflicts in the two little Massa-
chusetts hamlets, las they then were; now,
the tom-township-of Lexington hAs
2277, and Concord 2Al2 people,)
were but formal beginning Of war, An inter
change Of deadly shots on both sides that signi-
fed the purpose to fight In the early morning
Of April 10Th, 1775, the royal troops under Col.
Smith, (this being only detachment Of the
whole force sent out from Boston to destroy the
arms aud military stores gathered 1t Lexington
and Concord by the minute men, )msrched upon
the little triangular plat, where the roads
"forked, Tin Lexington and finding before them
asluad Of the militia, its ranks not In order,
some joining the line and come leaving rushed
forward shouting, and firing at random.
No one was hurt by this, but in mo-
ment they discharged . voley, which
was fatal The militia line was swept away
by its deadly bullets The two bodies had been
almost face to face on the little common, when
Smith following, tho example Of Pitcairn, who
had been cnrsing the militia aud or
dering them to "disperse," had given the
word to fire, and in the single discharge thus or
dered several OF the militia had been killed and
wounded. On their side, no shots had been
given. Tho order to them had been Don't
E.nl liam laf
yourselves. This ia Just what they did. Under
all the circumstances, Smiths order Was crue
and inexcusable. The firing by his disciplined
soldiers was deadly. 1t constituted, even upol
the red pages Of War, virtual murder.
Joined by other detachments OF their forces
the British moved on to Concord, six miles far
ther, and here, five hours and A-half later thai
the massacre st Lexington, (it VAS At half pas
four /; the fighting At Concord began about 10,
the militia attacked them. The beginning o.
war had been made by the Kings men new III
Americans did not hesitate to pursue it, The
marched to drive the troops posted at the Mort
Bridge, and coming thus in martial array, wit
the evident purpose Of conflict. we're fired upon
two Of their number being killed aud other
wounded at this first discharge. Then they TO
fred, and their deadly rifles never ceased
ring till late that day, the British, exhauste
by fighting and marching, reached Charlestowr
on their retreat into Boston. The Americans ha
no. only returned their fire at the North Bridg
killing one and wounding others, but they hs
then begun an Indian warfare, shooting the re,
coated soldiers from behind trees, fences ~
ne.wslls-pcking them of one by one, as til,
marched. This was murder for murder-tl
penalty Of blood for blood,
Reading carefully, the most detailed accoun
Of the two fights, several reflections are sugge.
cd The first is that the British troops gener,
ly behaved we'll Col. Smiths order
tire was the chief, perhaps the onl
stain their record. rney did no mo
damage to property than WAS required in the
charge OF the duty assigned them. They see
to have preserved the restrictions of good d
cipline The volley on Lexington common W
Smiths, not his mems, and it arouses our pi
for the poor fellows in the ranks whose trade
was, by the barbarous and anti. Christian usa
OF mankind, to fight when and where they mig
be ordered, to remember that they retreat
the deadly bullets of our countrymen cut the
down, one after another. Many an English CT
tage whose inmates knew no grudge agAiI
America was desolated by those deAt
shots, as, earlier i'll the day, the quiet homes
Lexington had BEEN by the bullets Of the in
ders. One calls to mind the story
the poor young British officer, III HI
thorne tells it in ''SeptiTlius Felto
and apart from the patriotic associations
the day, and the gladness with which We IN
celebrate events that led TO national indepe
ence and prosperity. there is in this, az in ev
other record Of war, reminder, written
red, Of the price at which our liberties were
tanned.