The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle

PHILADELPHIA: May 13.

AFFIDAVITS and Depositions relative to the Commencement of the late Hostilities in the Province of Massachusetts-Bay, together with an Address from the Provincial Convention of the said Province, to the Inhabitants of Great Britain, transmitted to the CONGRESS now sitting in this City, and published by their Order.

Charles Thompson, Sec.

We Solomon Brown, Jonathan Loring, and Elijah Sanderson: all of lawful Age, and of Lexington in the County of Middlesex and Colony of the Massachusetts-Bay in New-England, do testify and declare, that on the Evening of the 18th of April last. being on the Road between Concord and Lexington, & all of us mounted on Horses: We were about ten of the Clock, suddenly surprised by nine Sergeants, whom we took to be regular Officers, who rode up to us mounted and armed, each having a Pistol in his Hand. and after putting Pistols to our Breasts; and seizing the Bridles of our Horses, they swore that if we stirred another Step, we should be all dead Men, upon which we surrendered ourselves: They detained us until two o'clock the next Morning, in which Time they searched and greatly abused us, having first enquired about the Magazine at Concord, whether any Guards were posted there, and whether the Bridges were up, and said four or five Regiments of Regulars, would be in Possession of the Stores soon. They then brought us back to Lexington, cut the Horses Bridles and Girts, turned them loose, and then left us.

Solomon Brown, Jonathan Loring, Elijah Sanderson.

Lexington, April 25, 1775.

Elijah Sanderson above named, do further testify and declare, that I was in Lexington Common, the Morning of the Nineteenth of April aforesaid, having been dismissed by the Officers above mentioned, and saw a large Body of Regular Troops advancing toward Lexington Company, many of whom were then dispersing. I heard one of the Regulars, whom I took to be an Officer, say, damn them we will have them, and immediately the Regulars shouted aloud, run and fired on the Lexington Company, which did not fire a Gun before the Regulars discharged on them. Eight of the Lexington Company were killed, while they were dispersing, and at a considerable Distance from each other, and many wounded, and although a Spectator, I narrowly escaped with my Life.

Elijah Sanderson.

Lexington. April 25, 1775.

Thomas Price Willard, of lawful Age, do testify and declare, that being in the House of Daniel Harrington, of said Lexington, on the 19th Inst. in the Morning, about Half an Hour before Sunrise, 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 towards the North Part of the Common, back of the Meeting-House of said Lexington, on the nineteenth Inst. in the Morning, about Half an Hour before Sunrise, looked out of the Window of said House, and saw (as I suppose) about four Hundred of Regulars, in one Body, coming up the Road, and marched towards the North Part of the Common, back of the Meeting-House of said Lexington, and as soon as the 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 said Lexington, who were collected on said Common, at which Time the Militia of said Lexington, who were collected on said Common, at which Time the Militia of Lexington dispersed, then the Officers made a Huzza, and the private Soldiers succeeded them: Directly after this an Officer rode before the Regulars, to the other Side of the Body, and hallowed 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 said Lexington were dispersed; and further saith not.

Thomas Price Willard.

LEXINGTON, APRIL 25. 1775,

Simon Winship of Lexington, in the County of Middlesex, and Province of Massachusetts-Bay, New England; being of lawful Age, testifieth and saith, that on the 19th of April Inst. about 4 o'Clock in the Morning, as he was passing the publick 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 Regular Troops, and being stopt by some Officers of the said Regular Troops, was commanded to dismount; upon asking why he must dismount, he was obliged by Force to quit his Horse, and ordered to march in the midst of the Body, and being ask'd whether he had been warning the Minute Men, he answered no, but had been out, and was then returning to his Father's. Said Winship further testifies, that he marched with said Troops until he came within about half quarter of a Mile of said Meeting-House, where an Officer commanded the Troops to halt, and then to prime and load; this being done, the said Troops marched on until they came within a few Rods of Capt. Parker's Company, who were partly collected on the place of Parade; when said Winship observed an Officer at the head of said Troops flourishing his Sword and with a loud Voice giving the word fire, fire, which was instantly followed by a discharge of Arms from said Regular Troops; and said Winship is positive and in the most solemn Manner declares, that there was no discharge of Arms on either Side till the word fire was given by said Officers as above.

Simon Winship.

Lexington, April 25, 1775.

John Parker of lawful Age, and Commander of the Militia in Lexington, do testify and declare, that on the 19th Inst.; in the Morning, about One of the Clock, being informed that there were a Number of Regular Officers riding up and down the Road, stopping and insulting the People as they passed the Road; and also was informed, that a Number of Regular Troops were on their March from Boston in order to take the Province Stores at Concord; ordered our Militia to meet on the Common in said Lexington, to consult what to do, and concluded not to be discovered; nor meddle or make with said Regular Troops (if they should approach) unless they should insult or molest us, and upon their sudden approach I immediately ordered our Militia to disperse and not to fire; immediately said Troops made their appearance and rushed furiously, fired upon and killed Eight of our Party, without receiving any Provocation therefor from us.

John Parker.

LEXINGTON, APRIL 24 1775.

John Robins, being of lawful Age, do testify and say, that on the 19th Inst. the Company under the Command of Capt. John Parker, being drawn up. (sometime before Sunrise) on the Green or Common, and I being in the Front Rank, there suddenly appeared a Number of the King's Troops, about a Thousand, as I thought, at the distance of about 60 or 70 Yards from us, huzzaing, and on a quick Pace towards us, with three Officers in their Front on Horseback, and on full Gallop towards us, the foremost of which cried, "throw down your Arms you Villains, you Rebels," upon which said Company dispersed. The foremost of the three Officers ordered their Men saying, "Fire, by God fire" at which Moment we received a very heavy and close Fire from them, at which Instant being wounded, I fell, and several of our Men were, Shot dead by me; Capt. Parker's Men, I believe, had not then fired a Gun: And further this Deponent saith not.

John Robins.

We Benjamin Tidd of Lexington, and Joseph Abbot of Lincoln, in the County of Middlesex, and Colony of Massachusetts Bay in New England, of lawful Age, do testify and declare, that on the Morning of the 19th of April Instant, about 5 o'Clock, being on Lexington Common, and mounted on Horse, we saw a Body of Regular Troops marching up to the Lexington Company, which was then dispersing, soon after the Regulars fired first a few Guns, which we took to be Pistols from Some of the Regulars who were mounted on Horses, and then the said Regulars fired a Volley or two, before any Guns were fired by the Lexington Company, our Horses immediately started and we rode off, and further say not. Benjamin Tidd, Joseph Abbot

LEXINGTON, APRIL 19. 1775.

We Nathaniel Mulliken, Phillip Russell, Moses Harrington, jun. Thomas and Daniel Harrington, William James Wyman, Thaddeus Harrington, John Chamber, Joshua Reed, junr. Joseph Simonds, Phineas Smith, John Chandler, jr. Reubin Lock, Joel Viles, Nathan Reed, Samuel Tidd, Benjamin Lock, Thomas Winship, Simeon Snow, John Smith, Moses Harrington, the 3d, Joshua Reed, Ebenezer Parker, John Harrington, Enoch Wellington, John Horner, Isaac Green, Phineas Stearns, Isaac Durant, and Thomas Hadley, junr. all of lawful Age, and Inhabitants of Lexington, in the County of Middlesex, and Colony of the Massachusetts-Bay in New-England; do testify and declare, that on the 19th of April Instant, about one or two o'Clock in the Morning, being informed that several Officers of the Regulars, had the Evening before been riding up and down the Road, and had detained and insulted the Inhabitants passing the same; and also understanding that a Body of Regulars were marching from Boston towards Concord, with Intent (as it was supposed) to take the Stores belonging to the Colony in that Town we were alarmed, have met at the Place of our Company's Parade were dismissed by our Capt. John Parker, for the present, with Orders to be ready to attend at the Beat of the Drum-----we further testify and declare that about five o'Clock in the Morning hearing our Drum beat, we proceeded towards the Parade, and Soon found that a large Body of Troops were marching towards us, some of our Company were coming up to the Parade, and others had reached it; at which Time the Company began to disperse, whilst our Backs were turned on the Troops, we were fired on by them and a Number of our Men were instantly killed & wounded----not a Gun was fired by any Person in our Company on the Regulars, to our Knowledge, before they fired on us, and they continued firing until we had all made our Escape.

We Nathan Dooley, Abner Needs, John Bridge, jr. Ebenezer Bowman, William Munro, jr. Micah Hager, Samuel Sanderson, Samuel Hastings, and James Brown, of Lexington, in the County of Middlesex, and Colony of Massachusetts-Bay in New-England; and all of lawful Age, do testify and say, that on the Morning of the 19th of April Instant, about one or two o'Clock, being informed that a Number of Regular Officers had been riding up and down the Road the Evening and Night preceding, and that some of the Inhabitants as they were passing had been insulted by the Officers and stopped by them; and being also informed that the regular Troops were on their March from Boston, in Order (as it was said) to take the Colony Stores, then deposited at Concord; We met on the Parade of our Company in this Town; after the Company had collected, we were ordered by Capt. John Parker (who commanded us) to disperse for the Present, and be ready to attend the Beat of the Drum; and accordingly the Company went into Houses near the Place of Parade. We further testify and say, that about Five o'clock in the Morning we attended the Beat of our Drum, and were formed on the Parade.--we were faced towards the Regulars then marching up to us, and some of our Company were coming to the Parade with their Backs towards the Troops; and others on the Parade began to disperse when the Regulars fired on the Company, before a Gun was fired by any of our Company, on them; they killed eight of our Company, and wounded several, and continued their Fire until we had all made our Escape.

Lexington April 25, 1775. Signed by each of the above Deponents.

Timothy Smith, of Lexington, in the County of Middlesex, and Colony of Massachusetts-Bay in New-England; being of lawful Age, do testify and declare, that on the Morning of the Nineteenth of April Inst. being at Lexington Common as a Spectator, I saw a large Body of Regular Troops marching up towards the Lexington Company then dispersing, and likewise saw the Regular Troops fire on the Lexington Company, before the latter fired a Gun; I immediately ran, and a Volley was discharged at me, which put me in imminent Danger of losing my Life: I soon returned to the Common, and saw Eight of the Lexington Men who were killed, and lay bleeding at a considerable Distance from each other; and several were wounded, and further saith not.

Lexington, April 25, 1775.

Timothy Smith.