Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1895-07-19
AN HISTORIC AMERICAN ROAD.

Boston and Maine railroad, we are within
few yards of what must be considered
as historically the most interesting road in
the United States. The entire length of it
from Boston to Concord is but sixteen
miles, and the portion we propose to trav-
erse but half that distance; but no stones
ever read more stirring, and, to an Eng
| lishman, perhaps a more humiliating SER
mon to man than do the stones of this
quiet, old-world American road, along
which Earl Percy marched early in the
morning of April 80, 1775, with the OBJ
iect of destroying the "reber' magazines
and stores at Concord full of confidence
and hope, and along which in less than six
hours he scampered-literally scampered
back, ballled disorganized, beaten and
disgraced.
Let us step out on this fresh brisk, early
winter morning, and read the sermon as
we walk; literally, we may read it, for
patriotic government has plainly labelled
every point of interest along the entire
route.
The road from the station leads almost
directly up to the house from which the
station is named, an old-world, single sto-
ried "shingle''- house, with weather-beat-
!
doors, standing amidst pleasant gardens
on a grassy eminence close to the main
roadside. A tablet on the house-front
says:
Earl Percv's Headonarters and Hospital. April
ISL, 40. The Munroe Tavern, built 1850
1t is so peaceful now on this deserted coun-
try road, the sun shines so benignly, and
the fresh sweet air tossing the yellow
curs of a child bowling her hoop, makes
such soft music through the great elms
and the solemn frs, that one finds it hard
to picture the scene presented here on that
fatefu April morning one hundred and
fifteen years ago.
We try to think of the arrival of Earl
Percy and his veterans of the 23d, the
"King's own" the 47th Regiments and
the Royal Artillery, after their night-march
from Lechmere's Point, Boston-that
nght-march which had already been dis
counted by the dashing ride of Paul Re-
vere-by Milk street. past the old Daven-
port tavern, now standing at the corner of
North avenue and Beech street; past the
Black Horse at Arlington; by the old
Tufts tavern, a distance of ten miles. We
try to picture the confidence and self-satis-
faction with which all looked forward to
the issue of the days proceedings as they
/ VudIeu MullTOt ) ale anu lOOhtu " Nlcll
tlints and primings, for there was not a
man from the Earl himself to the smallest
drummer-boy who was not assured that at
the first CLINT of sun-rays on bayonets and
red uniforms, and white leggings and
shako-plaques, the "beggarly rebels would
turn and flee to their native woods. We
may guess that there was some grumblng
at the bother of turning night into day for
the sake of dispensing crowd OF farmers
and stable-boys, but we may be sure that
when the word Quick march. Forward ~
was given, and the music struck up the
old cavalier air of Lucy Locket,' already
known as yankee Doodle" there was not
responding heart in the assembly.
We pass on, and presently enter Lex
: ington. 1t was a small village in l175; it
is not very much more now, although Bos-
ton business men are beginning to find ii a
} pleasant suburban retreat, and, save when
the business men are arriving or depart
ing, is quiet enough.
We pass by pretty villas, interspersed
} with quaint houses of the old colonial
, style, by the courthouse, in the garden of
which stands stone fieldpiece, which
marks the position taken up by the Royal
!, Artillery, who, at the end of the fatal
April day, prevented the disorderly retreat
emerge on to sacred Lexington common.
Here it was that the war which created the
mighty United States of America com
menced, and, Englishmen though we be,
it is with feelings of reverence and admir-
alton that we step on to the triangular en-
closure with its fringe of ancient elms,
which, although much reduced in size
since that morning when Earl Percy S
: men approached to find their progress actu-
ally barred by the presumptuous provin-
cials, retains many of its original features.
= We make straight for an irregularly
, shaped mass of granite lying on the green
5 turf. Upon it are carved a musket and a
= powder-horn-the primitive powder-horn
of crow-scarers and sportsmen, not the
elaborate contrivance of the regular sol
dier-with the following inscription:
Line of the Minute Men, April 10, 1913.
} Stand your ground. Don't fire unless fired
upon; but if they mean to have war, let 1t be
CApTA1N PARKER.
How the minute men'-so called be-
; cause they held themselves ready for action
at minutes notce-stood their ground
= how they scornfully replied to the British
, summons TO surrender-how the pure A pri
sky echoed to the rattle of the murderous
l reply which stretched the ground with
; dead and wOunded-how the patriots slow
ly and sullenly retired-and how with that
reply the smouldering embers of liberty
burst into flame which was to illumine
the world for many long years. written
on one of the most glorious pages of the
worlds history.
Immediately behind the Minute mems
stone, but separated from the common by
the road which forms the base of the tri-
angle, stands house associated with this
dawn of American freedom by pathetic
incident. The tablet on the wooden wall
tells it briefly:
House Of Jonathan Harrington, who wounded
on the Common, April 49, 1853 dragged himself
to the door and died at his wifes feet.
Close to it is an old church, but not the
original of the wartime, although Lex
ington men declare it to be so. Two roads
branch off from this end of the common.
The right-hand one leads to "Bedford and
Billerica" mote how pOsterity has con-
temptuously treated the old Essex settler
who brought the name of the latter town
from his old English home, as other East
Anglican settlers brought Cambridge, At
tleborough, Framlingham, Thetford, and
Braintree, by knocking off the final ", the
left to Concord. For a few minutes we
turn down the former road, as it is most
intimately associated with the historical
events of that April day in 1915. Down
this road, very early in the morning of
q April 10, clattered Paul Revere; past the
Z Il II.