Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1911-10-19
THE MINUTE MEN
ARE D|SCRED|TED
History Student Doubts Battle of
Lexington and Capt. Park
er's Famous Words.

Boston. oct ibid Capt. John Parker
give the order stand your ground" ETC.,
generally credited to him when he lined
UP the minute men on Lexington Green
as the British soldiers appeared on the
morning OF April 10. 100?
That Is question which has been
brought UP by Alexander Starbuck of
Waltham. who in a paper read before the
Lexington Historical society remarked
that he did not suppose Captain Parker
said t. and moreover he could find no
good authority for II.
On Lexington Green there Is bowlder
upon which Is carved the stirring speech
attributed 10 the captain: Stand your
ground. Don't fire unless lired upon
But IL they mean to have a war let 1t
begin here
Mr.. Starbuck added 10 tho consterna-
ton of all the society members and to the
ind!gnation OF some that far from bidding
the minute men to stand their ground
Captain Parker as soon as he saw the
rclcoats ordered his men TO 60 home
THEY were 60 70 90 against from 81" TO
LOO" he explained. But all his, he was
careful to add, did not In any way re-
fleet upon the courage Of the captain or
Of hIs soldiery. Il simply proved the cap
! tnins common sense.
Mr.. Starbuck said regarding his paper;
| 81 told the Lexington Historical society
my convictions because believe MS
| torical society should search for the truth
first and for the picturesque afterward'
| OF course my statement may hurt the
| local pride of Lexington Just little pit'
vet n fter all II doesn't make so very much
difference whether Capt. Parker made
his speech or not.
Then again, may be wrong. only
every bit of evidence | can find seems &c
prove mo right. I started ont believing
| that Parker spoke those words. When
came to look up an authoritative source
TO justify the belief l could not find It.
one of the chief reasons why Mr.. Star
| buck concludes that the famous words
were never spoken is the affidavit al
| Parker himself made Just after the battle
! Of Lexington. He does not rely upor
that alone. He has delved also into var
! ious histories and into the provincial
| Congress records.
Upon what foundation does the story
| of Parkers speech stand?" StGrbuck
asks THE Life and Correspondence OF
| Theodore Parker gives what is doubtless
the legends ultimate and only authority
This is a letter from Theodore Parker 10
Bancroft, the historian, dated September
10 1855. Theodore Parker says; i think
these significant words ought TO be pre-
served They were kept as the family
! tradition of the day, and when the battle
| was re-enacted in 1890 Cor thereabouU his
orderly sergeant took the captains place
and repeated the words Captain Parker
said" Besides some OF the soldiers wher
they saw the flash OF the British guns
I turned to run; he drew his sword and
said; Il will order the first man shot
that offers to run" Nobody ran till he
told them: "Disperse and take care OF
yourselves.
Look ut the testimony of Captain Par
kor himself: 4 ordered our militia Il
meet on the Common in said Lexington
To consult what to do and concluded moi
IN he discovered nor NEEDLE nor max,
with said regular troops II they shoult
approach unless they hould insult OF
molest US. ana upon their sudden ap
prnach ! Immediately ordered our militia
IN 1lsperse and not to fire. Immediately
| said troops made their appearance anI
rushing furiously on fired upon and KILLED
eight of our party. without receiving any
| provocation from MS.
| To refute Mr.. Starbuck's evidence the
Historical society seems 10 rely upoI
Theodore Parker's letter, A. L. Locke
president OF the society, said: The ira
dition Is thoroughly we'll founded, II
doubt It's authenticity is pure nonsense
lis not worth discussing at all"
! James =. Munroe, formerly OF Lexing
ton. was asked upon what authority thu
people relied when they carved Parker
words upon the Lexington Green bowlder
The authority upon which the founder
of that memorial relied" he answered
| was the statement Of Captain Parker
grandson, the Rev, Theodore Parker.