The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle Domestic News May 19, 1775

CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts Bay, May 12, 1775.

The following is an exact Copy of a Letter which was intercepted at Roxbury last Week.

Dear Sons, Boston May 4th, 1775:

AFTER my affectionate Love to your Mother, Sisters &c: Inform you that on ye 27th of April I left the Ship took Passage on Board a packet sloop on ye 2d instant in Health arrived here, Where I expect to stay till the Rebels are Subdued, which I believe will not be long first as the Ships and troops are daily Expected, my greatest fears are you will be Seduced or Compelled to take arms with these Deluded people. Dear Sons if those Wicked Sinners the Rebels entice you, believe them not, but Die by the Sword rather than be hanged, as Rebels, which will certainly be your fate Sooner or Later if you join them or be Killed in Battle and will be no more than you Deserve. I wish you in Boston and all the friends to Government, the Rebels have proclaimed that those friends may have Liberty and Come in, but as all their Declarations have heretofore proved false, this may be so, Let Ruggles know his Father wants him here, you may Come by water from Newport; if here the King will Give you Provisions and pay you Wages, but by Experience you Know your Persons nor Estates are not Safe in the Country for as soon as you have Raised any thing they'll Rob you of it, as they are more Savage and cruel than Heathens or any other Creatures & it is Generally Thought than Devils, you will put yourselves out of their power as soon as possible—This is from your Affectionate Father Thes Gilbert.

To Thomas Perez Bradford Gilbert.

P. S. Pagget, Green, and Jack are here, it will be well if these Lines reach you as all my Letters are intercepted by these Rebels who want every one to be kept in Dark like themselves. (Misery Loves Company.)

Directed to Major Thomas Gilbert, in Berkley.

The following Extracts from several intercepted Letters of the Soldiery in Boston, may serve to show the Importance of the late Action, and the Pains taken by their Superiors to have it thought that the Provincials began the Fire, and behaved with savage Barbarity during the Action.

Boston April 28, 1775.

“I AM well, all but a Wound I received through the Leg by a Ball from one of the Bostonians. At the Time I wrote you from Quebec, I had the strongest Assurance of going Home, but the laying the Tax on the New England People caused us to be ordered for Boston, where we remained in Peace with the Inhabitants till on the Night of the 18th of April, 21 Companies of Grenadiers and Light Infantry were ordered into the Country about 18 Miles; where, between 4 and 5 o'clock in the Morning, we met an incredible Number of People of the Country in Arms against us. Col. Smith of the 10th Regiment ordered us to rush on them with our Bayonets fixed; at which Time some of the Peasants fired on us, and our Men returning the Fire, the Engagement began; they did not fight us like a regular Army, only like Savages, behind Trees and Stone Walls, and out of the Woods and Houses, where in the latter we killed Numbers of them as well as in the Woods and Fields. The Engagement began between 4 and 5 in the Morning, and lasted till 8 at Night. I can't be sure when you'll get another Letter from me, as this extensive Continent is all in Arms against us: These People are very numerous, & just as bad as the Indians for scalping and cutting the dead Men's Ears and Noses off, and those they get alive, that are wounded and can't get off the Ground.

April 28, 1775.

“The Grenadiers and Light Infantry marched for Concord, where were Powder and Ball, Arms, and Cannon mounted on Carriages; but before we could destroy them all, we were fired on by the Country People, who are not brought up in our military Way as ourselves, were surrounded always in the Woods; the Firing was very hot on both Sides; about 2 in the Afternoon the 2d Brigade came up, which was 4 Regiments and Part of the Artillery, which were of no Use to us, as the Enemy were in the Woods, and when we saw they fired from Houses, we set them on Fire, and they ran to the Woods like Devils—We were obliged to retreat to Boston again, over Charles River, our Ammunition being all fired away. We had 150 wounded and killed, and some taken Prisoners; we were forced to leave some behind, who were wounded. We got back to Boston about 2 o'Clock next Morning, and them that were able to walk were forced to mount Guard and lie in the Field. I never broke any Fast for 48 Hours, for we carried no Provisions, and thought to be back next Morning. I had my Hat shot off my Head 3 Times, 2 Balls through my Coat, and carried away my Bayonet by my Side, and near being killed. The People of Boston are in great Trouble, for G. Gage will not let the Town's People go out. Direct for me to Chatham's Division of Marines.”

“Dear Parents, April 30, 1775.

“Before this reaches you, you may hear that our Regiment has been engaged with the Provincials. The Grenadiers and Light Infantry marched about 9 at Night. At 6 next Morning 423 Soldiers and 47 Marines, in all 1500, marched to reinforce the Grenadiers and Light Infantry; joined about 1 o'clock, and found them not engaged, which they had been 8 Hours before; for we had two Pieces Cannon, which made us march very slow.—As soon as we came up we fired the Cannon, which brought them from behind the Trees, for we did not fight as you did in Germany, for we could not see above ten in a Body, for they were behind Trees and Walls, and fired at us, and then edged on their Bellies. We had but 36 Rounds, which obliged us to go Home that Night, and as we came along they got before us & fired at us out of the Houses and killed and wounded a great many of us, but we levelled their Houses as we came along. It was then that there were about 6000 at first, and at Night double that Number. The King's Troops left in killed and wounded 150, and the Americans 90 Men, Women and Children, for there was a Number of Women and Children burnt in their Houses. Our Regiment has 5 killed, and 31 wounded, particularly Col. Bernard in the Thigh, which all the Regiment is sorry for. The Shot flew thick. I got a wounded Man's Gun, and killed two of them, as I am sure of. We have been busy in fortifying the Town ever since we engaged, and in a few Days we expect a good many more Troops from England, and then we shall surely burn the whole Country before us if they don't submit, which I don't imagine they will do, for they are an obstinate Set of People. Tell Bill if he will come to Boston he may have a Wife in every House he comes to, for the Women are left at Home while the Men goes to fight the Soldiers; they have formed an Army and keeps Guard close to our Works, so that our Sentries can talk together at Ease. Were engaged from 6 to 6. The whole Country is in Arms against us, and they are headed by two of the Generals that headed our Army last War; their Names are Ward and Putnam. Have a great Deal of Shipping, but they are of little service, only to cover the Town, Cannon and Troops, except the small schooners that goes up in Creeks and affrays them, which they have done many of them. There is no Market in Boston, the inhabitants all starving, the soldiers live on salt Provisions, and the Officers are supplied by the Men of War Cutters, who goes up the Creeks and takes live Cattle & Sheep, wherever they find them. We vex the Americans very much, by cutting down their Liberty Poles and Alarm Posts. We have had a great many died in our Regiment last Winter, so that what with wounded Men and what has deserted, we have not 200 Men, and Duty is so hard, that we come off Guard in the Morning, and mount Pickets at Night.”

“Honored Mother, April 25, 1775.

“The Rebels, when we came to Concord, burnt their Stores, fired upon the King's Troops, & a smart Engagement ensued. About two o'Clock our Brigade came up to them, where we engaged and continued fighting and retreating towards Boston. The Rebels were monstrous numerous, and surrounded us on every side, when they came up we gave them a smart Fire, but they never would engage us properly.—We killed some hundreds and burnt some of their Houses. I received a Wound in my Head. The Troops are in Boston, and surrounded on the Land Side by the Rebels, who are very numerous, and fully determined to lose their Lives and Fortunes, rather than be taxed by England. We had 34 killed and wounded. I suppose the King's Troops in all about 160. In case they should take Boston, the Troops will retire on board the Men of War, and then the Men of War will burn the Town, and remain till more Troops come from England, and then conquer them, so their Estates & Lives will be forfeited: There is only 4000 Soldiers, and about 50 or 60,000 of them.

“Loving Brothers and Sisters, May 2, 1775.

“The 19th of April the Engagement happened, and my Husband was wounded and taken Prisoner, but they use him well, and I am striving to get to him, as he is very dangerous, but it is almost impossible to get out or in, or to get any Thing, for we are forced to live on salt Provisions entirely, and they are building Batteries round the Town, and so are we, for we are expecting them to storm us. Are expecting more Troops every Day. My Husband is now lying in one of their Hospitals, at a Place called Cambridge, and there is now 40 or 50,000 of them gathered together, and we are not 4000 at most. It is very troublesome Times, for we are expecting the Town to be burnt down every Day, and I believe we are sold, and I hear my Husband's Leg is broke, and my Heart is almost broke.”