It's Patriot's day folks, do you, and your children know the story of these brave men?
For your edification I have enclosed the stories from that fateful day when the "shot heard round the world" was fired!
Please join me in taking a moment to thank them, and all who followed for our liberty, our freedom, and our ability to have our own opinion's, and voice them!
Mat God bless and save America!
Tom Ford
NO. 490
Date: Sat 19 Apr 2008 7:28 am
Would we make the stand today? Two accounts for your reading pleasure. First the shorter of the two. Olde English intact where applicable.
God save us all!
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"I, John Robbins, being of lawful Age, do Testifye and say, that on the Nineteenth Instant, the Company under the Command of Captain John Parker, being drawn up (sometime before sun Rise) on the Green or Common, and I being in the front Rank, there suddenly appear’d a Number of the Kings 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 Horse Back, and on full Gallop towards us, the foremost of which cryed, throw down your Arms ye Villains, ye Rebels! upon which said Company Dispersing, the foremost of the three Officers order’d 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 one volley. Captain Parker’s men, I believe, had not then fired a Gun." - Militiaman John Robbins’ sworn statement, 24 April 1775, regarding the events of April 19, 1775, in Lexington, Massachusetts
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Battle at Lexington Green, 1775
Massachusetts Colony was a hotbed of sedition in the spring of 1775. Preparations for conflict with the Royal authority had been underway throughout the winter with the production of arms and munitions, the training of militia (including the minutemen), and the organization of defenses. In April, General Thomas Gage, military governor of Massachusetts decided to counter these moves by sending a force out of Boston to confiscate weapons stored in the village of Concord and capture patriot leaders Samuel Adams and John Hancock reported to be staying in the village of Lexington.
The atmosphere was tense, word of General Gage's intentions spread through Boston prompting the patriots to set up a messaging system to alert the countryside of any advance of British troops. Paul Revere arranged for a signal to be sent by lantern from the steeple of North Church - one if by land, two if by sea. On the night of April 18, 1775 the lantern's alarm sent Revere, William Dawes and other riders on the road to spread the news. The messengers cried out the alarm, awakening every house, warning of the British column making its way towards Lexington. In the rider's wake there erupted the peeling of church bells, the beating of drums and the roar of gun shots - all announcing the danger and calling the local militias to action.
In the pre-dawn light of April 19, the beating drums and peeling bells summoned between 50 and 70 militiamen to the town green at Lexington. As they lined up in battle formation the distant sound of marching feet and shouted orders alerted them of the Redcoats' approach. Soon the British column emerged through the morning fog and the confrontation that would launch a nation began.
"Lay down your arms, you damned rebels."
Twenty-three-year-old Sylvanus Wood was one of the Lexington militia who answered the call that spring morning. Several years after the event he committed his recollection to paper in an affidavit sworn before a Justice of the Peace which was first published in 1858:
"I, Sylvanus Wood, of Woburn, in the county of Middlesex, and commonwealth of Massachusetts, aged seventy-four years, do testify and say that on the morning of the 19th of April, 1775, I was an inhabitant of Woburn, living with Deacon Obadiah Kendall; that about an hour before the break of day on said morning, I heard the Lexington bell ring, and fearing there was difficulty there, I immediately arose, took my gun and, with Robert Douglass, went in haste to Lexington, which was about three miles distant.
When I arrived there, I inquired of Captain Parker, the commander of the Lexington company, what was the news. Parker told me he did not know what to believe, for a man had come up about half an hour before and informed him that the British troops were not on the road. But while we were talking, a messenger came up and told the captain that the British troops were within half a mile. Parker immediately turned to his drummer, William Diman, and ordered him to beat to arms, which was done. Captain Parker then asked me if I would parade with his company. I told him I would. Parker then asked me if the young man with me would parade. I spoke to Douglass, and he said he would follow the captain and me.
By this time many of the company had gathered around the captain at the hearing of the drum, where we stood, which was about half way between the meetinghouse and Buckman's tavern. Parker says to his men, 'Every man of you, who is equipped, follow me; and those of you who are not equipped, go into the meeting-house and furnish yourselves from the magazine, and immediately join the company.' Parker led those of us who were equipped to the north end of Lexington Common, near the Bedford Road, and formed us in single file. I was stationed about in the centre of the company. While we were standing, I left my place and went from one end of the company to the other and counted every man who was paraded, and the whole number was thirty-eight, and no more.
Just as I had finished and got back to my place, I perceived the British troops had arrived on the spot between the meeting-house and Bucknian's, near where Captain Parker stood when he first led off his men. The British troops immediately wheeled so as to cut off those who had gone into the meeting-house. The British troops approached us rapidly in platoons, with a general officer on horseback at their head. The officer came up to within about two rods of the centre of the company, where I stood, the first platoon being about three rods distant. They there halted. The officer then swung his sword, and said, "Lay down your arms, you damned rebels, or you are all dead men. Fire!" Some guns were fired by the British at us from the first platoon, but no person was killed or hurt, being probably charged only with powder.
Just at this time, Captain Parker ordered every man to take care of himself. The company immediately dispersed; and while the company was dispersing and leaping over the wall, the second platoon of the British fired and killed some of our men. There was not a gun fired by anv of Captain Parker's company, within my knowledge. I was so situated that I must have known it, had any thing of the kind taken place before a total dispersion of our company. I have been intimately acquainted with the inhabitants of Lexington, and particularly with those of Captain Parker's company, and, with one exception, I have never heard any of them say or pretend that there was any firing at the British from Parker's company, or any individual in it until within a year or two. One member of the company told me, many years since, that, after Parker's company had dispersed, and he was at some distance, he gave them 'the guts of his gun.'"
References:
Commager, Henry Steele, Morris Richard B. The Spirit of 'Seventy-Six vol I (1958); Fischer, David, Paul Revere's Ride (1994).
How To Cite This Article:
"Battle at Lexington Green, 1775," EyeWitness to History, www.eyewitnesstohistory.com (2001).
Please join me in taking a moment to thank them, and all who followed for our liberty, our freedom, and our ability to have our own opinion's, and voice them!
Mat God bless and save America!
Tom Ford
NO. 490
Date: Sat 19 Apr 2008 7:28 am
Would we make the stand today? Two accounts for your reading pleasure. First the shorter of the two. Olde English intact where applicable.
God save us all!
----------------------------------------------
"I, John Robbins, being of lawful Age, do Testifye and say, that on the Nineteenth Instant, the Company under the Command of Captain John Parker, being drawn up (sometime before sun Rise) on the Green or Common, and I being in the front Rank, there suddenly appear’d a Number of the Kings 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 Horse Back, and on full Gallop towards us, the foremost of which cryed, throw down your Arms ye Villains, ye Rebels! upon which said Company Dispersing, the foremost of the three Officers order’d 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 one volley. Captain Parker’s men, I believe, had not then fired a Gun." - Militiaman John Robbins’ sworn statement, 24 April 1775, regarding the events of April 19, 1775, in Lexington, Massachusetts
----------------------------------------------
Battle at Lexington Green, 1775
Massachusetts Colony was a hotbed of sedition in the spring of 1775. Preparations for conflict with the Royal authority had been underway throughout the winter with the production of arms and munitions, the training of militia (including the minutemen), and the organization of defenses. In April, General Thomas Gage, military governor of Massachusetts decided to counter these moves by sending a force out of Boston to confiscate weapons stored in the village of Concord and capture patriot leaders Samuel Adams and John Hancock reported to be staying in the village of Lexington.
The atmosphere was tense, word of General Gage's intentions spread through Boston prompting the patriots to set up a messaging system to alert the countryside of any advance of British troops. Paul Revere arranged for a signal to be sent by lantern from the steeple of North Church - one if by land, two if by sea. On the night of April 18, 1775 the lantern's alarm sent Revere, William Dawes and other riders on the road to spread the news. The messengers cried out the alarm, awakening every house, warning of the British column making its way towards Lexington. In the rider's wake there erupted the peeling of church bells, the beating of drums and the roar of gun shots - all announcing the danger and calling the local militias to action.
In the pre-dawn light of April 19, the beating drums and peeling bells summoned between 50 and 70 militiamen to the town green at Lexington. As they lined up in battle formation the distant sound of marching feet and shouted orders alerted them of the Redcoats' approach. Soon the British column emerged through the morning fog and the confrontation that would launch a nation began.
"Lay down your arms, you damned rebels."
Twenty-three-year-old Sylvanus Wood was one of the Lexington militia who answered the call that spring morning. Several years after the event he committed his recollection to paper in an affidavit sworn before a Justice of the Peace which was first published in 1858:
"I, Sylvanus Wood, of Woburn, in the county of Middlesex, and commonwealth of Massachusetts, aged seventy-four years, do testify and say that on the morning of the 19th of April, 1775, I was an inhabitant of Woburn, living with Deacon Obadiah Kendall; that about an hour before the break of day on said morning, I heard the Lexington bell ring, and fearing there was difficulty there, I immediately arose, took my gun and, with Robert Douglass, went in haste to Lexington, which was about three miles distant.
When I arrived there, I inquired of Captain Parker, the commander of the Lexington company, what was the news. Parker told me he did not know what to believe, for a man had come up about half an hour before and informed him that the British troops were not on the road. But while we were talking, a messenger came up and told the captain that the British troops were within half a mile. Parker immediately turned to his drummer, William Diman, and ordered him to beat to arms, which was done. Captain Parker then asked me if I would parade with his company. I told him I would. Parker then asked me if the young man with me would parade. I spoke to Douglass, and he said he would follow the captain and me.
By this time many of the company had gathered around the captain at the hearing of the drum, where we stood, which was about half way between the meetinghouse and Buckman's tavern. Parker says to his men, 'Every man of you, who is equipped, follow me; and those of you who are not equipped, go into the meeting-house and furnish yourselves from the magazine, and immediately join the company.' Parker led those of us who were equipped to the north end of Lexington Common, near the Bedford Road, and formed us in single file. I was stationed about in the centre of the company. While we were standing, I left my place and went from one end of the company to the other and counted every man who was paraded, and the whole number was thirty-eight, and no more.
Just as I had finished and got back to my place, I perceived the British troops had arrived on the spot between the meeting-house and Bucknian's, near where Captain Parker stood when he first led off his men. The British troops immediately wheeled so as to cut off those who had gone into the meeting-house. The British troops approached us rapidly in platoons, with a general officer on horseback at their head. The officer came up to within about two rods of the centre of the company, where I stood, the first platoon being about three rods distant. They there halted. The officer then swung his sword, and said, "Lay down your arms, you damned rebels, or you are all dead men. Fire!" Some guns were fired by the British at us from the first platoon, but no person was killed or hurt, being probably charged only with powder.
Just at this time, Captain Parker ordered every man to take care of himself. The company immediately dispersed; and while the company was dispersing and leaping over the wall, the second platoon of the British fired and killed some of our men. There was not a gun fired by anv of Captain Parker's company, within my knowledge. I was so situated that I must have known it, had any thing of the kind taken place before a total dispersion of our company. I have been intimately acquainted with the inhabitants of Lexington, and particularly with those of Captain Parker's company, and, with one exception, I have never heard any of them say or pretend that there was any firing at the British from Parker's company, or any individual in it until within a year or two. One member of the company told me, many years since, that, after Parker's company had dispersed, and he was at some distance, he gave them 'the guts of his gun.'"
References:
Commager, Henry Steele, Morris Richard B. The Spirit of 'Seventy-Six vol I (1958); Fischer, David, Paul Revere's Ride (1994).
How To Cite This Article:
"Battle at Lexington Green, 1775," EyeWitness to History, www.eyewitnesstohistory.com (2001).
posted by Crestwood Independent at 14:47
7 Comments:
Which Democrat do you support, Hillary or Obama?
Neither my friend, it was the democrats who got us into this mess to begin with!
Tom Ford
Hi Tom
I am a Crestwood resident and a fan of your blog. I was wondering if you would post info about a Trivia Night being held for our daughter on May 1st at SLU. I could not find a way to email you on this site. Please contact me at sandra@smithlee.com and I will send you the details.
Thanks!!!
Sandy Smith
You're not a Democrat? Then why do you mindlessly chime in support of every idiotic anti-Republican remark made by your buddy Mike Heins?
Is your mutual hatred for the Call the bond that unites you?
You constantly complain about liberals, then you support them. That makes you a liberal!
7:38 AM blogger: Glad you could make it out of bed today!
Now why do I support my "friend" Mike Heins? Well, first of all, I have never met Mr. Heins, but then I never met Ronald Reagan either, but I still like his style!
Mr. Heins is one of the very few who will go up against the so called "elite" in South County, and I appreciate that!
And for the record, I don't hate the "paper," how could I? after all, it's just newsprint.
I am however disgusted by their cronyism, favoritism, and the way they have treated Crestwood in the past!
In the case of Mr. Heins, when you show us 1/16th the courage that man has, I will be impressed, until then, let's just say, "The enemy of my enemy is my friend!"
Tom Ford
7:38 AM blogger, Par Deau: Just a little something I ran across that puts a nite cap on your comments.
"Ridicule is the tribute paid to the genius by the mediocrities."
Oscar Wilde
And thank you for the tribute!
Tom Ford
Tom, I sure do wish you would stop discussing political parties. I am glad that Crestwood is non-partisan because debating political parties is one good way of getting me to walk away from a discussion as well as your blog. Please don't do that!
Party Politics has been a source of great displeasure to me personally because my parents and grandparents did nothing but have unhealthly debates all the time when I was growing up.
You know yourself, that mistakes have been made on both sides of our two party system. But to listen to some people, it would not matter if their particular candidate, Republican or Democrat, committed mass murder, they would stand by that person and that party no matter what.
It is really time to look at the individual and what he/she has done that should be why we vote for or against anybody.
Tom, you are a real upstanding guy but if you are going to be grandeous about your preference of Democrat or Republican, then I would really be afraid to tell you that I am neither and I vote my conscience and use my research of candidates to make all my decisions. I also never vote in a primary because you have to say which party you are for. Sorry if you feel like I am bad because of it. I have never voted a straight ticket in my life either. Sorry again!
And you should know that your political party preference one way or the other cannot assure that he/she is the best; nor mine for that matter. It's a crap shoot and you know it. Therefore, that said, how can you be a staunch "anything" when there is good and bad in all and history tells us so?
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