we are at laft plunged into the horrors of a moft unnatural war. "Our enemies, we are told, have dispatched to Great-Britain a falacious account of the tra gedy they have begun to prevent the operation of which to the public injury, we have engaged the veffel that conveys this to you, as a Packet in the fervice of this Colony, and we requeft your affiftance in fupplying Capt. Derby, who commands her, with fuch neceffaries as he fhall want, on the credit of your constituents in Maffachufett's-Bay. 1 But we moft ardently with that the several papers herewith inclosed may be immediately printed and dispersed through every town in England, and especially communicated to the LordMayor, Aldermen and Council of the city of London, that they may take fuch order thereon as they may think proper. And we are confident your fidelity will make fuch improvement of them, as fhall convince all who are not determined to be in everlasting blindness, that it is the united efs forts of both Englands that can fave either. But that whatever price our brethren in the one may be pleafed to put on their conftitutional Liberties, we are authorized to assure you, that the inhabitants of the other, with the greatest unanimity, are inflexibly refolved to fell their's only at the price of their lives. Signed by order of the Provincial Congress, JOSEPH WARREN, Prefident, P. T. A true copy from the original Minutes, SAMUEL FREEMAN, Sec. P.T. The Depofitions relative to the commencement of hoftilities, are as follows: Lexington, April, 25, 1775.. "We Solomon Brown, Jonathan Loring, and 6 Elijah Elijah Sanderson, all of lawful age, and of Lexington, in the county of Middlefex, and colony of the Maffachufett's-Bay, in New-England, do teftify and declare, that on the evening of the 18th of April, inftant, being on the road between Concord and Lexington, and all of us mounted on horfes, we were about ten of the clock, fuddenly furprized by nine perfons, whom we took to be regular officers, who rode up to us, mounted and armed, each having a piftol in his hand, and after putting pistols to our breafts, and feizing the bridles of our horfes, they fwore 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 fearched and greatly abufed us, having first enquired about the Magazine at Concord, whether any guards were pofted there, and whe ther the Bridges were up, and faid four or five regiments of regulars would be in poffeffion of the ftores foon. They then brought us back to Lexington, cut the horfes bridles and girts, turned them loose, and then left us. SOLOMON BROWN. I Elijah Sanderson, above-named, do further testify and declare, That I was on Lexington common the morning of the 19th of April aforefaid, having been difmiffed by the Officers above-mentioned, and faw a large body of regular troops advancing towards Lexington common, many of whom were then difperfing. I heard one of the regulars, whom I took to be an Officer, fay, "damn them, we will have them," and immediately the regulars fhouted aloud, run and fired оп 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 difperfing, and at a confiderable distance from each other, and many wounded, and altho' a spectator, I narrowly escaped with my life. ELIJAH SANDERSON.” Lexington, April 23, 1775. "I Thomas Rice Willard, of lawful age, do testify and declare, that being in the houfe of Daniel Harrington, of faid Lexington, on the 19th inftant, in the morning, about half an hour before fun-rife, looked out at the window of said house, and faw (as I fuppofe) about four hundred regulars in one body, coming up the road, and marched towards the North part of the common, back of the meeting-houfe of faid Lexington, and as soon as faid regulars were against the east end of the meeting-houfe, the commanding officer faid fomething, 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 Lexington, who were collected on faid common, at which time the militia of Lexington difperfed, then the officers made an huzza, and the private foldiers fucceeded them, directly after this an officer rode before the regulars, to the other fide of the body, and hallowed after the militia of faid Lexington, and faid, "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 Lexington were difperfed, and further faith not. THOMAS RICE WILLARD." Lexington, 25th April, 1775"Simon Winfhip, of Lexington, in the county of Middlesex, and province of Maffachusetts Bay, Bay, New-England, being of lawful age, teftifieth and faith, that on the 19th of April, inftant, about four o'clock in the morning, as he was paffing the public road in faid Lexington, peaceably and unarmed, about two miles and a half distant from the meeting-houfe in faid Lexington, he was met by a body of the King's regular troops, and being stopped by fome officers of faid troops, was commanded to difmount; upon afking why he must difmount, he was obliged by force to quit his horfe, and ordered to march in the midst of the body, and being examined 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 teftifies, that he marched with faid troops till he came within about half a quarter of a mile of faid meeting-house, where an officer commanded the troops to halt, and then to prime and load; this being done the faid troops marched on till they came within a few rods of Capt. Parker's company, who were partly collected on the place of parade, when faid Winship obferved an Officer at the head of faid troops, flourishing his fword, and with a loud voice giving the word fire! fire! which was inftantly followed by a discharge of arms from faid regular troops, and faid Winfhip is pofitive, and in the most folemn manner declares, that there was no discharge of arms on either fide till the word fire was given by faid Officer as above. SIMON WINSHIP." Lexington, April 25th, 1775. "I John Parker, of lawful age, and commander of the militia in Lexington, do teftify and declare, that on the 19th inftant, in the morning, about one of the clock, being informed that there were a number of regular Officers riding up and down dewn the road, stopping and infulting people as JOHN PARKER.": H Lexington, April 24, 1775. "I John Robins, being of lawful age, do teftify and fay, that on the 19th inft. the company under the command of Capt. John Parker, being drawn up (fometime before fun-rife) on the green or common, and I being in the front rank, there fuddenly appeared a number of the King's troops, about a thousand as I thought, at the diftance 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 cried, throw down your arms ye villains, ye rebels! upon which faid company difperfing, the foremost of the three officers ordered their men, faying fire, by God fire at which moment we received a very heavy and close fire from them, at which inftant, being wounded, I fell, and feveral of our men were fhot dead by me. Capt. Parker's men I believe had not then fired a gun, and further the deponent faith not. JOHN ROBINS." Lexington |