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CHAPTER II

A GLANCE AT THE ENEMY'S ROUTE. -- SOME LEADING STEPS. -- MARSHFIELD TORIES. -- SALEM MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE CONCORD OF HISTORY. -- A BILLERICA TEAMSTER.-ACTIVITY OF FRIEND AND FOE

      BOSTON is our starting-point. We make but a short journey into Middlesex County, having the restless army of Gage in view as they start on their "holiday excursion," before we are in the midst of the scenes that witnessed the flight of the redcoats, and their steady pursuit by the rough-clad yeomen. The very ground has tongues to tell the story of that heroic clay. The memorials that patriotic hands have set to mark the deeds that were done recount anew the romantic valor, the courage that could not tire, and the resolution that knew no compromise.
      As we go over that ground we will listen again to the words of the great patriot Samuel Adams, spoken as the sun was rising over the hills of Lexington: "What a glorious morning for America is this!" It matters not whether this morning's exclamation was the evidence of prophetic

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wisdom; certain is it that Samuel Adams[1] was the great seer of his time, and, having the sight, he spared nothing to hasten the dawn of a better era for America. Tardy, indeed, is the gratitude of a great nation shown by the failure to appropriately mark his resting-place in Granary Burial Ground in Boston, where in like obscurity rests his honored associate, John Hancock.[2] In passing we will not fail to commend the people of Lexington, who have provided the horizontal slab, in the form of a shield, which tells us where Hancock and Adams were when the attack was made upon the Lexington company. Every child is familiar with the story of Lexington and Concord. He knows --

"How the British regulars fired and fled; How the farmers gave them ball for ball From behind each fence and farmyard wall, Chasing the redcoats down the lane, Then crossing the fields to emerge again Under the trees at the turn of the road, And only pausing to fire and load."

      It is not my purpose to recount the events of the opening Revolution familiar to the most careless student of history; but I deem it advisable to give a brief outline of facts, in order to show their


[1] One wrote of Samuel Adams in 1773, "All good men should erect a statue to him in their hearts."
[2] Since writing the above, the foundation has been laid for State monument over the tomb of Hancock.

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bearing upon the acts of other towns than those commonly mentioned.
      The uprising, so general throughout the Province of Massachusetts Bay and in the adjoining country, was the result of months of agitation. During this time the best preparations possible were made, although a hostile army was in possession of the leading seaport, and Tories on either hand were using every possible means to inform the king's agent of the movements of his "rebellious subjects." Their own domestic cares were greatly increased by the support of the poor of Boston, who were forced to leave their homes, and flee to the country. Meetings for consultation were frequently held, although forbidden by the waning power of the governor. They withdrew their stock of powder, etc., from the Quarry Hill Magazine at Charlestown; put in trim their old muskets with which they served the king before Louisburg; whetted the bayonets that had pierced the hearts of French and Indians; moulded their tableware into bullets; and listened at their rude altars for the God-given message delivered to them by patriotic pastors.
      Each and all of these movements were quickly communicated to General Gage by their enemies at their own doors. The general stock of powder for the use of the Province was left in the powder-house; and this was removed by order of. General Gage, at the instigation of

[Photo - "Old Powder House, Somerville"]

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William Brattle of Cambridge, and lodged at Castle William.
      Believing that the guns which they had manned for the king were liable to be turned on them, they did not hesitate to appropriate them to their protection. The old battery at Charlestown, where the Navy Yard now is, was dismantled in sight of the ships of war which lay opposite; and the guns were removed by the patriots, and carried into the country, despite the vigilance of the British officers. But the object of the patriots was not to overturn, but to preserve. They claimed their ancient rights and liberties, regarding ease, luxury, and competency as nothing, so long as the rights enjoyed by their ancestors were denied to them.
      Each town had its militia, an organization of long standing, and its minute-men, organized by order of the Provincial Congress on Oct. 26, 1774, which was an outcome of the General Court ordered to convene at Salem by Governor Gage. They cheerfully paid their taxes over to one of their own number, who had been made Province treasurer, -- Henry Gardner of Stow. Each town voted money freely to arm, equip, and discipline "Alarm Lists Companies." The leading citizens were made the officers of the companies; and military drill on the towns' common or training-field as frequently supplemented by adjournment to the meeting-house, where religious services were

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held. They were exhorted by their ministers to prepare to fight bravely for God and their country.
      The patriots were aware of the injury to their cause by the Loyalists, but they saw them make no successful attempt at organization until General Timothy Ruggles of Marshfield headed one. He was a great leader of the Loyalists, or Tories as they were derisively called. Their requirements were that all who joined it should at the risk of their lives oppose all acts of constitutional assemblies, such as committees and congresses. This Marshfield association had the protection of the king's troops under Captain Balfour.
      An exultant Tory letter of the time says of them: "The king's troops are very comfortably accommodated, and preserve the most exact discipline; and now every faithful subject to his king dares freely utter his thoughts, drink his tea, and kill his sheep as profusely as he pleases."
      It was during these midwinter days of anxiety and expectancy throughout the towns that Salem just escaped the beginning of hostilities, and the honor of being the Lexington of the Revolution. Some brass cannon and gun-carriages were deposited there, and Colonel Leslie made a Sabbathday excursion to seize them. Knowing the habits of the New England people for church attendance, he landed at Marblehead, and in the afternoon of Feb. 26, while the people were at meeting, started for Salem. His object was sus-

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pected, and a messenger despatched to the neighboring town. The desired materials were on the north side of Old North Bridge. This was built with a draw for the passing of vessels; and before Colonel Leslie reached there, the people had it raised. His order to lower it was refused, and their action sustained by the statement, "It is a private way, and you have no authority to demand a passage this way." The officer then made preparations to cross the river in two large gondolas that lay near. But their owners made good their objections by scuttling them. A few of the soldiers tried to prevent this; and in the scuffle which attended it bayonets were used, and it is recorded that blood was spilt. At this juncture a clergyman of Salem, Rev. Mr. Barnard, interfered; and a compromise was effected, whereby the troops retired without having accomplished their purpose. In fact, they had injured their general cause; for the movement had aroused the people to the point of action not before reached. The alarm got to Danvers in time for the minute-men of that town to rally and march to Salem, arriving just as the British were leaving town.
      The rhymester of the day noticed this expedition. After the description of the arrival at Marblehead is the following: --

"Through Salem straight, without delay, The bold battalion took its way; Marched o'er a bridge, in open sight Of several Yankees armed for fight;

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Then, without loss of time or men, Veered round for Boston back again, And found so well their projects thrive, That every soul got home alive."

      The people of the country were in sympathy with those in the larger towns. Boston was their guide. They watched the movements of the patriots there with great interest. The sentiments of the Massacre anniversary orators were freely indorsed in all the towns where patriotism prevailed. When one of their own number suffered violence they were ready to demand redress.
      Early in March of 1774, Thomas Ditson, Jr., a citizen of Billerica, of thirty-four years of age, being in Boston, was seized by the British troops on the pretence that he was urging a soldier to desert; without any examination kept a prisoner until the following day, when he was stripped, tarred and feathered, and dragged through the principal streets on a truck, attended by soldiers of the Forty-seventh Regiment, under command of Colonel Nesbit, to the music of "Yankee Doodle," the original words of which, it is said, were then first used. This outrage produced great indignation; and the selectmen of Boston communicated by letter the case to the selectmen of Billerica, who presented a remonstrance to General Gage, and submitted the case to a town meeting. The town thanked the Boston authorities "for the wise and prudent measures" they

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had taken, expressed its dissatisfaction with the reply of General Gage, and instructed them to carry the case to the Provincial Congress. The man lived, and by his presence in Billerica and neighboring towns did more to the injury of the cause of the king than he could have done by inducing a whole company to desert. The indignation of the voters of Billerica is doubtless implied in an order "to look up the old Bayonets," which was passed at a town meeting held soon after Mr. Ditson's abuse.
      To prevent the troops in Boston from being supplied with materials for hostile operations, the town also voted not to permit any team "to Load in, or after loaded, to pass through, the Town, with Timber, Boards, Spars, Pickets, Tent-poles, Canvas, Brick, Iron, Waggons, Carts, Carriages, Intrenching Tools, Oats," etc., without satisfactory certificate from the Committee of Correspondence.
      General Gage knew that despite all his vigilance the patriots were gathering military stores, and their repositories were the objects of his jealous eye. A rumor was abroad that he had determined to destroy them; this led the Committee of Safety to establish a guard, and to arrange for teams to remove the stores to places of greater safety, in case of alarm. To make the arrangements more perfect and effective, couriers were engaged in Charlestown, Cambridge, and Roxbury to alarm the people. What better plans could

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have been made for each town to have some part in the decisive action, let it come in the full light of day, or under cover of the darkest shadow of night?
      Officers of the king's army were sent out to Concord and elsewhere to spy out the situation, make plans of the roads, etc. They were well disguised, but detected and watched, and the people made doubly vigilant.[1] On the 30th of March, eleven hundred men were sent out through Jamaica Plain with an eye to intimidate the citizens; but they saw an uprising people well armed, and returned without important incident, only such acts of damage as any company long pent up in a town would naturally commit when passing through an enemy's territory.
      The month of April opened with intelligence that re-enforcements for the king's army were on the way to Boston. Together with this news came that of the declaration of Parliament to the king, that the opposition to legislative authority in Massachusetts constituted rebellion, and also the answer of his Majesty to Parliament, that "the most speedy and effective means" should be taken to put the rebellion down.
      Not only did the king's messenger require haste, but that of the Provincial Congress as well.


[1] The account of the detection of the British spy, John Howe, together with his journal, will be found in the second volume of this series.

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      On the 5th the Congress adopted rules and regulations for the establishment of an army; on the 7th it sent a circular to the Committee of Correspondence, "most earnestly recommending" to see to it that "the militia and minute-men" be found in the best condition for defence whenever any exigency might require their aid, but, at whatever expense of patience and forbearance, to act only on the defensive; on the 8th it took effectual measures to raise an army, and to send delegates to Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and Connecticut to request their co-operation; on the 13th it voted to raise six companies of artillery, pay them, and keep them constantly in exercise; on the 14th it advised the removal of the citizens of Boston into the country; on the 15th it appointed a day of fasting and prayer. Having done all in their power, they seemed anxious to again commit their cause to the Almighty.
      The days which intervened between the adjournment of Congress and the beginning of hostilities were spent in busy preparations for the inevitable. The Committees of Safety and Supplies usually met together, and were in session at Concord on the 17th, when they adjourned to meet at Menotomy.
      While the Provincials were thus active, General Gage was making exertion to secure supplies for camp service; but the patriots made every pos-

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sible exertion to prevent it, both in Massachusetts and New York.
      Worried by the importunities of the Tories, and distressed by the energetic measures of the Whigs, who "unknown to the Constitution were wresting from him the public monies, and collecting war-like stores," it is not strange that he decided upon the action of the night of April 18.

[Photo of a painting (no title)]

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