BATTLE ROAD THROUGH SOMERVILLE AND CHARLESTOWN.1. Tufts. 2. Hunnewell. 3. Capen. 4. Kent. 5. Rand. 6. Tufts. 7. A pond. 8. Ireland. 9. Frost. 10. Choate. 11. Piper's Tavern. 12. Shed. 13. Miller Killed. 14. Miller's Home. 15. Revere Stopped by British. 16. Barber.
BATTLE ROAD THROUGH SOMERVILLE AND CHARLESTOWN.1. Tufts. 2. Hunnewell. 3. Capen. 4. Kent. 5. Rand. 6. Tufts. 7. A pond. 8. Ireland. 9. Frost. 10. Choate. 11. Piper's Tavern. 12. Shed. 13. Miller Killed. 14. Miller's Home. 15. Revere Stopped by British. 16. Barber.
1. Tufts. 2. Hunnewell. 3. Capen. 4. Kent. 5. Rand. 6. Tufts. 7. A pond. 8. Ireland. 9. Frost. 10. Choate. 11. Piper's Tavern. 12. Shed. 13. Miller Killed. 14. Miller's Home. 15. Revere Stopped by British. 16. Barber.
Along Elm Street to Oak Street, and then continuing in Somerville Avenue, was their route, when the march was resumed. At the foot of Laurel Street on Somerville Avenue was then a little pond. Into that many wearyBritons threw themselves—some for the refreshing plunge, others to quench their thirst.[306]
Their march was continued rapidly now, and in consequence the fatalities on the American side were slight, if any, on the road from the Tufts house through Bow Street, for that was a part of Battle Road then, to Union Square. From the latter place they continued through Washington Street, where the American sharpshooters had a grand opportunity to renew their havoc. Washington Street skirts along the westerly foot of Prospect Hill, the summit of which commands easily a stretch of highway for more than half a mile. Many were killed and wounded, some of the latter of whom were taken into the house then standing at the corner of Washington and Prospect Streets. Here Percy paused long enough to train his two field pieces up the road, and again with his usual lack of fatal results. But he checked the Americans.
A little way farther along on the northerly side of the road, stood the home of Samuel Shed. Percy's troops halted there, for the few moments necessary to turn his field pieces on his pursuers again. While there one of the Britons, ambitious for plunder, entered the Shed home, and finding there a bureau or highboy filled with household effects, commenced the work of selecting what he desired. It took him too long, for his companions passed on, and left him still too busy to notice their departure or the coming of the Americans. Bullets came through the window, one of which killed him,and three riddled the old bureau, spattering his blood over it, and on the floor.[307]
A few rods farther, the grassy slope of Prospect Hill descended in a southerly direction to Washington Street, then called the Cambridge Road. James Miller, about sixty-six years old, stood there awaiting the British. With him was a companion, and both fired with deadly effect, again and again, as the British marched by in the road below. They were discovered finally, and Miller's companion urged him to retreat.
"Come, Miller, we've got to go."
"I'm too old to run," replied Miller, and he remained only to be pierced with a volley of thirteen bullets.[308]His home was but a short distance down the road, and is still standing, next to the house on the easterly corner of Washington and Franklin Streets.
Miller was the only American killed in Somerville, as the British were in too full retreat to act very much on the aggressive. Their loss was considerable, however, and along the entire Battle Road, for the minute-men were exceedingly active in the rear and on the northerly side of the road, particularly.
The policy of property destruction was continued by Percy through Somerville. The limited time at his command did not allow of very thorough work, but he accomplished something. The estate of James Miller whom they killed on the slope of Prospect Hill, was damagedto the extent of £4, 12s. ($23.00). Ebenezer Shed lost his house, barn, and another building, valued at £140 ($700), and the damage to his crop, fences, etc., he estimated at £279, 3s. 2d. ($1395.79). The widow of Abigal Shed suffered to some extent in the same way.[309]
The sun set at seven o'clock on that nineteenth day of April, in 1775.[310]It never rose again on Middlesex County under kingly rule. Percy must have been in the vicinity of Union Square, Somerville, at that particular moment. The pauses for his artillery demonstration; the destruction of the few buildings; the killing of Miller; and the hurried march to the Charlestown line, did not occupy more than half an hour. It was just dark enough for the musket flashes to be seen across the marshes and across the waters of the Charles River to the Boston shore, where were grouped anxious watchers awaiting the news of battle.
Percy's thirty-six rounds for each of his soldiers had been about all expended. He describes the fire all around his marching column as "incessant," coming from behind stone walls, and from houses that he at first supposed had been evacuated.[311]
GENERAL WILLIAM HEATH.
GENERAL WILLIAM HEATH.
Charlestown Common, now Sullivan Square, was soon reached, and his column gladly wheeled to the right and marched up BunkerHill. As they did so, a mile away, on top of Winter Hill, in Somerville, were just then arriving three hundred more Americans, who had marched from Salem under Col. Timothy Pickering. They were half an hour late to be particularly effective. No blame can be attached to them for that, for there were thousands of other minute-men, from distant towns who were also late, for April 19th, but who were in ample time to join the besieging army on April 20th.
At Charlestown Common, on the corner of the road to the Penny Ferry which crossed the Mystic River to Everett,[312]stood the home of William Barber, sea captain. His family consisted of his wife, Anne Hay, and their thirteen children. One of them, Edward, fourteen years old, sat at the window looking out upon the brilliant pageant of marching soldiers in the road. Many of the soldiers must have seen him, for he was not in hiding. One did, at all events, and with that thirst for killing some one, even though but a boy, shot him and saw him fall back into the room dead. Thus Edward Barber became Charlestown's martyr of April 19th.
While Charlestown did not officially contribute to the organized minute-men who were pursuing Percy, yet many individuals must have been in the American ranks on that day, for in the afternoon Gen. Gage wrote to James Russell of Charlestown that he had been informed people of that town had gone out armed to oppose His Majesty's Troops, and that if a single man more went out armed, the most disagreeable consequences might be expected.The people of Charlestown indeed had reason to be in terror, surrounded as they were by the soldiers, frenzied with their disastrous retreat from Lexington. The Selectmen arranged with Percy an armistice, agreeing that the troops should not be attacked, and that assistance should be given in getting them across the ferry to Boston, provided they would not attack the citizens or destroy their homes. This agreement seems to have been kept in good faith by both parties.[313]British officers walked up and down the streets, directing the women to keep within doors.
Percy's force remained on Bunker Hill until arrangements were completed for their trip across the Charles River to Boston. The wounded were sent over first, being conveyed by the boats of theSomersetman-of-war, which still lay there, as it did when Revere crossed the night before.
Gen. Gage sent pickets from Boston, selected from the Tenth and Sixty-fourth Regiments to do guard duty in Charlestown.[314]
Gen. William Heath, as commander of the American forces, assembled the officers of the minute-men at the foot of Prospect Hill, in Somerville, for a Council of War. Then he ordered the formation of a guard to be posted near, and sentinels along the road now known as Washington Street in Somerville, and Cambridge Street in Charlestown, to Charlestown Neck. The remainder of the force was ordered back to Cambridge,[315]which place was to be for a while the Headquarters of the American Army.
Acton.Killed: Capt. Isaac Davis, James Hayward, Abner Hosmer. Wounded: Luther Blanchard and Ezekiel Davis.Arlington.Killed: Jason Russell, Jason Winship, Jabez Wyman. Wounded: Samuel Whittemore.Bedford.Killed: Captain Jonathan Willson. Wounded: Job Lane.Beverly.Killed: Reuben Kennison. Wounded: Nathaniel Cleaves, William Dodge, 3rd, Samuel Woodbury.Billerica.Wounded: Timothy Blanchard, John Nichols.Brookline.Killed: Major Isaac Gardner.Cambridge.Killed: John Hicks, William Marcy, Moses Richardson. Missing: Samuel Frost, Seth Russell.Concord.Wounded: Capt. Nathan Barrett, Jonas Brown, Capt. Charles Miles, Capt. George Minot, Abel Prescott, Jr.Charlestown.Killed: Edward Barber.Chelmsford.Wounded: Oliver Barron, Aaron Chamberlain.Danvers.Killed: Samuel Cook, Benjamin Daland, Ebenezer Goldthwait, Henry Jacobs, Perley Putnam, George Southwick, Jotham Webb. Wounded: Nathan Putnam, Dennison Wallis. Missing: Joseph Bell.Dedham.Killed: Elias Haven. Wounded: Israel Everett.Framingham.Wounded: Daniel Hemenway.Lexington.Killed: John Brown, Samuel Hadley, Caleb Harrington, Jonathan Harrington, Jr., Jedediah Munroe, Robert Munroe, Isaac Muzzy, Jonas Parker, John Raymond, Nathaniel Wyman. Wounded: Francis Brown, Joseph Comee, Prince Estabrook, Nathaniel Farmer, Ebenezer Munroe, Jr., Jedediah Munroe (killed later), Solomon Pierce, John Robbins, John Tidd, Thomas Winship.Lincoln.Wounded: Joshua Brooks.Lynn.Killed: William Flint, Thomas Hadley, Abednego Ramsdell, Daniel Townsend. Wounded: Joshua Felt, Timothy Monroe. Missing: Josiah Breed.Medford.Killed: William Polly, Henry Putnam.Needham.Killed: Lieut. John Bacon, Nathaniel Chamberlain, Amos Mills, Sergt. Elisha Mills, Jonathan Parker. Wounded: Eleazer Kingsbury, —— Tolman (son of Dr. Tolman).Newton.Wounded: Noah Wiswell.Roxbury.Missing: Elijah Seaver.Salem.Killed: Benjamin Pierce.Somerville.Killed: James Miller.Sudbury.Killed: Josiah Haynes, Asahel Reed. Wounded: Joshua Haynes, Jr.Stow.Wounded: Daniel Conant.Watertown.Killed: Joseph Coolidge.Woburn.Killed: Asahel Porter, Daniel Thompson. Wounded: Jacob Bacon, —— Johnson, George Reed.Totals.Killed: 49. Wounded: 41. Missing: 5. Total loss: 95.
Acton.Killed: Capt. Isaac Davis, James Hayward, Abner Hosmer. Wounded: Luther Blanchard and Ezekiel Davis.
Arlington.Killed: Jason Russell, Jason Winship, Jabez Wyman. Wounded: Samuel Whittemore.
Bedford.Killed: Captain Jonathan Willson. Wounded: Job Lane.
Beverly.Killed: Reuben Kennison. Wounded: Nathaniel Cleaves, William Dodge, 3rd, Samuel Woodbury.
Billerica.Wounded: Timothy Blanchard, John Nichols.
Brookline.Killed: Major Isaac Gardner.
Cambridge.Killed: John Hicks, William Marcy, Moses Richardson. Missing: Samuel Frost, Seth Russell.
Concord.Wounded: Capt. Nathan Barrett, Jonas Brown, Capt. Charles Miles, Capt. George Minot, Abel Prescott, Jr.
Charlestown.Killed: Edward Barber.
Chelmsford.Wounded: Oliver Barron, Aaron Chamberlain.
Danvers.Killed: Samuel Cook, Benjamin Daland, Ebenezer Goldthwait, Henry Jacobs, Perley Putnam, George Southwick, Jotham Webb. Wounded: Nathan Putnam, Dennison Wallis. Missing: Joseph Bell.
Dedham.Killed: Elias Haven. Wounded: Israel Everett.
Framingham.Wounded: Daniel Hemenway.
Lexington.Killed: John Brown, Samuel Hadley, Caleb Harrington, Jonathan Harrington, Jr., Jedediah Munroe, Robert Munroe, Isaac Muzzy, Jonas Parker, John Raymond, Nathaniel Wyman. Wounded: Francis Brown, Joseph Comee, Prince Estabrook, Nathaniel Farmer, Ebenezer Munroe, Jr., Jedediah Munroe (killed later), Solomon Pierce, John Robbins, John Tidd, Thomas Winship.
Lincoln.Wounded: Joshua Brooks.
Lynn.Killed: William Flint, Thomas Hadley, Abednego Ramsdell, Daniel Townsend. Wounded: Joshua Felt, Timothy Monroe. Missing: Josiah Breed.
Medford.Killed: William Polly, Henry Putnam.
Needham.Killed: Lieut. John Bacon, Nathaniel Chamberlain, Amos Mills, Sergt. Elisha Mills, Jonathan Parker. Wounded: Eleazer Kingsbury, —— Tolman (son of Dr. Tolman).
Newton.Wounded: Noah Wiswell.
Roxbury.Missing: Elijah Seaver.
Salem.Killed: Benjamin Pierce.
Somerville.Killed: James Miller.
Sudbury.Killed: Josiah Haynes, Asahel Reed. Wounded: Joshua Haynes, Jr.
Stow.Wounded: Daniel Conant.
Watertown.Killed: Joseph Coolidge.
Woburn.Killed: Asahel Porter, Daniel Thompson. Wounded: Jacob Bacon, —— Johnson, George Reed.
Totals.Killed: 49. Wounded: 41. Missing: 5. Total loss: 95.
"Return of the Commission, Non-Commission Officers, Drummers, Rank and File, killed and wounded, prisoners and missing, on the 19th of April, 1775.
"4th or King's Own Regiment, Lieutenant Knight, killed. Lieutenant Gould, wounded and prisoner. 3 Serjeants, 1 Drummer, wounded. 7 Rank and File, killed, 21 wounded, 8 missing.
"5th Regiment, Lieutenant Thomas Baker, Lieutenant William Cox, Lieutenant Thomas Hawkshaw, wounded. 5 Rank and File killed. 15 wounded, 1 missing.
"10th Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Francis Smith, Captain Lawrence Parsons, Lieutenant Wald. Kelly, Ensign Jeremiah Lester, wounded. 1 Rank and File killed, 13 wounded, 1 missing.
"18th Regiment. 1 Rank and File killed, 4 wounded, 1 missing.
"23rd Regiment. Lieutenant Colonel Bery Bernard, wounded. 4 Rank and File killed, 26 wounded, 6 missing.
"38th Regiment. Lieutenant William Sutherland, wounded. 1 Sergeant wounded. 4 Rank and File killed, 11 wounded.
"43rd Regiment. Lieutenant Hull, wounded and prisoner. 4 Rank and File killed, 5 wounded, 2 missing.
"47th Regiment. Lieutenant Donald McCloud, Ensign Henry Baldwin, wounded. 1 Sergeant wounded. 5 Rank and File killed, 21 wounded.
"52nd Regiment. 1 Sergeant missing. 3 Rank and File killed, 2 wounded.
"59th Regiment. 3 Rank and File killed, 3 wounded.
"Marines. Captain Souter, Second Lieutenant McDonald, wounded. Second Lieutenant Isaac Potter, missing. 1 Sergeant killed, 2 wounded, 1 missing. 1 Drummer killed. 25 Rank and File killed, 36 wounded, 5 missing.
"Total. 1 Lieutenant killed. 2 Lieutenant Colonels wounded. 2 Captains wounded. 9 Lieutenants wounded. 1 Lieutenant missing. 2 Ensigns wounded. 1 Sergeant killed, 7 wounded, 2 missing. 1 Drummer killed, 1 wounded. 62 Rank and File killed, 157 wounded, 24 missing.
"N. B. Lieutenant Isaac Potter reported to be wounded and taken prisoner.
"Signed
"THO. GAGE."
Lieut. Hull, of the 43rd Regiment, wounded traveling in a chaise, fell behind the troops, again wounded, and carried into the house of Samuel Butterfield, in Arlington, where he died, two weeks later.[317]
The forces participating were about eighteenhundred British, well organized and well commanded, opposed by about thirty-seven hundred andninety-twoAmericans, without effective organization and without a real commanding officer.
I have measured the routes of the various detachments and am enabled to give them as follows, in each case of Smith's force from the shore of Charles River in Cambridge, out to Concord and back to the shore of Charles River in Charlestown. The route of Percy's force was from School Street, Boston, out through Roxbury, etc., to the High School in Lexington, and return to the shore of Charles River, in Charlestown. My cyclometer is divided into eighty-eight fractions of a mile, each one of sixty feet.
Three companies under Capt. Lawrence Parsons to the home of Col. Barrett, beyond North Bridge, Concord, 3971/88miles.
Three companies under Capt. Walter Sloane Lawrie to the North Bridge, Concord, 3611/88miles.
Force of about one hundred men under Capt. Mundy Pole, to the South Bridge, Concord, 3640/88mile.
Main division under Lieut.-Col. Smith, to Concord village, 3455/88miles.
Earl Percy's reinforcement, to the High School in Lexington, 2570½/88miles.
That of his baggage train captured and destroyed in Arlington, 1139⅓/88miles.
As in the beginning of this little history we gratefully chronicled the warm and sympathetic friendship for America that permeated the British nation, and particularly the councils of Parliament, so as we close, we may glance across the ocean again to see if that same friendship can survive the shock of rebellion against the King. In quarrels of a family nature one does not feel unpatriotic if he happens to espouse the cause of the minority. So it was with John Horne Tooke.[318]His intense friendship for this part of the British Kingdom was evident at the start and reached a decided climax after the battle. He was a member of the Constitutional Society, and during an adjournment or recess of a meeting held June 7th proposed that a subscription should be immediately entered into "for raising the sum of one hundred pounds, to be applied to the relief of the widows, orphans, and aged parents, of our beloved American fellow-subjects, who, faithful to the character of Englishmen, preferring death to slavery, were, for that reason only, inhumanly murdered by the King's troops at or near Lexington and Concord." The money was raised and placed at the disposal of Benjamin Franklin, to distribute in accordance with its purpose. The resolution was forwarded to several newspapers, and its publication naturally aroused considerable surprise and painful comment.
Mr. Horne was arrested and tried for "afalse, wicked, malicious, scandalous and seditious libel of, and concerning, his said Majesty's government, and the employment of his troops," etc.[319]He was found guilty and sentenced to a fine of £200; to be imprisoned for twelve months; and that he find securities in £800 for his good behavior, for three years.[320]
I have not read of any other Briton punished to that extent at that time, for friendship for his fellow subjects on this side of the ocean. There were many as sincere and devoted to the cause of the colonists as Horne, and perhaps as openly, too, but he happened to be the one selected to bear the heavy burden of his King's displeasure.
On a much larger and more impressive scale was the petition of the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Commons, of the City of London, in Common Council assembled, to the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament assembled. It was presented in October, and recited how that body had "taken into the most serious consideration the present distressed situation of our fellow subjects in America," and concluded with the prayer that the House would be "pleased to adopt such measures for the healing of the present unhappy disputes between the mother country and the colonies, as may be speedy, permanent and honourable."
But the wise counsels of the great city did not prevail in the House of Parliament, for thatbody simply ordered their petition to "lie upon the table."[321]
So was fought the opening battle of the American Revolution, the beginning of that long struggle which rent in twain the great English nation, and gave birth to these United States.
END.
PageXVline 25 Genealogical, not Genealogicol.11line 20 Mothksin, not Mothskin.11bottom line, 115, 116, not 116, 117.13line 31, MS. not MSS.16line 4, of the note, 1100, not 100.45line 8, Edget, not Edgell.67line 7, latter, not former.67line 8, former, not latter.(ie.Comee wounded, Harrington killed).96line 18, Colonel, not Lieutenant.96line 20, Edget, not Edgett.96line 21, Micajah, not Micajab.96line 32, Nathaniel, not Nathan.96line 33, forty, not thirty-nine.97line 1, fifty, not forty-nine.97line 2, thirty-five, not twenty-five.97line 5, seventeen, not sixteen.97line 8 and 9, 1149, not 1137.97line 9 and 10, 1577, not 1565.97line 17, Whitcom, not Whitcomb.104line 27, forty, not twenty.114line 15, becoming, not became.128line 6, 5, not 15.130line 17, Cook's Company was commanded by hisLieutenant John Marean, thirty-eight men.130lines 23 and 24, 2013, not 1981.133line 11, were, not was.134line 4, seventy-five, not seventy-six.134line 16, Kingsbery, not Kingsbury.134line 23, Lieut. Shaw, not Capt. Shaw.134line 31, fifty-three, not fifty-two.148line 23, Dunster, not Dusnster.161lines 2 and 3, 3792, not 3760.