BY THE
BRITISH TROOPS ;
OR THE
RUNAWAY FIGHT OF THE REGULARS.
Being the PARTICULARS of the VICTORIOUS BATTLE fought at and near
CONCORD, situated Twenty Miles from
Boston, in the Province of the
Mas-
sachusetts-Bay, between Two Thousand Regular Troops, belonging to His
Britannic Majesty, and a few Hundred Provincial Troops, belonging to the
Province of
Massachusetts-Bay, which lasted from sunrise until sunset, on the
19th of April, 1775, when it was decided
greatly in favor of the latter. These particulars are
published in this cheap form, at the request of the friends of the deceased
WORTHIES, who died gloriously fighting in the CAUSE OF LIBERTY and their
COUNTRY,
and it is their sincere desire that every Householder in the country, who are
sincere well-wishers to
America, may be possessed of the same, either to frame
and glass, or otherwise to preserve in their houses, not only as a Token of
Gratitude to the memory of the Deceased Forty Persons, but as a perpetual
me-
morial of that important event, on which, perhaps, may depend the future
Freedom and Greatness of the
Commonwealth of America. To which is annexed a
Funeral Elegy on those who were slain in the Battle.
From E. Russell's Salem
Gazette, or
Newbury and Marblehead
Advertiser, published
on
Friday, April 21, 1775.
ON
Tuesday evening the eighteenth instant, a body
of soldiers under the com-
mand of Lieutenant-Colonel Smith, to the
amount of about eight hundred men,
embarked from
Barton's Point in
Boston, about eleven o'clock, crossed
Charles-
River, landed at
Phips's-Farm, in
Cambridge, and marched immediately up to
Lex-
ington, near twelve miles from
Boston ; at sunrise they observing between
thirty
and forty inhabitants exercising near the meeting-house, the
Commanding-Officer
ordered them to lay down their arms and disperse, which not being directly
com-
plied with, he "demanded them for a pack of rebels,"
ordered his men to fire upon
them, and killed eight men upon the spot, besides wounding several more. The
army then proceeded to
Concord, drew up on the parade, near the
meeting-house,
during which time the inhabitants from the neighboring towns collected and
took
possession of the adjacent hills ; about eleven o'clock the firing began on
both sides,
which lasted near an hour, when the regular troops began to retreat, the
provin-
cials closely pursuing them to a bridge at a small distance, which the
regulars took
up as they passed ; then they renewed the fire, and some were slain on both
sides ;
but the regulars still retreated, and the provincials pursued them down to
Lexington,
where the regulars, about three o'clock in the afternoon, met with a
reinforcement
of about twelve hundred men commanded by Earl
Percy, with two brass field
pieces ; they again renewed the attack on the provincials, but soon
thought
proper further to retreat towards their head-quarters, the provincials pursued
them
into
Charlestown, where they arrived at 6 o'clock ;
taking immediately, an advan-
tageous post on
Bunker's-Hill, about a mile from the ferry ; the
provincials now
discontinued the pursuit. The loss on either side we have not yet been able
to
ascertain, but it is said about one hundred regulars were killed and fifty
wounded,
among which were several officers : Two officers and a number of soldiers
were
taken prisoners. On the part of the province, we hear that thirty-five were
slain,
and several wounded. The above is as particular an account of the engagement,
as
can at this time be collected, in the present confused state of the
province.
We hear an officer and his servant, with two pair of pistols, were yesterday
taken
and secured by our people, at
Roxbury, on their way to
Castle-William.
SALEM, April 25:
LAST
Wednesday, the nineteenth of April, the troops
of His Britannic Majesty
commenced hostilities upon the people of this province, attended with
circum-
stances of cruelty not less brutal than what our venerable Ancestors
received from
the vilest savages of the wilderness. The particulars relative to this
interesting
event, by which we are involved in all the horrors of a civil war, we have
en-
deavored to collect as well as the present confused state of affairs
will admit.
On Thursday evening a detachment from the army, consisting, it is said, of
eight
or nine hundred men, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel
Smith, embarked at the
bottom of the
common in
Boston, on board a number of Boats, and landed at
Philips's-
farm, a little way up
Charles-River, from whence they proceeded with
silence and
expedition, on their way to
Concord, about twenty miles from
Boston. The people
were soon alarmed, and began to assemble, in several towns, before day-light,
in
order to watch the motion of the troops. At
Lexington, six miles below
Concord,
a company of militia, of about one hundred men, mustered near the meeting-house
;
the troops came in sight of them just before sunrise ; and running within a
few
rods of them, the Commanding-Officer accosted the militia in words to this
effect : --
"Disperse you rebels -- Damn you throw down your arms and disperse
;' Upon
which the troops huzza'd, and immediately one or two officers discharged
their
pistols, which were instantaneously followed by the firing or four or five of
the
soldiers, and then their seemed to be a general discharge from the whole
body.
Eight of our men were killed, and nine wounded. In a few minutes after
this
action the enemy renewed their march for
Concord ; at which place they destroyed
several carriages, carriage-wheels, and about twenty barrels of flour, all
belonging
to the province. Here about one hundred men, going towards a bridge, of
which
the enemy were in possession, the latter fired, and killed two of our men, who
then
returned the fire, and obliged the enemy to retreat back to
Lexington, where they
met Lord Percy, with a large reinforcement, with
two pieces of a cannon. The enemy
now having a body of about eighteen hundred men made a halt, picked up many
of
their dead and took care of their wounded. At
Menotomy, a few of the men, be-
longing to the detachment from
Lynn-End, attacked a party of twelve of the
enemy
(carrying stores and provisions to the troops) killed two of them, wounded
several,
took six prisoners, shot five horses, and took possession of all their arms,
stores,
provisions, &c., without any loss on our side ; among those who were killed
was a
Lieutenant, who went with the provisions for his recreation and to view the
coun-
try, the officer of the guard who generally attends on such occasions
being only a
serjant. -- The enemy having halted one or two
hours at
Lexington, found it necessa-
ry to make a second retreat, carrying with them many of their dead and
wounded,
who they put into chaises and on horses they found standing in the road.
They continued their retreat from
Lexington to
Charlestown with great precipita-
tion ; and notwithstanding their field pieces, our people continued the
pursuit, fir-
ing at them until they got to
Charlestown neck, (which they reached a little
after
sunset) over which the enemy passed, proceeded up
Bunker's-Hill, and soon after-
wards went into the town, under the protection of the Somerset man
of war of
seventy-four guns.
In
Lexington the enemy set fire to Deacon
Joseph's Loring's house and barn, Mrs.
Mulliken's house and shop, and Mr. Joshua
Ind's house and shop, which were all
consumed. The [They] also set fire to several other houses, but
our people extinguished
troying doors, windows, glasses, &c., and carrying off clothing and other valuable
effects. It appeared to be their design to burn and destroy all before them ; and
nothing but our vigorous pursuit prevented their infernal purposes from being put
in execution. But the savage barbarity exercised upon the bodies of our unfortu-
nate brethren who fell, is almost incredible. Not content with shooting down the
unarmed, aged, and infirm, they disregarded the cries of the wounded, killed them
without mercy, and mangling their bodies in the most shocking manner.
We have the pleasure to say, that notwithstanding the highest
provocations
given by the enemy, not one instance of cruelty, that we have heard of was
com-
mitted by our victorious militia ; but, listened to the merciful
dictates of the chris-
tian [Christian] religion, they "breathed higher sentiments of humanity."
By an account of the loss of the enemy, said to have come from an officer of
one
of the men of war, it appears that sixty-three of the regulars, and forty-nine
marines
were killed, and one hundred and three of both wounded : In all two
hundred
and fifteen. Lieut. Gould, of the fourth
regiment, who is wounded, and Lieut.
Potter, of the marines, and about twelve soldiers, are
prisoners.
Mr. James Howard and one of the regulars
discharged their pieces at the same
instant, and each killed the other.
The public most sincerely sympathize with the friends, and relations of our
de-
ceased brethren, who gloriously sacrificed their lives in fighting for
the liberties of
their country. By their noble, intrepid conduct, in helping to defeat the
forces of
an ungrateful Tyrant, they have endeared their memories to the present
generation,
who will transmit their virtues down to the latest posterity.
The above account is the best we have been able to obtain. We can only
add,
that the town of
Boston is now invested by a vast army of our brave
countrymen,
who have flown to our assistance from all quarters. GOD grant them
assistance
in the extirpation of our cruel and unnatural enemies.
SALEM, May 5.
On the
nineteenth of April, was killed among others,
by the British troops, at
Menotomy, as he was courageously defending his
country's rights, the good,
the pious, and friendly Mr. DANIEL TOWNSEND of
Lynn-End. He was a constant
and ready friend to the poor and afflicted ; a good adviser in the case of
difficulty, and
an able, mild, and sincere reprover of those who were out of the way. In
short,
he was a friend to his country, a blessing to society, and an ornament to the
church
of which he was a member. He has left an amiable consort, and five young
child-
ren, to bewail the loss.
On
Thursday the twentieth past, the bodies of
eleven of the unfortunate persons
who fell in the battle, were collected together and buried at
Medford.
And on Friday the bodies of Messrs.Henry Jacobs,
Samuel Cook, Ebenezer
Goldthwait, George Southwick, Benjamin Daland
Jun., Jotham Webb, and
and Perley
Putnam of
Danvers, who were likewise slain fighting in the
GLORIOUS CAUSE
OF LIBERTY AND THEIR COUNTRY, on the
nineteenth of April, were
re-
spectfully interred among their friends in the different parishes
belonging to that
town, their corpse being attended to the place of interment by two companies
of
minute-men from this place, and a large concourse of people from this and
the
neighboring towns ; previous to that interment, an excellent and well adapted
prayer
was delivered by the Rev. Mr. Holt, of that place.
Same day, the remains of Messrs. Azel Porter and
Daniel Thompson, of
Woburn,
who also fell victims to tyranny, were decently interred at that place,
attended to
the grave by a multitude of persons who assmebled on the occasion from that and
the neighboring towns : Before they were interred, a very suitable sermon and
prayer was delivered by the Rev. Mr. Sherman.
Captain Thomas Knights, of the fifth regiment, died at
Boston the next day after
the engagement, of his wounds he received in the same. He was greatly
regretted
being esteemed one of the best officers among the King's troops.
Lieut. Hull, of the regulars, died of his wounds on
Wednesday last at the provin-
cial hospital : His remains were next day conveyed to
Charlestown, attended by a
company of provincials, and several officers of distinction, and there
delivered to the
order of
General Gage. Twenty-three wounded soldiers lately died at the
Castle.
Lieutenant Hawkshaw was wounded in the cheek, and it is tho't will not recover.
Lieutenant Gore was wounded in the arm : About 12 other officers are wounded.
We can assure the public, from the best authority, that our brethren, of all
the
colonies which we can yet have heard from, are firm and unshaken in their
attach-
ment to the common cause of
America ; and that they are now ready, with their
lives
and fortunes, to assist us in defeating the cruel designs of our implacable
enemies.
We have received no particulars of the transactions between General
Gage and
the inhabitants of
Boston. It is certain that the people have
delivered up their arms ;
very few of them have, however been permitted to leave the town,
notwithstanding
the promise of the General.
The following is a list of the Provincials who were KILLED and WOUNDED.
(a Negro Man)
KILLED
KILLED
KILLED
KILLED
KILLED
KILLED
KILLED
KILLED
KILLED
KILLED
KILLED
KILLED
KILLED
KILLED
Those distinguished with this mark [*] were killed by the first fire of the enemy.
[Bottom section of broadside:]
ELEGY ,
TO THE
IMMORTAL MEMORY
Of those WORTHIES who were slain in the
Battle of Concord, April 19, 1775.