Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1909-07-03
LEXINGTON'S
Historic Battle Was First of the
Conflicts Leading to
Independence.
Americans Lost the Day, But the
British Paid Heavy
Toll.
Unframed Patriots Chased the Red
Coats All the Way
from Concord.
H.AMERICAN IN COMMAND,

ing up to the declaration of Ameri-
can independence there are none
more stirring than the story of the
battle of Lexington. IL marked i'm
American history the passing of the
boundary line by the English Gov
eminent from oppression by legisla-
ton to coercion by force of arms.
1t marked the courageous resistance
of the early patriots even at fearful
odds.
1t was quite manifest after the
Boston tea party" incident that the
British Government intended to
crush out all resistance on the part
of the colonies. The meeting of the
Deputies from the various colonies
at Philadelphia i'm INA and passing
the declaration of rights only
served to make that determination
of England more positive. A consid-
cradle quantity of provincial arms
and ammunition were stored at
Concord, about sixteen miles from
Boston, and Gen. Gage, commander
of the British forces in Massa-
chusetts, resolved to send a strong
body of troops to seize and destroy
them. Every effort was made to
keep his intentions secret. but the
alert patriots heard of the prepara-
tions and aroused the entire colony.
On the night of April Is, 1775. Gen
Gage detached 500 grenadiers and
light infantry, the flower of the
English army i'm Boston. under the
command of Lieut.. Col. Smith and
Major Pitcairn, to march quietly
and eXpeditiously to Concord. The
troops sailed up Charles river and
landed at Phipp's farm en- route to
Concord. The watchful patriots saw
what was going on and dispatched
mounted messengers to alarm the
colonists. The ringing of bells and
the discharge of musketry warned
the British troops that their de-
partnre from Boston had been dis
covered and that the alarm was
spreading through the country.
The people of Lexington responded
quickly and at o'clock i'm the morn
ing seventy of the mnute-men were
assembled under command of Capt.
John Parker ready to meet the
emergency. At daylight the British
were seen approaching under com
mand of Major Pitcairn, who had
been sent forward with the light in
fantry. He rode toward the minute
men and commanded them to Law
down their arms and dispense. When
they did not obey he opened fire.
killing forty men and wounding nine
others. Four others were killed in
attempting to escape.
Capt. Parker saw there was no
hope and ordered his men to dis
perse. The British fired volley in
triumph and pursued the march to-
ward Concord. They reached there
about 1880 O'Clock and were sur
prised to see the whole country
around had been appraised of their
stealthy march.
The stores of provincial arms and
ammunition at Concord were i'm
charge of 200 patriots commanded
by Col. John Barrett. an Irish
American. The patriots were en-
gagged in removing the stores to "A
place of hiding when the British
came in sight. Col. Barrett and his
men retreated across North Bridge.
and the main body of the English
soldiers entered the town. DESTROYED
two pieces of canon, threw 800
pounds of balls into the river and
broke up sixty barrels of flour.
Those were all the stores they
found.
While the main body of troops
was thus engaged the light infantry
kept possession of the bridge. The
Americans. having been reinforced
by Major Butrick. advanced to meet
the English. Firing followed and
of men fell on each side.
The English having accomplished
their mission started to retire. but
American blood had been shed.
Armed men crowded i'm from every
quarter-and the retreating troops
were assailed with ceaseless but
irregular discharge of musketrv.
Meanwhile Gen. Gage had dispatched
300 men to support the retreating
party. That detachment marched
out of Boston playing Yankee |
Doodle in ridicule of the Americans,
but they did not play it on their
return. They had quite enough.
The British reinforcements met
the retreating party at Lexington
and from there to Bunker Hill n
fight was kept up, and while !
there were only 400 or 500 patriots !
the British soldiers were exhausted |
md had only three rounds of |
cartridges left. The British losses |
'n the day were siXty-five killed. $50
Wounded and twenty-eight made
prisoners. The Americans had fifty |
lilled and thirty-four wounded.
Next morning the British army
'ound itself shut up in Boston. Dur
ng the night the Americans had
It on the land side. The
nege of Boston had begun, and did
lot terminate until ST. Patrick's
lay, l776, when Gen. Howe gave the
rider TO the British forces 10
the city.