MIDDLESEX, ss.
April 25th, 1775.
ELIJAH SANDERSON above named, being duly
cautioned
to testify the whole truth, made solemn oath to the truth of
the above deposition by him subscribed.
Quorum, William Read,
Josiah Johnson, William
Stickney,
Justices of the Peace.
I THOMAS RICE WILLARD, of lawful age, do testify
and declare, that being in the house of Daniel Harrington,
of
Lexington, on the nineteenth instant, in the morning, about
half an hour before the sun-rise, looked out at the
window of said
house and saw (as I suppose) about four hundred of regulars
in one body coming up the road and marched toward the north
part of the Common back of the meeting house, of said
Lexing-
ton, and as soon as said regulars were against the East End of
the meeting house, the commanding officer said something, what
I know not, but upon that the regulars ran till they came within
about eight or nine rods of about an hundred of the militia of
Lexington who were collected on said common, at which time
the militia of
Lexington dispersed, then the officers made an
huzza, and the private soldiers succeeded them, directly after
this, an officer rode before the regulars, to the other side of the
body, and hollowed after the Militia of said Lexington, and said
" Lay down your arms, damn you, why don't you lay down
your arms," and that there was not a gun fired till the militia
of
Lexington were dispersed, and further saith not.
THOMAS RICE WILLARD.
MIDDLESEX, ss.
April 23d. 1775.
THE within named Thomas Rice Willard, personally
ap-
peared, and after due caution to testify the whole truth
and nothing but the truth, made solemn oath to the truth of the
within deposition by him subscribed, before us,
William Read, Jonathan
Hastings, Duncan Ingraham,
Justices of the Peace.
Lexington,
25th of April, 1775.
SIMON WINSHIP of
Lexington, in the county of
Middle-
sex, and province of the Massachusetts-Bay in
New-Eng-
land, being of lawful age testifieth and faith, that on the
nine-
teenth of April instant, about four o'clock in the morning, as
he was passing the public road in said
Lexington, peaceably and
unarmed, about two miles and an half distant from the meeting
house in said
Lexington, he was met by a body of the King's
regu-
lar troops, and being stopped by some officers of said troops was