Part 8

"We, John Hoar, John Whithead, Abraham Garfield, Benjamin Munroe, Isaac Parks, William Hosmer, John Adams, Gregory Stone, all of Lincoln, in the county of Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay, all of lawful age, do testify and say that, on Wednesday last, we were assembled at Concord, in the morning of said day, in consequence of information received that a brigade of regular troops were on their march to the said town of Concord, who had killed six men at the town of Lexington. About an hour afterward, we saw them approaching, to the number, as we apprehended, of about twelve hundred, on which we retreated to a hill about eighty rods back, and the said troops then took possession of the hill where we were first posted. Presently after this we saw the troops moving toward the north bridge, about one mile from the said Concord meeting-house. We then immediately went before them and passed the bridge just before a party of them, to the number of about two hundred, arrived. They there left about one half of their two hundred at the bridge, and proceeded with the rest toward Colonel Barrett's, about two miles from the said bridge. We then, seeing several fires in the town, thought the houses in Concord were in danger, and marched toward the said bridge; and the troops that were stationed there, observing our approach, marched back over the bridge, and then took up some of the planks. We then hastened our march toward the bridge, and, when we had got near the bridge, they fired on our men--first three guns, one after the other, and then a considerable number more; and then, and not before (having orders from our commanding officers not to fire till we were fired upon), we fired upon the regulars, and they retreated. On their retreat through the town of Lexington to Charlestown, they ravaged and destroyed private property, and burnt three houses, one barn, and one shop.

"Signed by each of the above deponents."

"LEXINGTON, _April 23, 1775_.

"We, Nathan Barret, captain; Jonathan Farrar, Joseph Butler, and Francis Wheeler, lieutenants; John Barret, ensign; John Brown, Silas Walker, Ephraim Melvin, Nathan Buttrick, Stephen Hosmer, jun., Samuel Barret, Thomas Jones, Joseph Chandler, Peter Wheeler, Nathan Pierce, and Edward Richardson, all of Concord, in the county of Middlesex, in the province of Massachusetts Bay, of lawful age, testify and declare, that, on Wednesday, the 19th instant, about an hour after sunrise, we assembled on a hill near the meeting-house in Concord aforesaid, in consequence of an information that a number of regular troops had killed six of our countrymen at Lexington, and were on their march to said Concord; and, about an hour afterward, we saw them approaching, to the number, as we imagine, of about twelve hundred; on which we retreated to a hill about eighty rods back, and the aforesaid troops then took possession of a hill where we were first posted. Presently after this, we saw them moving toward the north bridge, about one mile from said meeting-house; we then immediately went before them, and passed the bridge just before a party of them, to the number of about two hundred, arrived. They there left about one half of these two hundred at the bridge, and proceeded with the rest toward Colonel Barret's, about two miles from the said bridge. We then, seeing several fires in the town thought our houses were in danger, and immediately marched back toward said bridge, and the troops who were stationed there, observing our approach, marched back over the bridge, and then took up some of the planks. We then hastened our steps toward the bridge, and when we had got near the bridge, they fired on our men--first three guns, one after the other, and then a considerable number more; upon which, and not before (having orders from our commanding officer not to fire till we were fired upon), we fired upon the regulars, and they retreated. At Concord, and on their retreat through Lexington, they plundered many houses, burnt three at Lexington, together with a shop and barn, and committed damage, more or less, to almost every house from Concord to Charlestown.

"Signed by the above deponents."

"We, Joseph Butler and Ephraim Melvin, do testify and declare, that, when the regular troops fired upon our people at the north bridge, in Concord, as related in the foregoing depositions, they shot one, and we believe two, of our people, before we fired a single gun at them.

"JOSEPH BUTLER, EPHRAIM MELVIN. "LEXINGTON, _April 23, 1775_."

"CONCORD, _April 23, 1775_.

"I, Timothy Minot, jun., of Concord, on the 19th day of this instant, April, after that I had heard of the regular troops firing upon Lexington men, and fearing that hostilities might be committed at Concord, thought it my incumbent duty to secure my family. After I had secured my family, some time after that, returning toward my own dwelling, and finding that the bridge on the north part of said Concord was guarded by regular troops, being a spectator of what had happened at said bridge, declare that the regular troops stationed on said bridge, after they saw the men that were collected on the westerly side of said bridge, marched toward said bridge; then the troops returned toward the easterly side of said bridge, and formed themselves, as I thought, for regular fight: after that they fired one gun, then two or three more, before the men that were stationed on the westerly part of said bridge fired upon them.

"TIMOTHY MINOT, JUN."

"LEXINGTON, _April 23, 1775_.

"I, James Barret, of Concord, colonel of a regiment of militia, in the county of Middlesex, do testify and say that, on Wednesday morning last, about daybreak, I was informed of the approach of a number of the regular troops to the town of Concord, where were some magazines belonging to this province, when there was assembled some of the militia of this and the neighboring towns, I ordered them to march to the north bridge (so called), which they had passed and were taking up. I ordered said militia to march to said bridge and pass the same, but not to fire on the king's troops unless they were first fired upon. We advanced near said bridge, when the said troops fired upon our militia, and killed two men dead on the spot, and wounded several others, which was the first firing of guns in the town of Concord. My detachment then returned the fire, which killed and wounded several of the king's troops.

"JAMES BARRET."

"LEXINGTON, _April 23, 1775_.

"We, Bradbury Robinson, Samuel Spring, Thaddeus Bancroft, all of Concord, and James Adams, of Lexington, all in the county of Middlesex, all of lawful age, do testify and say, that, on Wednesday morning last, near ten of the clock, we saw near one hundred of the regular troops, being in the town of Concord, at the north bridge in said town (so called); and having passed the same, they were taking up said bridge, when about three hundred of our militia were advancing toward said bridge, in order to pass said bridge, when, without saying anything to us, they discharged a number of guns on us, which killed two men dead on the spot, and wounded several others; when we returned the fire on them, which killed two of them, and wounded several, which was the beginning of hostilities in the town of Concord.

"BRADBURY ROBINSON, THADDEUS BANCROFT, "SAMUEL SPRING, JAMES ADAMS."

"WORCESTER, _April 26, 1775_.

"Hannah Bradish, of that part of Cambridge called Menotomy, and daughter of Timothy Paine, of Worcester, in the county of Worcester, Esq., of lawful age, testifies and says, that, about five o'clock on Wednesday last, afternoon, being in her bedchamber, with her infant child, about eight days old, she was surprised by the firing of the king's troops and our people, on their return from Concord. She being weak and unable to go out of her house, in order to secure herself and family, they all retired into the kitchen, in the back part of the house. She soon found the house surrounded with the king's troops; that upon observation made, at least seventy bullets were shot into the front part of the house; several bullets lodged in the kitchen where she was, and one passed through an easy-chair she had just gone from. The door of the front part of the house was broke open; she did not see any soldiers in the house, but supposed, by the noise, they were in the front. After the troops had gone off, she missed the following things, which, she verily believes, were taken out of the house by the king's troops, viz., one rich brocade gown, called a negligee, one lutestring gown, one white quilt, one pair of brocade shoes, three shifts, eight white aprons, three caps, one case of ivory knives and forks, and several other small articles.

"HANNAH BRADISH."

PROVINCE OF THE MASSACHUSETTS BAY, WORCESTER, SS., _April 26, 1775_.

"Mrs. Hannah Bradish, the above deponent, maketh oath before us, the subscribers, two of his majesty's justices of the peace for the county of Worcester, and of the quorum, that the above deposition, according to her best recollection, is the truth. Which deposition is taken in _perpetuam rei memoriam_.

"THOMAS STEEL, "TIMOTHY PAINE."

"CONCORD, _April 23, 1775_.

"I, James Marr, of lawful age, testify and say, that, in the evening of the 18th instant, I received orders from George Hutchinson, adjutant of the fourth regiment of the regular troops stationed at Boston, to prepare and march: to which orders I attended, and marched to Concord, where I was ordered by an officer with about one hundred men to guard a certain bridge there. While attending that service, a number of people came along, in order, as I suppose, to cross said bridge, at which time a number of the regular troops first fired upon them.

"JAMES MARR."

"MEDFORD, _April 25, 1775_.

"I, Edward Thoroton Gould, of his majesty's own regiment of foot, being of lawful age, do testify and declare, that, on the evening of the 18th instant, under the orders of General Gage, I embarked with the light infantry and grenadiers of the line, commanded by Colonel Smith, and landed on the marshes of Cambridge, from whence we proceeded to Lexington. On our arrival at that place, we saw a body of provincial troops, armed, to the number of about sixty or seventy men. On our approach, they dispersed, and soon after firing began, but which party fired first I can not exactly say, as our troops rushed on shouting and huzzaing previous to the firing, which was continued by our troops so long as any of the provincials were to be seen. From thence we marched to Concord. On a hill, near the entrance of the town, we saw another body of provincials assembled: the light-infantry companies were ordered up the hill to disperse them; on our approach, they retreated toward Concord. The grenadiers continued the road under the hill toward the town. Six companies of light infantry were ordered down to take possession of the bridge which the provincials retreated over; the company I commanded was one. Three companies of the above detachment went forward about two miles. In the meantime, the provincial troops returned, to the number of about three or four hundred. We drew up on the Concord side of the bridge; the provincials came down upon us, upon which we engaged and gave the first fire. This was the first engagement after the one at Lexington. A continued firing from both parties lasted through the whole day. I myself was wounded at the attack of the bridge, and am now treated with the greatest humanity, and taken all possible care of by the provincials at Medford.

"EDWARD THOROTON GOULD, "_Lieut. King's Own Regiment_."

"PROVINCE OF MASSACHUSETTS BAY, "_Middlesex County, April 25, 1775_.

"Lieutenant Thoroton Gould, aforenamed, personally made oath to the truth of the foregoing declaration by him subscribed, before us,

"THAD. MASSON, "JOSIAH JOHNSON, SIMON TUFTS, _Justices of the peace for the county aforesaid, quorum unus_."

"PROVINCE OF MASSACHUSETTS BAY, CHARLESTOWN, SS.

"I, Nathaniel Gorham, notary and tabellion public, by lawful authority duly admitted and sworn, hereby certify to all whom it may or doth concern, that Thaddeus Masson, Josiah Johnson, and Simon Tufts, Esqrs., are three of his majesty's justices of the peace (_quorum unus_) for the county of Middlesex; and that full faith and credit is and ought to be given to their transactions as such, both in court and out. In witness whereof, I have hereunto affixed my name and seal, this twenty-sixth day of April, _Anno Domini_ one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five.

"NATHANIEL GORHAM, _Notary Public_." (L. S.)

(All the above depositions are sworn to before justices of the peace, and duly attested by notaries public, in manner of the last one.)

"IN PROVINCIAL CONGRESS, WATERTOWN, _April 26, 1775_.

"_To the Inhabitants of Great Britain._

"FRIENDS AND FELLOW-SUBJECTS: Hostilities are at length commenced in this colony by the troops under the command of General Gage; and it being of the greatest importance that an early, true, and authentic account of this inhuman proceeding, should be known to you, the Congress of this colony have transmitted the same, and, from want of a session of the Hon. Continental Congress, think it proper to address you on the alarming occasion.

"By the clearest depositions relative to this transaction, it will appear that, on the night preceding the 19th of April instant, a body of the king's troops, under the command of Colonel Smith, were secretly landed at Cambridge, with an apparent design to take or destroy the military and other stores, provided for the defence of this colony, and deposited at Concord; that some inhabitants of the colony, on the night aforesaid, while travelling peaceably on the road between Boston and Concord, were seized and greatly abused by armed men, who appeared to be officers of General Gage's army; that the town of Lexington by these means was alarmed, and a company of the inhabitants mustered on the occasion; that the regular troops, on their way to Concord, marched into the said town of Lexington, and the said company on their approach began to disperse; that notwithstanding this, the regulars rushed on with great violence, and first began hostilities, by firing on said Lexington company, whereby they killed eight, and wounded several others; that the regulars continued their fire until those of said company, who were neither killed nor wounded, had made their escape; that Colonel Smith, with the detachment, then marched to Concord, where a number of provincials were again fired on by the troops, two of them killed and several wounded, before the provincials fired on them; and that these hostile measures of the troops produced an engagement that lasted through the day, in which many of the provincials and more of the regular troops were killed and wounded.

"To give a particular account of the ravages of the troops, as they retreated from Concord to Charlestown, would be very difficult, if not impracticable. Let it suffice to say, that a great number of the houses on the road were plundered, and rendered unfit for use; several were burnt; women in childbed were driven, by the soldiery, naked into the streets; old men peaceably in their houses were shot dead; and such scenes exhibited as would disgrace the annals of the most uncivilized nations.

"These, brethren, are marks of ministerial vengeance against this colony, for refusing, with her sister-colonies, a submission to slavery; but they have not yet detached us from our royal sovereign. We profess to be his loyal and dutiful subjects, and so hardly dealt with as we have been, are still ready, with our lives and fortunes, to defend his person, family, crown, and dignity. Nevertheless, to the persecution and tyranny of his cruel ministry we will not tamely submit: appealing to Heaven for the justice of our cause, we determine to die or be free.

"We can not think that the honor, wisdom, and valor of Britons will suffer them to be long inactive spectators of measures in which they themselves are so deeply interested--measures pursued in opposition to the solemn protests of many noble lords, and expressed sense of conspicuous commoners, whose knowledge and virtue have long characterized them as some of the greatest men in the nation--measures executing contrary to the interest, petitions, and resolves of many large, respectable, and opulent counties, cities, and boroughs in Great Britain--measures highly incompatible with justice, but still pursued with a specious pretence of easing the nation of its burdens--measures which, if successful, must end in the ruin and slavery of Britain, as well as the persecuted American colonies.

"We sincerely hope that the great Sovereign of the universe, who hath so often appeared for the English nation, will support you in every rational and manly exertion, with these colonies, for saving it from ruin; and that, in a constitutional connection with the mother-country, we shall soon be altogether a free and happy people.

"Per order: "JOSEPH WARREN, _President, P. T._"

NAMES OF THE KILLED AND WOUNDED AT LEXINGTON AND CONCORD.

The following list of the names of those first martyrs in the cause of American liberty is given in the eighteenth volume of the "Massachusetts Historical Collections:"--

LEXINGTON.--_Killed_: Jonas Parker, Robert Monroe, Samuel Hadley, Jonathan Harrington, jr., Isaac Muzzy, Caleb Harrington, John Brown, Jedediah Moore, John Raymond, Nathaniel Wyman, 10. _Wounded_: John Robbins, Solomon Pierce, John Tidd, Joseph Comee, Ebenezer Monroe, jr., Thomas Winship, Nathaniel Farmer, Prince Estabrook, Jedediah Monroe, Francis Brown, 10.

CONCORD.--_Wounded_: Charles Miles, Nathan Barrett, Abel Prescott, jr., Jonas Brown, George Meriot, 5.

CAMBRIDGE.--_Killed_: William Marcy, Moses Richardson, John Hicks, Jason Russell, Jabez Wyman, Jason Winship, 6. _Wounded_: Samuel Whittemore, 1. _Missing_: Samuel Frost, Seth Russell, 2.

NEEDHAM.--_Killed_: John Bacon, Elisha Mills, Amos Mills, Nathaniel Chamberlain, Jonathan Parker, 5. _Wounded_: Eleazer Kingsbury, ---- Tolman, 2.

SUDBURY.--_Killed_: Josiah Haynes, Asahel Reed, 2. _Wounded_: Joshua Haynes, jr., 1.

ACTON.--_Killed_: Isaac Davis, Abner Hosmer, James Hayward, 3. _Wounded_: Luther Blanchard, 1.

BEDFORD.--_Killed_: Jonathan Wilson, 1. _Wounded_: Job Lane, 1.

WOBURN.--_Killed_: Daniel Thompson, Asahel Porter, 2. _Wounded_: George Reed, Jacob Bacon, ---- Johnson, 3.

MEDFORD.--_Killed_: Henry Putnam, William Polly, 2.

CHARLESTOWN.--_Killed_: James Miller, Edward Barber, 2.

WATERTOWN.--_Killed_: Joseph Coolidge, 1.

FRAMINGHAM.--_Wounded_: Daniel Heminway, 1.

DEDHAM.--_Killed_: Elias Haven, 1. _Wounded_: Israel Everett, 1.

STOWE.--_Wounded_: Daniel Conant, 1.

ROXBURY.--_Missing_: Elijah Seaver, 1.

BROOKLINE.--_Killed_: Isaac Gardner, 1.

BILLERICA.--_Wounded_: John Nichols, Timothy Blanchard, 2.

CHELMSFORD.--_Wounded_: Aaron Chamberlain, Oliver Barron, 2.

SALEM.--_Killed_: Benjamin Pierce, 1.

NEWTON.--_Wounded_: Noah Wiswell, 1.

DANVERS.--_Killed_: Henry Jacobs, Samuel Cook, Ebenezer Goldthwait, George Southwick, Benjamin Deland, Jotham Webb, Perley Putnam, 7. _Wounded_: Nathan Putnam, Dennis Wallace, 2. _Missing_: Joseph Bell, 1.

BEVERLY.--_Killed_: Reuben Kerryme, 1. _Wounded_: Nathaniel Cleves, Samuel Woodbury, William Dodge, 3.

LYNN.--_Killed_: Abednego Ramsdell, Daniel Townsend, William Flint, Thomas Hadley, 4. _Wounded_: Joshua Felt, Timothy Monroe, 2. _Missing_: Josiah Breed, 1.

TOTAL: Killed, 49; Wounded, 39; Missing, 5 = 93.

A CATALOGUE OF REVOLUTIONARY ARTICLES IN THE POUGHKEEPSIE MUSEUM.

The following are among the Collection of Curiosities in the Museum at Poughkeepsie:--

ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPTS.

Letter of Washington to Governor Clinton, acquainting him of a design of the British to seize his person while residing at Poughkeepsie, and convey him to New York. Dated at Dobbs's Ferry, 1780.

Letter of Washington to Brigadier-General Whiten on the subject of the removal of the troops from Trenton to Philadelphia. Dated Plumpton Plains, New Jersey, 1777.

Letter of Washington on the subject of promotions in the army. Dated 1779.

Note of invitation from Washington to Dr. John Thomas to dinner. Dr. Thomas was surgeon of the Massachusetts line. Dated headquarters, Newburgh, 1780.

Soldiers' discharge, signed by Washington, 1782.

Letter of the Marquis de Lafayette on the subject of fortifying the North river. Written to Governor Clinton in 1778.

Letter of the Baron Steuben to Governor Clinton on the good appearance of the New York line of the army. Dated New Windsor, 1780.

Letter of Lord Stirling to Governor Clinton on the discharge of the command of Major Wessenfells. Dated Albany, 1782.

Letter of Clinton in reply.

Resolution drawn up in Congress, and signed by John Hancock, requesting the state of New York to erect a monument, at continental expense, to the memory of Brigadier-General Herkimer, killed on the Mohawk in 1777. Dated in Congress, 1777.

Letter of Captain Abraham Schenck, of Fishkill, containing an order for old linen rags, for lint, for the surgeon of his command. Dated near Croton, 1776.

Letter of General Heath relating to beacons in the highlands. Dated Robintson's House, 1780.

Letter of General Heath on the condition of the prisoners confined in the Provost prison, at West Point. Dated Highlands, 1780.

Letter of Captain Nathaniel Toms, describing a chase after the British over the Schuylkill in 1777.

Journal of Lemuel Lyon, of Woodstock, Vermont, who served in the French and Indian war, in the expedition against Ticonderoga, commanded by General Abercrombie. The journal commences on the 5th of April, 1758, and closes on the 16th of November, 1759.

Journal of Samuel Haws, one of the minute-men called out on the day of the battle of Lexington: commencing April 19, 1775, and ending in January, 1776.

Three original letters of Washington to Colonel Marinus Willet, relating to a secret expedition against Oswego in 1782. Dated at Newburgh headquarters, 1782.

Letter of Joshua H. Smith, the person who conducted André toward the British lines. Directed from Goshen jail to Governor Clinton, complaining of the state of his health and the closeness of his confinement. Dated 1780.