Lexington

.

The Poet's Coroner

Mr. Peperium

 

 

.

“…which party fired first, I cannot exactly say…” 

 

.

“We got all over the bay and landed on the oposite shore betwixt twelve and one OClock and was on our March by one, which was at first through some swamps and slips of the Sea till we got into the Road leading to Lexington soon after which the Country people begun to fire their alarm guns light their Beacons, to raise the Country. . . . To the best of my recollection about 4 oClock in the morning being the 19th of April the 5 front Compys. was ordered to Load which we did.”  

--Ens. Jeremy Lister, 10th Regiment

“I, John Robbins, being of lawful Age, do Testifye and say, that on the Nineteenth Instant, the Company under the Command of Captain John Parker, being drawn up (sometime before sun Rise) on the Green or Common, and I being in the front Rank, there suddenly appear'd a Number of the Kings Troops, about a Thousand, as I thought, at the distance of about 60 or 70 yards from us Huzzaing, and on a quick pace towards us, with three Officers in their front on Horse Back, and on full Gallop towards us, the foremost of which cryed, throw down your Arms ye Villains, ye Rebels! upon which said Company Dispersing, the foremost of the three Officers order'd their Men, saying, fire, by God, fire! at which Moment we received a very heavy and close fire from them, at which Instant, being wounded, I fell, and several of our men were shot Dead by one volley. Captain Parker's men I believe had not then fired a Gun. And further the Deponent saith not.”

--John Robbins, Lexington Militia

“At 2 o’clock we began our march by wading through a very long ford up to the middles; after going a few miles we took three or four people who were going off to give intelligence; about five miles on this side of a town called Lexington, which lay in our road, we heard there were some hundreds of people collected together intending to oppose us and stop our going on; at 5 o’clock we arrived there, and saw a number of people, I believe between 200 and 300, formed in a common in the middle of town; we still continued advancing, keeping prepared against an attack through without intending to attack them; but on our coming near them they fired on us two shots, upon which our men without any orders, rushed upon them, fired and put them to flight; several of them were killed, we could not tell how many, because they were behind walls and into the woods. We had a man of the 10th light Infantry wounded, nobody else was hurt. We then formed on the Common, but with some difficulty, the men were so wild they could hear no orders; we waited a considerable time there, and at length proceeded our way to Concord.”

--Lt. John Barker, 4th Regiment

“I went into the tavern, and, after a while, went to sleep in my chair by the fire. In a short time after, the drum beat, and I ran out to the common, where the militia was parading. The captain ordered them to fall in. I then fell in. ’Twas all in the utmost haste. The British troops were then coming on in full sight. I had no musket, having sent it home, the night previous, by my brother, before I started for Concord; and, reflecting I was of no use, I stepped out again from the company about two rods, and was gazing at the British, coming on in full career. Several mounted British officers were forward; I think, five. The commander rode up, with his pistol in his hand, on a canter, the others following, to about eight or ten rods from the company, perhaps nearer, and ordered them to disperse. The words he used were harsh. I cannot remember them exactly. He then said, ‘Fire!’ and he fired his own pistol, and the other officers soon fired, and with that the main body came up and fired, but did not take sight. They loaded again as soon as possible. All was smoke when the foot fired. I heard no particular orders after what the commander first said. I looked, and, seeing nobody fall, thought to be sure they couldn’t be firing balls, and I didn’t move off. After our militia had dispersed, I saw them firing at one man, Solomon Brown, who was stationed behind a wall. I saw the wall smoke with the bullets hitting it. I then knew they were firing balls.”

--Elijah Sanderson in 1824

“I, Edward Thornton 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 cannot exactly say, as our Troops rush'd 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. . . . 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.”

--Lt Edward Thoroton Gould, 4th Regiment

 “Last Tuesday Night the grenadier and Light Companies belonging to the several Regiments in the Town were ferried in Long boats from the bottom of the Common over to Phip’s Farm in Cambridge, from whence they proceeded on their way to Concord where they arrived early yesterday. The first Brigade commanded by Lord Percy with two pieces of Artillery set off from here Yesterday Morning at Ten o’clock as a Re-enforcement, which with the Grenadiers and Light companies made about Eighteen Hundred Men. Upon the people’s having notice of this Movement of Tuesday night alarm guns were fired through the country and Expresses sent off to the different Towns so that very early yesterday morning large numbers were assembled from all parts of the Country. A general Battle ensued which, from what we can learn, was supported with great Spirit upon both Sides and continued until the King’s troops retreated to Charlestown, which was after sunset. Numbers are killed and wounded on both sides. The reports concerning this unhappy Affair and the Causes that concurred to bring on an Engagement are so various that we are not able to collect anything consistent or regular and cannot therefore with certainty give our readers any further Account of this shocking Introduction to all the Miseries of Civil War.”--The Boston News-Letter, 20 April 1775

“I have now nothing to trouble your Lordship with, but of an Affair that happened here on the 19th Instant. I having intelligence of a large quantity of Military Stores, being collected at Concord, for the avowed purpose, of Supplying a Body of Troops, to act in Opposition to his Majesty’s Government; I gott the Grenadiers, and Light Infantry out of Town, under the Command of Lieut. Colonel Smith of the 10th Regiment, and Major Pitcairn of the Marines, with as much Secrecy as possible, on the 18th at night; and with Orders to destroy the said Military Stores, and Supported them the next Morning, by Eight Companies of the 4th the same number of the 23d 47th and Marines Under the Command of Lord Percy. It Appears from the firing of Alarm Guns and Ringing of Bells, that the March of Lieut Coll. Smith was discovered, and he was Opposed, by a Body of Men, within Six Miles of Concord: Some few of whom first began to fire upon his Advanced Companys, which brought on a fire from the Troops, that dispersed the Body opposed to them, and they proceeded to Concord, where they destroyed all the Military Stores they could find. . . . The whole Country was Assembled in Arms with Surprizing expedition, and Several Thousand are now Assembled about this Town, threatning an Attack; and getting up Artillery; and we are now very busy making preparations to Oppose them.”

--Gen. Thomas Gage, 22 April 1775

 

“Lieutenant Nunn, of the Navy, arrived this morning at Lord Dartmouth’s and brought letters from General Gage, Lord Percy and Lieutenant-Colonel Smith, containing the following particulars of what passed on the nineteenth of April between a detachment of the King’s troops in the Province of Massachusetts Bay and several parties of rebel provincials. . . . Lieutenant-Colonel Smith finding, after he had advanced some miles on his march, that the country had been alarmed by firing of guns and ringing of bells, dispatched six companies of light infantry, in order to secure two bridges on different roads beyond Concord, who, upon their arrival at Lexington, found a body of the country people under arms, on a green close to the road; and upon the King’s troops marching upon them, in order to inquire the reason of their being so assembled, they went off in great confusion, and several guns were fired upon the King’s troops from behind a stone wall, and also from the meeting house and other houses, by which one man was wounded, and Major Pitcairn’s horse was shot in two places. In consequence of this attack by the rebels, the troops returned the fire and killed several of them. After which, the detachment marched on to Concord without any further happening.”

 --The London Gazette, 10 June 1775

 

 

 

“To the inhabitants of Great Britain:

“Friends and fellow subjects: Hostilities are at length commenced in the Colony by the troops under 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. . . .

By the clearest depositions relative to the transaction, it will appear that on the night proceeding the nineteenth of April instant…the Town of Lexington…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.

These, brethren, are the 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 of 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.” --Provincial Congress, 26 April 1775

 

 

 

Comments

[Old Dominion Tory]

Excellent post, Mr. Peperium. Thank you for it.

[George Pal]

Noted the recent discussions on 'stand your ground' laws and now your post recalls Captain Parker and I am now happily twice reminded of the Line of the Minutemen:

April 19, 1775

Stand your ground.
Don't fire unless fired upon.
But if they mean to have a war let it begin here.
- Captain Parker

[Mr. P]

Thank you both. I have to explain that sometimes several days go by before I even reach our computer room so the delay was not due to lack of interest or feedback.

First, thank you ODT. I knew you'd appreciate this.

As far as "Stand Your Ground" laws and the recent controversy, what we're hearing from the Left is no different than their stance (though "stance" is probably too strong a word for them) vis a vis the Soviet Union or Islam. With the notable exception of certain groups (like the Soviet Union and Islam), no one has the right to take a stand, to say this far and no farther. The Soviets were aggressive because we ringed them around with alliances and bases. Islam hit us because of the Crusades. But as for the rest of you...

In the case of April 19th, 1775, we have a militia turning out to make a show of force (according to his own words, brave as they are, Captain Parker would have let the redcoats pass on by if no one had fired) and a detachment of King's men who were, as everything I have read indicates, ill disciplined. The men of 1756-1763 were long gone from the ranks and in their place were young men who had never smelled powder. The colonists had probably the faintest rudiments of drill--though some British officers were amazed to see colonial formations firing volleys on the road back to Boston later that day. Nervous and new to war, both sides found themselves in a "stand your ground" situation.

The moment someone fired--I believe that, flintlocks being what they were, it was an accidental discharge--a threat was perceived by both sides and the principle of "stand your ground" kicked in. It's a situation many moderns can't sympathize with. Why turn out on the green if you were just going to let them by? Why not just give peace a chance? Of course the answer is bound up with the idea and ideals of honor, manhood and self-respect.

I know this is garbled...we've got to get on the road and do our Saturday errands...be back later.