Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-07-23
THE LOVE STORY OF JOHN HANCOCK
E.


| ~P~S>~~e w Col oANCHCC VI ! hO ~
LEXINGTON. Mass, July Is. 1911.
! The historic village of Lexington is
about ten miles from Concord and about
the same distance from Bos-
Historic ton. and a delightful trolley
Ground ride from both points. You
can start from Boston early.
spend the morning at Lexington. so on
to Concord, take your lunch at Wright's
Tavern, where Capt. Pitcairn Of the brit
ish regulars, stirring his toddy, made his
boastfui remark the morning Of April 10,
1775. that he would stir the blood of
the damned Yankee rebels before night
Concord requires an entire afternoon, and
] when everything there has been seen
you can cool or and contemplate on
your way back to Boston through Cam
bridge, Arlington and other pretty towns.
A special sightseeing car leaves Boston
every morning at 10 o'clock for the tour.
and is personally conducted by lee
turer who knows his story well. OF
course, If you have an automobile you
are more Independent and can pick up
licensed guide who will show you the
historic spots and take you into the his
toric houses both in Lexington and Con-
cord.
Lexington does not look as If it had
| ever been the scene Of strife. It is as
peaceful village as you could find in
a years journey, with comfortable old
mansions shaded by splendid old trees,
and lazy sort of atmosphere which
attaches to all New England villages in
the summer time. Many Of the people
have business in Boston and go back
and forth on the trolleys. There are
several manufacturing industries which
| occupy the time of a good part of the
population. and the farmers in the coun-
try around make the streets of Lexing-
ton lively, especially on Saturdays.
At the eastern end Of the village green,
which Is wide and covered with a velvet
carpet. is big boulder which
| ParkerS marks the spot on which
xu.lu Capt John Parker stood
| ""A"'' when he said to his uncouth
but determined militiamen: Stand your
ground. Don't fire unless fired uDon: but
if they mean to have a war let 1t begin
here
These words are inscribed on a bronze
tablet attached to the rock, and every
boy in Lexington knows their significance.
| Immediately opposite on the west side is
a fine old mansion to which Jonathan
Harrington dragged himself from the
melee to die at his wife's feet. On the
north side of the common is the Buck
man Tavern, where the minutemen assem-
bled to await the approach Of Earl Percy S
grenadiers. The latter's headquarters
were at Munroe's Tavern. farther down
the Boston road On Hancock street. on
the northwest side of the green, is the
residence of Parson Jonas Clark. where
John Hancock and Samuel Adams were
sleeping the sleep of the just when Paul
Revere, the Boston bell-founder. awak-
~
April Is and told them that the British
troops were on their way from Boston
to arrest them for treason.
The minute men were commanded by
Capt. John Parker, grandfather Of Theo-
dore Parker, the famous preacher. The
| latter was born in Lexington. taught his
neighbours children in the district school
for several years. and afterward preached
| In the first church at Concord. He wrote
the most concise and eloquent descrfp-
ton OF the battle of Lexington I have
ever seen, and it reads as follows:
1.-THE war Of revolution began at Lex
ington. to end at Yorktown. It's first
battle was on the 10th of
Battle Of April. Hancock and
r:. Adams lodged at Lexing-
"AAA6s WILL ton with the minister. In
the raw morning, a little after day
break, a tall man with large forehead
under three-cornered hat. drew up his
company Of seventy men on the green
one is left now QS51), the boy who played
the men to the spot. Ut was Jonathan
Harrington, the fifer) They wheeled into
line to wait for the regulars. The cap
tain ordered every man to load his piece
with powder and ball. Don't fire. were
1.,k -
want a war let it begin here The reg
ulars came on. Some Americans offered
to run away from their post Capt. Par
ker said: I will order the first man
| shot dead that leaves his place The
English commander cried out: 'Disperse,
you rebels! Lay down your arms and
dispersed Not a man stirred. Disperse,
you damned rebels! he shouted again.
Not man stirred. He ordered the van
guard to fire; they did SO. but over the
body leveled their pieces. and there was
need Of ten new graves in Lexington. A
few Americans returned the shot. British
blood stained the early grass which
waved in the wind. Disperse and take
care Of yourselvesr was the captain S
last command. There lay the dead and
there stood the soldiers; there was the
battlefield between England and America
never to be forgot, never to be covered
over. The mother country Of the morn
q glorious morning this is said Samuel
Adams"
The British had TOO men. The Ameri-
cans had seventy. and therefore could
not prevent the advance, but detained 1t
long enough to permit the alarm to
reach every village in the neighborhood
and to bring to Concord enough farmers
with flint lock muskets to demonstrate
that their purpose was fixed and final.
Seven of Capt. Parker's men were killed
on the Lexington green and nine were
wounded-one-fourth Of the entire force
The first man killed was Ensign Robert
Munroe sixty-fOur years old and a vete-
ran Of the French war. He had been a
I-ouisburg by assault in 1745. He had
two sons, two sons-in-law and seven
other relatives in the Lexington fight
Capt. Parker died few months after
the battle. The gun he carried and A
musket wrested by him from the grasp
Of British soldier-the first trophy cap
tured in the revolutionary be seen in
the statehouse at Boston.
John Hancock and Samuel Adams saw
the fight from the windows of the par
sonage., They had come to Lexington to
attend a meeting of
Hancock the committee Of safe
a ty and intended to go
the provincial congress was in session
Accompanying them were Nine. Ly-
dia Hancock and Miss Dorothy Quincy.
the beautiful daughter Of Edmund Quin-