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

what point the war began. This is a poor pun I
know, but do not believe the after-dinner
speeches next Monday will supply better one
and at any rate IL is not more absurd than 20 see
these people nghting the first battle or the Revo-
luton all over again. To my mind the quaint
phraseology OF a hundred years ago determines
the whole matter In dispute. and forever settles
the question as 10 which place is entitled to the
most credit for that day when
the emba tiled farmers stood
And fred the shot heard round The world.
IL was the custom OF our Rrandfathers TO speak
OF Lexington Alarm and Concord nght,r ana
"the shot heard round the worldn was not tired
till prenadier and patriot met lace TO face at Con.
cord Bridge. There never was a ',battle OF Lex
ingtonn at all until after Concord nght,n as the
bridge has been telling the "monimentn now
hese many years, and for one while confessing
proper American reverence for everybody's
grandfather. do not hesitate to say that on the
10Th OF April. 1775. Ralph Waldo Emerson's had the
advantage OF Theodore Parker's. IL may be true
enough that when old John Parker saw the pren-
adters coming as ne waited ;or them by the meet
ine house In Lexington, his single drum beating
the nrst mole OF resistance all the while lie
uttered the words attributed to MIN by tradition,
"lf they mean 10 have war, let 1t begin here"
But II is more certain that the response to Pit
NoAu CNou MOAO luuOuo ublcEduSet '1c
ye rebels, dlspersel Damn yel Why don't We lay
down your arms and dlspersem was complete,
If not instant obedience. william Emerson,
OF Concord, on the other hand, testified in his
diary that he "was uneasy till the IRE was re-
turned" and he saw IL returned with interest as
soon almost as IL was received. Captain Parker
himself declared that he ordered his company TO
disperse ana not to IRE, and It is only repeating
an old story TO say that the Lexington patriots
did not return the IRE Of their enemies, Mr..
Edward Everett Hale 10 the contrary notwith-
standing IL must have been or else the depo-
sitions which Mr.. nale tells US were TO secure
the truth OF history" were a cowardly lie THIS Is
q conclusion !, for one. would be slow TO accept,
ana Il certainly reflects no discredit upon the 100
militia Of the Lexington company-ony sixty OF
whom could be hastily got together when the CRY
was ralseu, 1.-THE Regulars are comingm-that
they Jailed 10 resist 500 grenadiers trained arms
and seeking TO provoke a conflict.
TUE PREPARATIONS FOR WAR.
Before attempting 70 picture the historic scenes,
full OF fruitful themes for the his oran and poet
as well as the patriot It Is necessary to have a
clear understanding OF the events which led to the
concord ngnt." The province or Massachusetts
and indeed, all the provinces under The leader
ship Of men like Hancock and the Adamses Jonn
and samuel we're ripe for rebellion, II not Jet pre-
oeen established at Salem ana Concord, and the
militia was organized for resistance in case OF
necessity. Military stores we're provided, and
this quiet Massachusetts village, now espec-
callY remarkable as the home OF philosophy
and rne seat or the muses., then the princi.
pal inland town In New England, was the chief
storehouse OF the provisions. Every farmers barn.
the Town House, the court House, the tavern
shed and the mler's loft all were nlIed with the
munments and munitions OF war. Tents. can
non, cartridges, canteens, cartouch boxes, round
snot, grape, canister shells, spades, picks, bill
hooks, axes, wheelbarrows, wooden plates and
spoons, boosters, belts and saddles. rice, nsn and
hour and many other articles too numerous to
mention,n were collected here, and Colonel
James Barrett was made the custodian OF all
these treasures the Committee OF safety ana
Supplies by which this astonishing outfit had been
Rathered-tne tents alone numbering LOO
aware OF It's dangerous character as well as its
precious quality. not only enIolned Colonel Bar.
rett to keep watch day and night" over the
stores, but never to $50 much as mention the
name powder, lest our enemies should take
advantage or it, At the same time GEN.
eral Gage had an army az Boston ready
TO quen the spirit OF resistance everywhere mani
fest. and as the Concord secret could not be kept
such secrets being unsafe as a woman's the cap.
ture OF the Concord store houses and the destruc-
ZION Of the stores was a necessity. He took mis-
measures accordingly, but MS movements we're as
dl1icult OF concealment the presence OF the
military stores at concord II tories stole to
Boston TO tell or the doIngs or toe patriots the
patriots were equally alert and active in watching
the operations OF the British. Cages intended
movement was revealed even before IL begun.
Sabbhng woman, partly intoxicated, spoke or IL
in Halls dlsullery. A sergeant major communt
Gated It TO Jasper, the gunsmth, No sooner had
IL begun than Dorr, the leather dresser, carried
the news over Boston Neck and through Roxbury
to Lexington, wnle Paul Revere, impatienty
waiting for the signal lights in the spre OF the old
North churcn. was ready 20 gallop away on the
same errand. The story OF that midnight journey
has often been told. but never so well as IN Long
fellows beautiful verse, which rivals even Blu
chanan Reads dsshing description OF the not less
famous ride oil sheridan. sheridan, cavalry Sheri-
dam nearly a hundred years later. II was necss-