New Hampshire Statesman

LEXINGTON FIGHT.

A memoir of the events of the memorable 19th of April, 1775, prepared under the direction of a committee of the inhabitants of Lexington, by Elias Phinney, Esq is just published and for sale at the bookstores. It is a pamphlet of some forty pages, and besides an interesting statement of the facts and occurrences of that day, as ascertained from unquestionable authority, contains the depositions of several of the surviving members of Captain Parker's company of militia, then under arms. We republish from the pamphlet two of the depositions, which will be found annexed.

Bos. Pat.

I, Elijah Sanderson, of Salem. in the county of Essex, cabinet maker, aged 73 years, on oath depose as follows:

In the spring of 1775, I resided at Lexington, and had resided there then more than a year. In the spring of that year, the officers of the British regular troops in Boston were frequently making excursions, in small parties, into the country, and often in the early part of the day, in pleasant weather passed through Lexington, and usually were seen returning before evening. I lived then on the main road about three quarters of a mile east of the meeting house.

On the evening of the 18th April, 1775, we saw a party of officers pass up from Boston, all dressed in blue wrappers. The unusually late hour of their passing excited the attention of the citizens. I took my gun and cartridge box, and thinking something must be going on more than common. walked up to John. Buckman's tavern, near the meeting house. After some conversation among the citizens assembled there, an old gentleman advised, that some one should follow those officers, and endeavor to ascertain their object. I then observed, that if any one would let me have his horse, I would go in pursuit. Thaddeus Harrington told me, I might take his, which was there. I took his and Solomon Brown proposed to accompany me on his horse. Jonathan Loring also went with us. We started probably about nine o'clock, and we agreed if we could find the officers, we would return and give information, as the fears were, that their object was to come back in the night, and seize Hancock and Adams, and carry them into Boston. It had been rumored. that the British officers had threatened. that Hancock and Adams should not stay at Lexington. They had been boarding some time at Parson Clark's

We set out in pursuit. Just before we got to Brooks's in Lincoln, while riding along, we were stopped by nine British officers, who were paraded across the road. They were all mounted. One rode up and seized my bridle, and another my arm, and one put his pistol to my breast: and told me, if I resisted I was a dead man. I asked what he wanted. He replied he wanted to detain me a little while. He ordered me to get off my horse, Several of them dismounted and threw down the wall, and led us into the field. They examined and questioned us where we were going, &c. Two of them staid in the road, and the other seven with us, relieving each other from time to time. They detained us in that vicinity till a quarter past two o'clock at night. An officer who took out his watch informed me what time it was. It was bright moon light after the rising of the moon, and a pleasant evening. During our detention they put many questions to us, which I evaded. They kept us separately, and. treated us very civilly. They particularly inquired where Hancock and Adams were, also about the population. One said, You've been numbering the inhabitants, hav'nt ye? I told him how many it was reported there were. One spoke up and said. there are not so many, men women and children. They asked as many questions as a yankee could.

While we were under detention, they took two other prisoners, one Allen a one handed pedlar, and Col. Paul Revere, also, they attempted to stop a man on horseback. who we immediately after understood, was Doctor Prescott's son. He was well mounted, and after turning from the road into the field towards us, he put spurs to his horse and escaped. Several of the officers pursued him, but could not overtake him.

After they had taken Revere, they brought him within half a rod of me, and I heard him speak up with energy to them, Gentlemen, you've missed your aim! One said, rather hardly, What of that! Revere replied, I came out of Boston an hour after your troops had come out of Boston, and landed at Lechmere's Point, and if I had not known people had been sent out to give information to the country, and time enough to get fifty miles, I would have ventured one shot from you, before I would have suffered you to have stopped me. Upon this, they went a little aside and conversed together. They then ordered me to untie my horse, (which was tied to a little birch) and mount. They kept us in the middle of the road, and rode on each side of us. We went towards Lexington they took all of us, Revere, Loring and Brown, and myself. My horse not being swift, and they riding at considerable speed, one of the officers pressed my horse forward, by striking him with his hanger.

When we had arrived within fifty or one hundred rods of the meeting house Loring (as he afterwards informed me) told them, The bells are ringing, the town's alarmed and you're all dead men. They then stopped conferred together. One then dismounted, and ordered me to dismount, and said to me, I must do you an injury, I asked what he was going to do with me now? He made no reply, but with his hanger cut my bridle and girth, and then mounted, and they rode in a good smart trot on toward Boston.

We then turned off to pass through the swamp, through the mud and water, intending to arrive at the meeting house before they could pass, to give information to our people. Just before they got to the meeting house they had halted which led us to hope we should get there first, but they soon started off again at full speed and we saw no more of them.