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time, appear to have lived upon worfe terms with the people of Bofton, than they had done before. Men who have been bred to the profeffion of arms, and confider all inferiors merely under the command of their fuperiors, and bound to obey them without asking or giving any other reafon of their doing fo, than that they are commanded, confider all oppofition to their will and pleature as the most heinous tranfgreffion. It becomes natural to them to rule over all whom they have power, according to the military law, for which reafon they become very difagreeable neighbours to all thofe who have juft ideas of liberty, and purfue the rights of human nature. The British foldiery imagining, as indeed was the cafe, that they were fent to Boston to rule the town, and act towards the people as rebels to the king, began to infult the inhabitants, and to behave as in an enemy's country. Several of their outrages were now complained of, and all things feemed to tend to à general rupture. The crifis faft approached when all leffer calamities were to be forgotten, in a general contemplation of thofe of a greater and more ferious nature.

The provincials having collected a confiderable quantity of military ftores at the town of Concord, where the provincial congrefs was fitting, General Gage confidered it as expedient to detach a party of the troops to deftroy thein. Lieutenant Colonel Smith, and Major Pitcairn, with the grenadiers and light infantry of the army, were detached for that purpose: It was confidently reported and believed at that time; that this military appointment had another object in view, and that the intention thereof principally was, to feize Meffrs. Hancock and Adams, thefe great obnoxious leaders of what was called the faction, which was against the new form of government. This de

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A. D. 1775.

tachment is faid to have confifted of 900 men, preparThis body of ed and appointed for the purpofe. troops embarked on the night preceding the 19th of April, and landed at a place called Phipps's Farm, about fix miles north-weft from Charlestown Ferry; from thence they proceeded in their march with great filence and expedition, towards Concord. This town ftands on the eaft fide of the river of the fame name, fometimes alfo called Billerika, which runs into the river Mirimak, a little below the falls of Pantucket, On the road to Concord ftands Lexington, about five miles towards the east; thither the troops marched with great expedition. Several officers upon horfeback fecured the country, and fecured all the people which they found in their way at that early time, left they should give the alarm to the inhabitants, who would be ready to rife in arms to oppofe their defigns. This precaution, though it was abundantly prudent, did not prevent the town and country people from receiving notice of their approach, which they foon difcovered by the firing of guns and ringing of bells. They were now affembling in the neighbouring villages before day-light, and making preparations for the event which they feared. Upon the troops arriving at Lexington at five in the morning, they found the company of militia belonging to the town, affembled upon a green near the road; upon which an officer in the van called out, "Difperfe ye rebels; throw down your arms and difperfe;" the foldiers at the fame time, running up with loud huzzas, fired fome fcattering fhot, and then gave a general difcharge, by which eight of the militia were killed, and feveral wounded. This was the firft hedding of blood that happened in this unhappy and unnatural conteft. Much pains have been taken on both fides of the question to prove Kkk

the

the others the aggreffors upon this occafion. The gazette affirmed, that the troops were fired upon from fome neighbouring houfes; but for this there does not appear to be the smallest evidence. The gazettes about that time were fo inconfiftent and badly compofed, often contradicted by the friends of govern ment that were upon the fpot, that the public have fince given very little credit to them. It appeared from the whole tenor of the evidence, as well as of our own people who were taken prifoners, as from many of the provincials, all whofe depofitions were taken by proper magiftrates, that the firing both at Lexington and Concord, was begun by the king's troops. It is not at all probable that thofe in the houfes would have expofed the lives of their friends in the militia, who were standing in a manner under the muzzles of the guns of the foldiers, by firing upon the troops from their covers. The few militia who troops, may be con

were now in the power of the ceived as fufficient pledges to prevent any outrage from their friends and neighbours in the adjoining houfes.

After this execution, the detachment proceeded to Concord, the commanding officer having previously difpatched fix companies of light infantry, to poffefs two bridges which lay beyond the town, upon the Sudbury and North Concord, with a defign to pre, vent any of the flores from being carried away, or the two devoted rebels, Adams and Hancock, from efcaping. It happened, however, that they were difappointed in both their views; for they could not find thefe two obnoxious perfons, and except three old cannon, and a fmall quantity of flour, they found nothing of confequence. They indeed did execution upon the cannon by rendering them unferviceable,

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and most heroically threw the barrels of flour into the river. About a year after that flour would have been of fome fervice to the fame troops, when they were cooped up in Bofton. It argues a great malignity of temper to deftroy the bounties of providence, for fear that our enemies fliould enjoy them. We have certainly a right, provided we are in want of provifions, to prefer ourselves to our enemies; but wantonly to deftroy corn and flour, for fear others fhould ufe it, is a warring with providence, and declaring, we have no confidence in the justice of our cause. Weapons of war, and inftruments of hoftility, may lawfully be destroyed in the hands of our foes, or taken away from them whether we need them or not, but to destroy that food which is the general support of all men, for fear thofe we call enemies fhould use it, affords a different moral reflection. Befides, at this time. thefe colonists had not fhewn any acts of enmity against the troops; they were therefore both feeking to ftarve and murder their friends and countrymen. The colonists appear to have induftriously avoided engaging in hoftilities on this occafion; for a body of militia, which occupied a hill in the way between Concord and the bridge, retired, and paffed along it at the approach of the troops, which immediately took poffeffion thereof. This fhews that they did not intend to have begun hoftilities at this time, otherwife they would have difputed the paffage of the bridge with the light infantry, which they might eafily have done. The mili tia had not retired far till they perceived feveral fires in the town, which they imagined were houfes in flames; they therefore returned towards the bridge which they had paffed, which lay directly in their way. Upon this the light infantry retired on the Concord fide of the river, and began to pull up the bridge; but

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upon the approach of the militia, who feemed industrioufly to avoid beginning the attack, and made as if they intended to pafs as common travellers, the foldiers immediately fired and killed two men. The provincials returned the fire, and a skirmish enfued at the bridge, in which the kings troops were put into fome confufion, and were forced to retreat, having feveral men killed and wounded, and a lieutenant and fome others taken prifoners. This fully proves that the provincials had no intention of beginning hoftilities at this time; for they might have at firft difputed the bridge with the troops, had they defigned to have come to blows, more easily than to drive them from the poffeffion of it. The country now arofe upon the king's troops; they were attacked on all quartert, and skirmish fucceeded fkirmish. A continued, though scattered and irregular fire, was maintained through the whole of a long and very hot day. The troops did not find it fo eafy in marching back as they did in marching from Boston. All the way between Concord and Lexington the houses, walls, and coverts were lined with armed men, who conftantly annoyed the troops, and they were purfued and attacked in the rear by the militia which defeated them at the bridge. They were now in a very critical fituation, and much diftreffed, which evils they had brought upon themselves, by their rafhnefs in fhedding blood when they had no occafion; they were now likely to fuffer feverely, when Lord Perey arrived at Lexington with a strong reinforcement for their relief and affiftance. General Gage, either through fufpicion of what would happen, or from knowing what orders he had givento Colonel Smith, had, early in the morniug, fent off Earl Percy with fixteen companies of foot, a detachment of marines, and two pieces of cannon,

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