Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1875-05-05
bridge; and this was the battle of Con-

bridge; and this was the battle of Con-
cord.
THE RETREAT TO BOSTON.
After exhibiting some uncer, ainty of
purpose, Smith determined at last upon
q retreat to Boston. He had nothing
to gain by remaining, and the whole
country was rising. About II M. he left
the town. He had before him crook
ed and billy road, through woods and
swamps; and he had behind him some
thing more formidable than these. For
the minute men had determined to at
tend him with all the honors of war
upoh his way home. He made little
stand here and there, but soon was
glad to resume his fight. At
a defile in Lincoln, the men of Lex
ington. under command of John Par
ker, renewed their acquaintance with
the enemy The Americans were
everywhere-at the rear, upon the
| TANKS, and in front of the retiring
column. Every piece of wood con-
cealed a farmer-soldier. Scarcely ten
provincials were seen together, but the
shots came steadily and effectively
Maj. Pitcairn's grenadiers and infantry,
in the beginning, moved with some or
der; but the f1anking parties soon were
tired out, and the wounded were an
incumbrance. After leaving Licking
ton, the troops, in spite of the remon-
strances Of their officers began to run
When they had hurried about half
through Lexington, they encountered
| Lord Percy with the reinforcements-
about l, 200 men with two field pieces.
II. Gage had but 2, 800 men in all in the
garrison in Boston, as is usually stated,
and if Smith took out with him 800
men, it will be seen that a very consid-
cradle portion of His Majesty's forces
in America must have been enga ged in
these brilliant transactions.
Percy's field pieces kept the Infatuated
Americans at bay, and his detachment,
formed into square, received the ex-
hausted fugitives, who stretched them
selves upon the ground 'their tongues
hanging out of their mouths like dogs
after chase % But there was danger
in any long indulgence in repose. Still
the minute-men were gathering.
Percy with his troops, the infantry in
front, the grenadiers next, and the First
Brigade, with strong fanking parties
in the rear, resumed the retreat. The
whole body was exposed to fire on each
flank, in front, and in the rear. At
West Cambria ge were Warren and
Heath, both of the Committee of Safety.
J It was here that there was something
like organized resistance. A company
from Danvers made breastwork with
! pile of shingles, but lost eight men
between the enemys flank guard and
the main body. 1t was here that War
rem narrowly escaped the fate which af-
terward befell him at Bunker Hill--a mus
ket ball grazing his hair. Infatuated by
their reverses, the Royal forces, when
ever an opportunity presented, indulg-
ed themselves in acts of wanton and
savage cruelty, several instances Of
which are recorded. In one house, two
old and helpless and unarmed men were
killed, their skulls being broken and
their brains dashed out. The wife of
Deacon Joseph Adams, at Cambridge.
was in child-bed, her baby only week
old; the soldiers set fire to her house,
and compelled her to take refuge in a
barn.
THE COUNTRY IN ARMS.
Never was people more thoroughly
aroused. Below West Cambridge, the
militia from Brookline, Roxbury, and
Dorchester, joined the pursuit. No
longer dreading the artillery, the
Americans pressed the enemy's rear,
rendering the retreat still more rapid;
and it was thought, if the Salem and
Marblehead regiment had promptly met
the fugitives in front that the whole
force must have surrendered as prison
ers Of war. AS the sun went down, the
survivors of the detachments crossed
Charlestown Neck, where the guns of
the feet protected them, and they were
at last ferried across the river.
The reports of the day give 49 Ameri-
cans killed, 81 wounded, and 5 missing.
The British loss in killed, wounded, and
missing was 273. Smith, the British
commander, was severely hurt. Joseph
Thaxte1, who wrote his "reminiscences
of the affair many years after, mentions
Lieut.. Hawkstone, "said to be the
greatest beauty of the British army,
who had his cheeks so badly wounded
that it disfgured him much, Of which
he bitterly complained"
A more agreeable anecdote illustrates
the pluck or the clergy in those stir
ring times. The Rev. Edward Brooks
was the minister Of Medford. He got,
in some way, intelligence of a small
party going with relief to meet the
British; they had wagon-load. The
Rev. Edward Brooks mustered o few
men, wavlaid the wagon near West
Cambridge Westinghouse, shot the
horses, and with his own priestly hands
took several prisoners. Thatcher, who
was afterwardsa surgeon in the American
army, wrote in his journal: GO It is truly
said to be matter of establishment and
chagrin that, after all their glorying,
these veteran troops have been compel
led to flee before comparatively small
number of undisoiplined Yankees. "
A LudicrOus Scare in Church.