The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1881-07-12

selected for that work, and he sent men
through the town to give notice for as
sembling 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 meeting house
the Common is just behind it.) He
formed his company little after day
break. About one hundred and twenty
men answered to their names, armed
and equipped. But as 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 drum.
They dispersed. Not long after one of
his scouts returned and told him the
British were near at hand.
He ordered the drum beat in front Of
the tavern close by the Common. Sew
enty 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 a lad of sixteen, played the fife,
v,.l, ,,al x.,tk 1rtrr
music.
He formed them in single line, then
wheeled the first and fourth platoons
at 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 if
they want to have war, let 1T begin
here"
He then wheeled back the two wings
into continuous line, and stood little
in front of the end of the right wing.
| Soon the British came close upon 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 first man shot
who should run away.
All bright young scholars know what
followed-the fire of the British, the re-
turn of the fire by the Americans-the
killing of eight of his company, his
order to them to disperse and take
care of themselves. After they were
gone, the British soldiers gave three
| hurrahs, and stopped half an hour and
ate their breakfast and then resumed
| their march toward Concord.
After they were gone, Captain Parker
and his men came back, took up the
dead, looked after the wounded, etc.
Captain Parker saw a British soldier
who had loitered behind, little drunk,
seized him and made him prisoner
He was completely armed, having the
musket stamped with the royal arms, q
knapsack, blanket, provisions, cartouch-
box with sixty rounds of ball cartridges,
etc. Captain Parker kept them as the
spoHd OOin7d, as did also his son, and
| then the Rev. Theodore Parker.
The late Governor Andrew, it will be
remembered, on receiving it on the
States behalf, in the presence of the
Legislature, Jan. %, 1861, kissed the
gun and said:
" am proud to be the humble instru-
ment of its transmission to the Senate,
in whose chamber it is requested by the
will that it may be preserved.
The weapon is placed in the Senate
chamber, on the left of the drum and
other relics from the battle of Benning-
ton.