Last Wednesday, the 19th of April, the Troops of His Britannick Majesty commenced Hostilities upon the People of this Province, attended with Circumstances 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 endeavoured to collect as well as the present confused State of Affairs will admit.
On Tuesday Evening a Detachment from the Army, consisting, it is said, of 8 or 900 Men, commanded by Lieut. Col. [Francis] Smith, embarked at the Bottom of the Common in Boston, on board a Number of Boats, and landed at Phips's Farm, a little Way up Charles River, from whence they proceeded with Silence and Expedition, on their Way to Concord, about 18 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, 6 Miles below Concord, a Company of Militia, of about 100 Men, mustered near the Meeting House; the Troops came in Sight of them just before Sun-rise; and running within a few Rods of them, the Commanding Officer accosted the Militia in Words to this effect: ———— "Disperse you Rebels ー 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 of 4 or 5 of the Soldiers, and then there 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 20 Barrels of Flour, all belonging to the Province. Here about 150 Men going towards a Bridge, of which the Enemy were in Possession, the latter fired, and killed 2 of our Men, who then returned the Fire, and obliged the Enemy to retreat back to Lexington, where they met Lord [Hugh] Percy, with a large Reinforcement, with two Pieces of Cannon. The Enemy now having a Body of about 1800 Men, made a Halt, picked up many of their Dead, and took Care of their Wounded. At Menotomy, a few of our Men attacked a Party of twelve of the Enemy, (carrying Stores and Provisions to the Troops) killed one of them, wounded several, made the Rest Prisoners, and took Possession of all their Arms, Stores, Provisions, &c. without any Loss on our Side. ー The Enemy having halted one or two Hours at Lexington, found it necessary to make a second Retreat, carrying with them many of their Dead and Wounded, who they put into Chaises and on Horses that they found standing in the Road. They continued their Retreat from Lexington to Charlestown with great Precipitation; and notwithstanding their Field Pieces, our People continued the Pursuit, firing at them till they got to Charlestown N eek, (which they reached a little after Sunset) over which the Enemy passed, proceeded up Bunker's Hill, and soon afterwards went into the Town, under the Protection of the Somerset Man of War of 64 Guns.
In Lexington the Enemy set Fire to Deacon Joseph Loring's House and Barn, Mrs. Mulliken's House and Shop, and Mr. Joshua Bond's House and Shop, which were all consumed. They also set Fire to several other Houses, but our People extinguished the Flames. They pillaged almost every House they passed by, breaking and destroying Doors, Windows, Glasses, &c. and carrying off Cloathing 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 unfortunate Brethern who fell, is almost incredible: Not content with shooting down the unarmed, aged and infirm, they disregarded the Cries of the wounded, killing 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 committed by our victorious Militia; but, listening to the merciful Dictates of the Christian Religion, they "breathed higher Sentiments of Humanity."
The Consternation of the People of Charlestown, when our Enemies were entering the Town, is inexpressible; the Troops however behaved tolerably civil. and the People have since nearly all left the Town.
The following is a List of the Provincials who were killed and wounded.
KILLED. Messirs. *Robert Munroe, *Jonas Parker, *Samuel Hadley, *Jonathan Harrington, *Caleb Harrington, *Isaac Muzzy, *John Brown, John Raymond, Nathaniel Wyman, and Jedediah Munroe, of Lexington. ———— Messirs. Jason Russell, Jabez Wyman, and Jason Winthrop, of Menotomy. ———— Deacon Haynes, and Mr. ———— Reed, of Sudbury. ———— Capt. James Miles, of Concord. ———— Captain Jonathan Willson, of Bedford. ———— Capt. Davis, Mr. ———— Horsmer, and Mr. James Howard, of Acton. ———— *Mr. Azael Porter, and Mr. Daniel Thompson, of Woborn. ———— Mr. James Miller, and Capt. William Barber's Son, aged 14 of Charlestown. ———— Isaac Gardner, Esq; of Brookline. ———— Mr. John Hicks, of Cambridge. ———— Mr. Henry Putnam of Medford ———— Messrs. Abednego Ramsdell, Daniel Townsend, William Flint, and Thomas Hadley, of Lynn. ———— Messrs. Henry Jacobs, Samuel Cook, Ebenezer Goldthwait, George Southwick, Benjamin Daland, jun Jotham Webb, and Perley Putnam, of Danvers. ———— Mr. Benjamin Peirce, of Salem.
WOUNDED. Messirs. John Robbins, John Tidd, Solomon Peirce, Thomas Winship, Nathaniel Farmer, Joseph Commee, Ebenezer Munroe, Francis Brown, and Prince Easterbrooks (Negro-Man) of Lexington. ———— Mr. ———— Hemmenway, of Framingham. ———— Mr. John Lane, of Bedford. ———— Mr. George Reed, and, Mr Jacob Bacon, of Wobom. ———— Mr. William Polly, of Medford. ———— Mr. Joshua Felt, and Mr. Timothy Munroe, of Lynn. ———— Mr. Nathan Putnam, and Mr. Dennis Wallis, of Danvers. ———— Mr. Nathaniel Cleaves, of Beverly.
Missing. Mr. Samuel Frost, and Mr. Seth Russell of Menotomy.
Those distinguished with this mark[*] were killed by the first Fire of the enemy.
We have seen an Account of the Loss of the Enemy, said to have come from an Officer of one of the Men of War; by which it appears that 63 of the Regulars, and 49 Marines were killed, and 103 of both wounded: In all 215. Lieut. Gould of the 4th 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.
Our late Brethern of Danvers who fell fighting for their Country, were interred, with great Solemnity and Respect, on Friday last.
The Public most sincerely sympathize with the Friends and Relations of our deceased Brethern, who gloriously sacrificed their Lives in fighting for the Liberties of their Country. By their nobel intrepid and Conduct in helping to defeat the Forces of an ungrateful Tyrant, they have endeared their Memories to the present Generation, who will transmit their Names to Posterity with the highest Honor.
We suppose a circumstantial Account will be prepared and published by Authority. The above is the best we have been able to obtain. We can only add, that the Town of Boston is now invested by a vast Anny of our brave Countrymen, who have flown to our Assistance from all Quarters.
