Lexington, April 25, 1775a "We, Benjamin Tidd, of Lexington, and Jofeph Abbot, of Lincoln, in the county of Middlefex, and colony of Maffachufett's-Bay, in New: England, of lawful age, do teftify and declare, that on the morning of the 19th of April inftant, about five o'clock, being on Lexington Common, and mounted on horfes, we faw a body of regular troops marching up to the Lexington Company, which was then difperfing: foon after the regulars fired, first a few guns which we took to be piftols, from fome of the regulars who were mounted on horfes, and then the faid regulars fired a volley or two, before any guns were fired by the Lexington Company; our horfes immediately ftarted, and we rode off. And further fay not. BENJAMIN TIDD. Lexington, April 25, 1775. "We, Nathaniel Mullokin, Philip Ruffell, Mo fes Harrington, jun. Thomas and Daniel Harrington, William Grimes, William Tidd, Ifaac Haft-. Ings, Jonas Stone, jun. James Wyman, Thaddeus Harrington, John Chandler, Joshua Reed, jun Jofeph Simonds, Phinehas Smith, John Chandler, jun. Reuben Lock, Joel Viles, Nathan Reed, Samuel Tidd, Benjamin Lock, Thomas Winship, Simeon Snow, John Smith, Mofes Harrington the 3d, Joshua Reed, Ebenezer Parker, John Harrington, Enoch Willington, John Hormer, Ifaac Green, Phinehas Stearns, Ifaac Durant, and Thomas Headly, jun. all of lawful age, and inhabitantsof Lexington, in the county of Middlesex, and co-. lony of the Maffachufett's-Bay, in New England, do teftify and declare, that on the 19th of April inE ftant, ftant, about one or two o'clock in the morning, being informed that feveral officers of the regulars had the evening before been riding up and down the road, and had detained and infulted the inhabitants paffing the fame; and alfo understanding that a body of regulars were marching from Boston towards Concord, with intent (as it was fuppofed) to take the ftores belonging to the colony in that town, we were alarmed, and having met at the place of our company's parade, were difmiffed by our captain, John Parker, for the prefent, with orders to be ready to attend at the beat of the drum. We further teftify and declare, that about five o'clock in the morning, hearing our drum beat, we proceeded towards the parade, and foon found that, a large body of troops were marching towards us: fome of our company were coming up to the parade, and others had reached it, at which time the company began to difperfe: whilft our backs were turned on the troops we were fired on by them, and a number of our men were inftantly killed and wounded. Not a gun was fired by any perfon 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. Signed by each of the above Deponents.” Lexington, 25th of April, 1775"We, Nathaniel Parkhurft, Jonas Parker, John Munroe, jun. John Winship, Solomon Pierce, John Muzzy, Abner Meeds, John Bridge, jun. Ebenezer Bowman, William Munroe, the 3d, Micah Hagar, Samuel Saunderfon, Samuel Haftings, and James Brown of Lexington, in the county of Middlefex,, and colony of Maffachufett'sgay, in New-England, and all of lawful age, do teftify. testify and say, that on the morning of the nineteenth of April inftant, 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 fome of the inhabitants as they were paffing, had been infulted by the of ficers and stopped by them; and being also informed that the regular troops were on their march from Boffon, in order (as it was faid) to take the Colony ftores, then depofited at Concord, we met on the parade of our company in this town; after the company had collected, we were ordered by Captain Parker (who commanded us) to difperfe for the prefent, and to be ready to attend the beat of the drum, and accordingly the company went into houfes near the place of parade. We further testify and fay, 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 fome of our company were coming to the parade with their backs towards the troops, and others on the parade began to difperfe 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 teveral, and continued their fire until we had all made our escape. Signed by each of the above deponents.” Lexington, April 25, 1775. "I Timothy Smith, of Lexington, in the county of Middlesex, and colony of Maffachufett'sBay, in New-England, being of lawful age, do teftify and declare, that on the morning of the nineteenth of April inftant, being on Lexington common as a fpectator, I faw a large body of regular troops marching up towards the Lexington com E 2 pany pany then difperfing, 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 lofing my life: I foon returned to the common and faw eight of the Lexington men who were killed and lay bleeding at a confiderable distance from each other; and several were wounded, and further faith not. TIMOTHY SMITH." Lexington, April 25, 1775. "We Levi Mead and Levi Harrington, both of Lexington, in the county of Middlesex, and colony of Maffachufett's-Bay, in New-England, and of lawful age, do teftify and declare, that on the morning of the 19th of April, being on Lexington common, as fpectators, we faw a large body of regular troops marching up towards the Lexington company, and fome of the regulars on horfes, whom we took to be officers, fired a piftol or two on the Lexington company, which was then difperfing; These were the firit guns that were fired, and they were immediately followed by feveral vollies from the regulars, by which eight men belonging to the faid company were killed, and feveral wounded. LEVI HARRINGTON. Lexington, April 25, 1775, "I William Draper, of lawful age, and an inhabitant of Colrain, in the county of Hampshire, and colony of Mafiachufett's-Bay, in New-England, do teftify and declare, that being on the parade of faid Lexington, April 19th inftant about half an hour before fun-rife, the King's regular troops appeared at the meeting-house of Lexington, Capt, Parker's Parker's company, who were drawn up back of faid meeting-house on the parade, turned from faid troops, making their efcape by difperfing; in the mean time the regular troops made an huzza and ran towards Capt. Parker's company, who were di perfing, and immediately after the huzza was made the commanding officer of faid troops (as I took him) gave the command to the faid troops, "fire! fire! damn you fire!" and immediately they fired before any of Captain Parker's company fired, I then being within three or four rods of faid regular troops, And further fay not. WILLIAM DRAPER." Lexington, April 23, 1775"I Thomas Feffenden, of lawful age, teftify and declare, that being in a pasture near the meeting-house, at faid Lexington, on Wednesday last, at about half an hour before fun-rife, I fay a number of regular troops pafs fpeedily by faid meetinghoufe, on their way towards a company of militia of faid Lexington, who were affembled to the number of about one hundred in a company, at the diftance of eighteen or twenty rods from laid meetinghouse; and after they had paffed by faid meetinghouse, I faw three officers on horfe-back advance to the front of faid regulars, when one of them, being within fix rods of the faid militia, cried out, difperfe you rebels immediately," on which he brandifhed his fword over his head three times; mean while the fecond officer, who was about two rods behind him, fired a pistol, pointed at faid militia, and the regulars kept huzzaing till he had finished brandishing his fword, and when he had thus finished brandishing his fword, he pointed it down towards faid militia, and immediately on which |