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CHAPTER X

TOLD AND RETOLD. -- INCIDENTS OF CONCORD FIGHT

      SOME familiar facts are repeated because of their bearing upon the movements of the patriots in other towns.
      Leaving Lexington, the British troops proceeded along the six or seven miles of road towards Concord unmolested, disturbed only by the ominous sound of church-bells and signalguns that fell upon their cars from the surrounding towns.
      The gallant Prescott, with the imprint of his sweetheart's lips still fresh upon his ruddy cheek, had given the alarm; Amos Melvin, the guard on duty at the Court House, had discharged his gun and rung out the town bell "with the earnestness of speech." It was between one and two o'clock in the morning. The committee of vigilance, the guard, the militia, the minute-men, and citizens generally, rushed from their beds, and were early seen in the village.
      One of the first to appear was the Rev. William Emerson, armed with his gun. He had preached resistance, and stood ready to practise it. This

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act of the faithful pastor, together with his death while in the service of his country the following year, led the faithful sentinel of that April morning to name his two sons born after that event, Emerson and William Melvin.
      Major John Buttrick, across the river, nearly a mile away, had been aroused by the signals, and called his son John, a lad of sixteen years, and a fifer in the company of minute-men. "Load your pistols; take your fife, and we'll start for the village," were the prompt orders from patriot father to patriot son.
      It was a bright moonlight night, which enabled every one to hasten in his movements.
      Messengers were off in all directions, among them one towards Watertown, and another towards Lexington, to get any tidings of the movements of the enemy. Reuben Brown reached Lexington in time to catch a glimpse of the army, and left just before the outrage. Major Buttrick's first inquiry of the excited messenger, "Did they fire bullets?" revealed his anxiety in regard to the nature of the charge for the muskets of his men.
      Colonel James Barrett, a member of the Provincial Congress and Superintendent of the Public Stores, was directing the removal of ammunition, etc., to places of safety, a portion of which had been taken to other towns the previous day.
      Minute-men were stationed as guards at the

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[Photo - "Old Parish Meeting-House and Wright Tavern, Concord"]

North and South Bridges, on the Lincoln road, and in the centre of the town. In case of alarm they were to meet at the tavern kept by Amos Wright, where later in the day Major Pitcairn, stirring his brandy, said, "I mean to stir the d_____ Yankee blood as I stir this, before night." This he did, to his and Old England's sorrow.
      Captain Brown, with his minute-men, paraded on the Common. Ammunition was dealt out to them and other companies from the Court House magazine. Then they marched out from the village a short distance, towards Boston, were joined by the minute-men from Lincoln commanded by William Smith, captain, Samuel Farrar and Samuel Hoar, lieutenants. The Bedford men, two companies, seventy-seven men, were early on the ground; and other towns were as prompt in their response, notably so Acton, with its brave men.
      It was just before seven o'clock when the British were seen marching towards Concord village.
      A band of Concord, Acton, and Lincoln men under Captain George Minot took a stand on the hill near the liberty-pole; but being met by the company that went to spy out the enemy, who reported that the British were in sight, they joined them and fell back, taking another stand. There the men "formed into two battalions." When scarcely located in their new position they saw "the British troops at the distance of

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a quarter of a mile advancing with the greatest celerity."
      This was the time for the most judicious action. The beloved pastor, Rev. William Emerson, said, "Let us stand our ground. If we die, let us die here." It was Colonel Eleazer Brooks of Lincoln who said in reply, "No! It will not do for us to begin the war."
      There was yet no organization of any sort with the Americans. There were scarcely men enough to organize; but Major Buttrick saw the necessity of this as the numbers increased, and he went to Lieutenant Joseph Hosmer, then in command of one of the companies, and requested him to act as adjutant. "My company will be left alone if I do," he said. "It must be so, then," replied Buttrick; "you must go." Hosmer became adjutant, and an organization was commenced.
      Colonel Barrett, returning from the removal of the stores, and hearing various conflicting reports of the doings at Lexington, addressed a few firm and impressive words to the men. He charged them not to fire a shot unless the British fired first. Seeing that the British had entered the village a few rods away, Colonel Barrett ordered the Americans to take a new stand, and await re-enforcements. They were coming from various directions. Minute-men and militia from Chelmsford, Carlisle, Littleton, Westford, Billerica, Stow,

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and other towns, were early in the ranks. While on Punkatasset Hill, about a mile north of the meeting-house, they saw the smoke rising from the centre of the town. Major Buttrick said to them, "Men, if you will follow me, we will go now and see what they are about." But they did not move until their numbers were very much increased; and then they went down to the high land in front of Major Buttrick's house, where they could see the British guards at North Bridge and in the village. They were met at the crossroads by the Acton minute-men in command of Captain Isaac Davis, who said in leaving his home, "I have a right to go to Concord on the king's highway, and I intend to go if I have to meet all the British troops in Boston." Upon arriving with his forty men, he proceeded at once to Adjutant Hosmer, and "with the fire of battle in his eye, and big drops of perspiration rolling down his manly face from his hurried march, reported his company ready for duty." He was given a position to the right of the other minute- men, and to the left of the Concord companies.
      The British were in the town. Six companies entered on the ridge of the hill to drive away the minute-men. The grenadiers and marines came by the main road, and halted on the Common.
      They made their post of observation on Old Burial Hill. From this place they saw the rapidly increasing army, and their need of haste if

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they expected to accomplish the object of their morning march.
      The North and South Bridges must be seized if possible, to prevent other companies of the Provincials from entering the town. This they endeavored to do. Colonel Smith remained in the centre of the village. Captain Lawrence Parsons was sent with six companies of light infantry, comprising about three hundred men, to take possession of North Bridge, and thence to the place where military stores were secreted. Ensign D'Bernicre, the spy, was given him as a guide. Three of these companies, under command of Captain Lawrie, were placed on guard, one at the Bridge, and the other two on the hill in front of the Old Manse. While here they called at houses for food and drink, which were not refused them by the families of the patriots.
      The other three companies, under the command of Captain Parsons, proceeded to Colonel Barrett's house to destroy the stores. While there two companies arrived from Sudbury, under command of Captains Aaron Haynes and John Nixon. The latter was subsequently a general in the Continental army. Lieutenant-colonel Ezekiel Howe was with the Sudbury men. They were directed to the North Bridge, to reach which they must pass Colonel Barrett's house. Upon noticing the British about there, Colonel Howe exclaimed, "If any blood has been shed, not one of the rascals

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shall escape." The Sudbury men followed in the pursuit of the British to Charlestown.
      While Captain Parsons was out on his expedition, another detachment of one hundred men, under Captain Munday Pole, was ordered to take possession of the South Bridge, and destroy such property as he could find secreted in that locality. He stationed a guard at the bridge, and another at Lee's Hill, while the others visited the homes, meeting with women whose management will be described in another volume. Captain Pole's detachment was startled by the guns at the North Bridge, and they hastened back to the centre of the town.
      While the British forces were thus divided and engaged, the Americans held a council of war on the highest point of land where they were assembled. There were in the number consulting, Colonels Barrett, Robinson, Pierce and Brooks; Major Buttrick; Captains Davis, Brown, Miles, Barrett, and Smith, with prominent citizens. While their deliberations were going on, they could see the smoke and flames of destruction rising at the centre, and they thought the whole village was on fire. It was with that sight in view, the energetic Hosmer exclaimed, "They have set the village on fire! Will you let them burn it down?"
      They resolved to march to the middle of the town to defend their homes, or die in the attempt. To do this they must cross the bridge. There was

[Photo - "Hunt House, Concord"]

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a guard of about two hundred men under Captain Lawrie, about a mile away was Captain Pole with one hundred more, and Captain Parsons liable to return at any moment with three companies from Colonel Barrett's. The British could concentrate over eight hundred thoroughly drilled men in a very short time; while the Americans numbered about five hundred, who in a military estimate could not be called much other than an "armed mob."
      In the excitement of the hour, Captain Smith of Lincoln volunteered to dislodge the enemy at the bridge with his single company. Captain Davis of Acton at the same time uttered the memorable words, "I haven't a man that's afraid to go."
      The minute-men having bayonets were given the advance position; and the Acton men, under Captain Davis, were given the right in the march to the bridge. Colonel Barrett gave the order to march to "the bridge, and pass the same, but not to fire on the king's troops unless they were fired upon." They wheeled from the right, Luther Blanchard and John Buttrick, the young fifers, playing the "White Cockade," advanced to the scene of action, and placed themselves in an exposed position on the rough, narrow highway. The Acton minute-men, true to their captain's word, passed in front, and marched toward the bridge. In files of two abreast the Concord minute-men, under

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Captain Brown, pushed forward, coming next into position. These companies were followed by those of Captain Miles and Barrett; the former marched to the battlefield with the same seriousness and acknowledgment of God which he always felt on going to church. Then came the Acton militia under Lieutenant Simon Hunt. Those from Lincoln and Bedford fell in under the direction of Colonel Barrett, who continued on horseback, giving orders to volunteers as they came in from other towns.
      The road being narrow and somewhat obstructed by large stones, etc., it was impossible to form many men in battle array, even if they had been drilled soldiers.
      Major Buttrick took command of the Americans in the forward movement. He was accompanied by Lieutenant-colonel Robinson: thus they marched to the scene of conflict.
      The British, scattered about in groups on the west bank of the river, formed and recrossed, and were joined by the men who were on the hill near by. The attempt of the British to destroy the, bridge called from Major Buttrick the order to march in a quick step. This caused the enemy to cease the destruction which might be the means of injury to Captain Parsons's detachment when returning to the centre.
      The British fired two or three guns, probably a signal for the distant detachments to return.

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      When the Americans were within a few rods of the bridge, one of the regulars, a sharpshooter, stepped from the ranks and fired, evidently at Major Buttrick or Colonel Robinson. The ball slightly wounded Luther Blanchard, the fifer of the Acton company, and Jonas Brown, a Concord minute-man.
      Then followed a volley, by which Captain Isaac Davis and Private Abner Hosmer of Acton were killed, a ball piercing the heart of the former, and another the head of the latter. Ezekiel Davis, brother of Isaac, was slightly wounded. Joshua Brooks of Lincoln was struck by a ball that cut through his hat and drew blood on his forehead. The appearance was like that of a cut from a knife, and "I concluded," said Private Baker, "that the British were firing jackknives."
      It was at this juncture that Major Buttrick, jumping from the ground, exclaimed, "Fire, fellow-soldiers! For God's sake, fire!" dischargings his own gun at the same moment.
      "Fire! fire! " was heard down the line, the caution against being the beginners of the war was now without force. The privilege to finish it was for the Americans.
      The order was readily obeyed. In a few moments the British broke and fled in great confusion. Two British soldiers were killed, and a full dozen were wounded.
      The black-handled and brass-hilted sword of

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[Photo - Drawing of Sword]

one of the British officers was captured among other things. It bears this inscription: "Xo. RGt. C0 VI. No. 10."
      The two British soldiers killed at the bridge were buried where they fell, by the Americans. The spot was for a long time marked by two rude stones only, but later received a more fitting recognition.

[Photo - Drawing of grave of British solder]

      One hundred and twenty years have served to efface almost all traces of the struggle. A bullet-hole made in Elisha Jones's house, now the residence of Hon. John S. Keyes, is still visible, and attracts the eye of the tourist.

[Photo - "Elisha Jones House (Residence of Hon. John S. Keyes.)]

      Other incidents will be noticed under other subjects, or in connection with the story of other homes where important events occurred.

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