Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1881-07-07


So in a month you were my wife, and
now sit by a happy hearth; and look.
ing down on the happy faces of my
wife and child, thank God for that
crowning mercy, thy love, dear one
which saved me on New Years Day
from dreadful death in the shaft of
the Great Wheel Mercy.
The First Trophy of the Revolution.
Philadelphia Saturday Night.
From a paper written by the late
Theodore Parker, and read before the
New England Historic Genealogical
Society, we learn the following par.
ticulars regarding the gun presented
by him, in his will, to the state OF
Massachusetts,:
Both Hancock and Adams were stay.
ing at Lexington with Rev. Jonas
Clark, an eminent patriot, on the after.
noon of April 19, 1775, when several
British subordinate officers were seen
riding up the main road in the town
This excited the suspicious of men who
knew them to be British soldiers, al.
though they were disguised.
In the night, intelligence was
brought to Messrs. Hancock and Adams
that British expedition was on foot
destined for Lexington and Concord
to get possession of their persons, il
was supposed, and to destroy the mill.
tary stores ut Concord. They gave the
alarm to the proper persons, whom
Captain Parker-grandfather of the
eminent divine-had selected for that
work, and he sent men through the
town to give notice for assembling the
militia. The church-bell was also rung.
Captain Parker lived about two and
one-half or three miles from the meet.
ing house. He had been there late in
the evening and conferred with Han
cock and Adams, and made arrange
ments, in case it was necessary, to call
out the soldiers. He went to bed late
that night and i'll. About two o'clock
he was called up by the men referred
to above, and went to the Westinghouse
(the Common is just behind it.) lie
formed his company little after day
break. About one hundred and twenty
men answered to their names, armed
and equipped. But rs the intelligence
was not quite certain, he sent out other
scouts to obtain information of the adj
vance of the enemy, and dismissed the
soldiers, telling them to be within call
and assemble again at the beat of the
drum. They dispersed. Not long af.
ter one of his scouts returned and told
him the British were near at hand.
He ordered the drum beat i'm fornt OF
the tavern, close by the Common. Seven.
ty men appeared, were formed into
four platoons, and marched on to the
Common. His nephew, Jonathan Har
rington, the last survivor of the battle
then lad of sixteen, played the fife
which, with drum, formed the only
music.
He formed them in a single line, ther
wheeled the first and fourth platoOns
ut right angles. stepped in front and
ordered every man to load his piece
with powder and ball. When this was
done, he said:
"DOn't fire unless fired upon. But il
they want TO have u war, let it begir
here"
He then wheeled back the two wing:
into continuous line, and stood lit
tie in front of the end of the right
wing. Soon the British came close up
OH them, and some were soon terrified
and began to skulk off. He drew his
sword and called them by name to come
back, and said he would order the frs
man shot who should run away.
All bright young scholars know wha
followed-the fire of the British, the
return of the fire by tie Americans
the killing of eight of his company, hi:
order to them to dispersc and take care
of themselves. After they were gone
the British soldiers gave three hurrahs
and stopped half an hour and ate theil
breakfast and then resumed their marcl
toward Concord.
After they were gone, Captain Pakel
and his men came back, took up the
dead, looked after the wounded, etc
Captain Parker saw British soldier
who had loitered behind, little drunk
seized him and made him a prisoner
He was completely armed, having tht
musket stamped with the royal arms, {
lnapsack, blanket, provisions, cartouch
box, with sixty rounds of ball car
tridges, etc. Captain Parker kept then
as the spolia opimd, as did also his son
and then the Rev. Theodore Parker.
| The late Governor Andrew, it viii
be remembered, on receiving it on tn
states behalf, in the presence of tn,
Legislature, Jan. p, 1861, kissed tn
gun and said:
ST am proud to be the humble instru
ment of its transmission to the state
in whose chambers it is requested b,
the will that it may be preserved.
The weapon is placed in the senat
chamber, on the left of the drum ant
other relics from the battleo of Benning
ton.