Title: Gage's Instructions
Author: Berniere, Ensign de, Gage, Thomas
Language: English
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Eyewitness Accounts of the American Revolution

Gage's Instructions

Thomas Gage

The New York Times & Arno Press


Reprinted from a microfilm copy in The American Antiquarian Society
Library

Reprint Edition 1971 by Arno Press Inc.

LC# 78-140865
ISBN 0-405-01198-9

Eyewitness Accounts of the American Revolution, Series III
ISBN for complete set: 0-405-01187-3

Manufactured in the United States of America



GENERAL GAGE's

INSTRUCTIONS,

Of 22d _February_ 1775.

To Captain _Brown_ and Ensign _D'Berniere_, (of the army under his
command) whom he ordered to take a sketch of the roads, passes,
heights, &c. from _Boston_ to _Worcester_, and to make other
observations:

With a _curious_

NARRATIVE

Of OCCURRENCES during their mission, Wrote by the _Ensign_.

Together with an ACCOUNT of their doings, in consequence of further
Orders and Instructions from General _Gage_, of the 20th _March_
following, to proceed to _Concord_, to reconnoitre and find out the
state of the provincial magazines; what number of cannon, &c. they
have, and in what condition.

ALSO,

An ACCOUNT of the Transactions of the _British_ troops, from the time
they marched out of _Boston_, on the evening of the 18th, 'till their
_confused_ retreat back, on the _ever memorable Nineteenth of April
1775_; and a Return of their killed, wounded and missing on that
_auspicious day_, as made to Gen. _Gage_.

[Left in town by a _British_ Officer previous to the evacuation of it
by the enemy, and now printed for the information and amusement of the
_curious_.]


_BOSTON_
Printed, and to be sold, by J. GILL, in Court Street.
1779.



INSTRUCTIONS, &_c._


_Boston, February_ 22, 1775.

GENTLEMEN,

You will go through the counties of _Suffolk_ and _Worcester_, taking a
sketch of the country as you pass; it is not expected you should make
out regular plans and surveys, but mark out the roads and distances
from town to town, as also the situation and nature of the country; all
passes must be particularly laid down, noticing the length and breadth
of them, the entrance in and going out of them, and whether to be
avoided by taking other routes.

The rivers also to be sketched out, remarking their breadth and depth
and the nature of their banks on both sides, the fords, if any, and the
nature of their bottoms, many of which particulars may be learned of
the country people.

You will remark the heights you meet with, whether the ascents are
difficult or easy; as also the woods and mountains, with the height and
nature of the latter, whether to be got round or easily past over.

The nature of the country to be particularly noticed, whether inclosed
or open; if the former, what kind of inclosures, and whether the
country admits of making roads for troops on the right or left of the
main road, or on the sides.

You will notice the situation of the towns and villages, their churches
and church-yards, whether they are advantageous spots to take post in,
and capable of being made defencible.

If any places strike you as proper for encampments, or appear strong by
nature, you will remark them particularly, and give reasons for your
opinions.

It would be useful if you cou'd inform yourselves of the necessaries
their different counties could supply, such as provisions, forage,
straw, &c. the number of cattle, horses, &c. in the several townships.

_I am,

Gentlemen,

your most obedient humble servant_,

THOMAS GAGE.

_To Capt._ Brown _52d regiment, and     }
    Ensign_ D'Berniere _10th regiment_. }

(COPY)



NARRATIVE, &_c._


The latter end of _February_ 1775, Capt. _Brown_ and myself, received
orders to go through the counties of _Suffolk_ and _Worcester_, and
sketch the roads as we went, for the information of Gen. _Gage_, as he
expected to have occasion to march troops through that country the
ensuing spring.

We set out from _Boston_ on Thursday, disguised like countrymen, in
brown cloaths and reddish handkerchiefs round our necks; at the ferry
of _Charlestown_, we met a sentry of the 52d regiment, but Capt.
_Brown's_ servant, whom we took along with us, bid him not take any
notice of us, so that we passed unknown to _Charlestown_. From that we
went to _Cambridge_, a pretty town, with a college built of brick, the
ground is entirely level on which the town stands. We next went to
_Watertown_, and were not suspected, it is a pretty large town for
_America_, but would be looked upon as a village in _England_; a little
out of this town we went into a tavern, a Mr. _Brewer_'s, a whig, we
called for dinner, which was brought in by a black woman, at first she
was very civil, but afterwards began to eye us very attentively; she
then went out and a little after returned, when we observed to her that
it was a very fine country, upon which she answered so it is, and we
have got brave fellows to defend it, and if you go up any higher you
will find it so--This disconcerted us a good deal, and we imagined she
knew us from our papers which we took out before her, as the General
had told us to pass for surveyors; however, we resolved not to sleep
there that night, as we had intended, accordingly we paid our bill
which amounted to two pounds odd shillings, but in was old tenor. After
we had left the house we enquired of _John_, our servant, what she had
said, he told us that she knew Capt. _Brown_ very well, that she had
seen him five years before at _Boston_, and knew him to be an officer,
and that she was sure I was one also, and told _John_ that he was a
regular--he denied it; but she said she knew our errant was to take a
plan of the country; that she had seen the river and road through
_Charlestown_ on the paper; she also advised him to tell us not to go
any higher, for if we did we should meet with very bad usage: Upon this
we called a council, and agreed that if we went back we should appear
very foolish, as we had a great number of enemies in town, because the
General had chose to employ us in preference to them; it was absolutely
necessary to push on to _Worcester_, and run all risk rather than go
back until we were forced.--Accordingly we continued our rout and went
about six miles further; we met a country fellow driving a team, and a
fellow with him whom we suspected to be a deserter; they both seemed
very desirous to join company with us and told us, upon our saying we
were going towards _Worcester_, that they were going our way: As we
began to suspect something we stopped at a tavern at the sign of the
golden-ball, with an intention to get a drink and so proceed; but upon
our going in the landlord pleased us so much, as he was not
inquisitive, that we resolved to lye there that night; so we ordered
some fire to be made in the room we were in, and a little after to get
us some coffee; he told us we might have what we pleased, either tea or
coffee. We immediately found out with whom we were, and were not a
little pleased to find, on some conversation, that he was a friend to
government; he told us that he had been very ill-used by them some time
before; but that since he had shewed them that he was not to be
bullied, they had left him pretty quiet.--We then asked him for the
inns that were on the road between his house and _Worcester_, he
recommended us to two, one at about nine miles from his house, a Mr.
_Buckminster_'s, and another at _Worcester_, a namesake of his own, a
Mr. _Jones_. The second day was very rainy and a kind of frost, with it
however we resolved to set off, and accordingly we proceeded to Mr.
_Buckminster_'s; we met nothing extraordinary on the road; we passed
some time in sketching a pass that lay in our road, and of consequence
were very dirty and wet on our arrival: On our entering the house we
did not much like the appearance of things; we asked for dinner and
they gave us some sausages, we praised every thing exceedingly, which
pleased the old woman of the house much; when we told them we intended
staying the night, they gave us a room to ourselves, which was what we
wanted; after being there some time we found we were pretty safe, as by
that time we perceived that the _coate de pay_'s was not a dangerous
one; of consequence we felt very happy, and _Brown_, _I_, and our man
_John_, made a very hearty supper; for we always treated him as our
companion since our adventure with the black woman. We slept there that
night, and the next morning; being a very fine one, we resolved to push
on for _Worcester_, which was about thirty miles from us; we proceeded
about nine miles without any thing extraordinary happening, except
meeting two men whom we suspected to be deserters. We then dined in the
woods on a tongue and some cherry brandy we brought with us, and
changed our stockings, which refreshed us much, our feet being very
wet. We then travelled through a very fine country, missed our way and
went to _Southborough_; we were obliged to turn back a mile to get the
right road. We then passed through _Shrewsbury_; all a fine open
cultivated country. We came into a pass about four miles from
_Worcester_, where we were obliged to stop to sketch. We arrived at
_Worcester_ at five o'clock in the evening, very much fatigued; the
people in the town did not take notice of us as we came in, so that we
got safe to Mr. _Jones_'s tavern; on our entrance he seemed a little
sour, but it wore off by degrees and we found him to be our friend,
which made us very happy; we dined and supped without any thing
happening out of the common run. The next day being Sunday, we could
not think of travelling, as it was contrary to the custom of the
country; nor dare we stir out until the evening because of meeting, and
no-body is allowed to walk the streets during divine service, without
being taken up and examined; so that thinking we could not stand the
examination so well, we thought it prudent to stay at home, where we
wrote and corrected our sketches. The landlord was very attentive to
us, and on our asking what he could give us for breakfast, he told us
tea or any thing else we chose--that was an open confession, what he
was; but for fear he might be imprudent, we did not tell him who we
were, tho' we were certain he knew it. In the evening we went round the
town and on all the hills that command it, sketched every thing we
desired, and returned to the town without being seen. That evening
about eight o'clock the landlord came in and told us there were two
gentlemen who wanted to speak with us; we asked him who they were? on
which he said we wou'd be safe in their company; we said we did not
doubt that, as we hoped that two gentlemen who travelled merely to see
the country and stretch our limbs, as we had lately come from tea,
could not meet with any thing else but civility, when we behaved
ourselves properly; he told us he would come in again in a little time,
and perhaps we wou'd change our minds, and then left us;--an hour after
he returned, and told us the gentlemen were gone, but had begged him to
let us know, as they knew as to be officers of the army, that all their
friends of government at _Petersham_ were disarmed by the rebels, and
that they threatened to do the same at _Worcester_ in a very little
time; he sat and talked politicks, and drank a bottle of wine with
us--and also told us that none but a few friends to government knew we
were in town; we said it was very indifferent to us whether they did or
not, tho' we thought very differently; however, as we imagined we had
staid long enough in that town, we resolved to set off at day-break the
next morning and get to _Framingham_; accordingly off we set, after
getting some roast beef and brandy from our landlord, which was very
necessary on a long march, and prevented us going into houses where
perhaps they might be too inquisitive; we took a road we had not come,
and that led us to the pass four miles from _Worcester_; we went on
unobserved by any one until we passed _Shrewsbury_, where we were
overtaken by a horseman who examined us very attentively, and
especially me, whom he looked at from head to foot as if he wanted to
know me again; after he had taken his observations he rode off pretty
hard and took the _Marlborough_ road, but by good luck we took the
_Framingham_ road again to be more perfect in it, as we thought it
would be the one made use of. We arrived at _Buckminster_'s tavern
about six o'clock that evening, the company of militia were exercising
near the house, and an hour after they came and performed their feats
before the windows of the room we were in; we did not feel very easy at
seeing such a number so very near us; however, they did not know who we
were, and took little or no notice of us--After they had done their
exercise, one of their commanders spoke a very eloquent speech,
recommending patience, coolness and bravery, (which indeed they much
wanted) particularly told them they would always conquer if they did
not break, and recommended them to charge us cooly, and wait for our
fire, and every thing would succeed with them--quotes _Cæsar_ and
_Pompey_, brigadiers _Putnam_ and _Ward_, and all such great men; put
them in mind of _Cape-Breton_, and all the battles they had gained for
his majesty in the last war, and observed that the regulars must have
been ruined but for them.--After so learned and spirited an harangue,
he dismissed the parade, and the whole company came into the house and
drank until nine o'clock, and then returned to their respective homes
full of pot-valour. We slept there that night and no-body in the house
suspected us. Next morning we set off for _Weston_, had a very
agreeable day, having fine weather and a beautiful country to travel
through; we met nothing extraordinary on the road, no-body knew us, and
we were asked very few questions: On our arrival at Mr. _Jones_'s we
met with a very welcome reception, he being our friend; we received
several hints from the family not to attempt to go any more into the
country; but as we had succeeded so well heretofore, we were resolved
so go the _Sudbury_ road, (which was the main road that led to
_Worcester_) and go as far as the thirty-seven mile-stone, where we had
left the main road and taken the _Framingham_ road. We slept at
_Jones_'s that night, and got all our sketches together and sent them
to _Boston_ with our man, so that if they did stop and search us, they
would not get our papers. The next day was very cloudy and threatened
bad weather, towards twelve o'clock it snowed; we dined soon in hopes
the weather would clear up.--At two o'-clock it ceased snowing a
little, and we resolved to set off for _Marlborough_, which was about
sixteen miles off; we found the roads very bad, every step up to our
ankles; we passed through _Sudbury_, a very large village, near a mile
long, the causeway lies across a great swamp, or overflowing of the
river _Sudbury_, and commanded by a high ground on the opposite side;
nobody took the least notice of us until we arrived within three miles
of _Marlborough_, (it was snowing hard all the while) when a horseman
overtook us and asked us from whence we came, we said from _Weston_, he
asked if we lived there, we said no; he then asked us where we resided,
and as we found there was no evading his questions, we told him we
lived at _Boston_; he then asked us where we were going, we told him to
_Marlborough_ to see a friend, (as we intended to go to Mr. _Barnes_'s,
a gentleman to whom we were recommended, and a friend to government) he
then asked us if we were in the army, we said not, but were a good deal
alarmed at his asking us that question; he asked several rather
impertinent questions, and then rode on for _Marlborough_, as we
suppose, to give them intelligence there of our coming,--for on our
entering the town, the people came out of their houses (tho' it snowed
and blew very hard) to look at us, in particular a baker asked Capt.
_Brown_ where are you going master, he answered on to see Mr.
_Barnes_.--We proceeded to Mr. _Barnes_'s and on our beginning to make
an apology for taking the liberty to make use of his house and
discovering to him that we were officers in disguise, he told us we
need not be at the pains of telling him, that he knew our situation,
that we were very well known (he was afraid) by the town's people.--We
begged he would recommend some tavern where we should be safe, he told
us we could be safe no where but in his house; that the town was very
violent, and that we had been expected at Col. _Williams_'s the night
before, where there had gone a party of liberty people to meet us,--(we
suspected, and indeed had every reason to believe, that the horseman
that met us and took such particular notice of me the morning we left
_Worcester_, was the man who told them we should be at _Marlborough_
the night before, but our taking the _Framingham_ road when he had
parted us, deceived him:)--Whilst we were talking the people were
gathering in little groups in every part of the town.--Mr. _Barnes_
asked us who had spoke to us on our coming into the town, we told him a
baker; he seemed a little startled at that, told us he was a very
mischievous fellow, and that there was a deserter at his house; Capt.
_Brown_ asked the man's name, he said it was _Swain_, that he had been
a drummer; _Brown_ knew him too well, as he was a man of his own
company, and had not been gone above a month--so we found we were
discovered.--We asked Mr. _Barnes_ if they did get us into their hands,
what they would do with us; he did not seem to like to answer; we asked
him again, he then said we knew the people very well, that we might
expect the worst of treatment from them--Immediately after this, Mr.
_Barnes_ was called out; he returned a little after and told us the
doctor of the town had come to tell him he was come to sup with
him--(now this fellow had not been within Mr. _Barnes_'s doors for two
years before, and came now for no other business than to see and betray
us)--_Barnes_ told him he had company and could not have the pleasure
of attending him that night; upon this the fellow stared about the
house and asked one of Mr. _Barnes_'s children who her father had got
with him, the child innocently answered that she had asked her pappa,
but he told her it was not her business; he then went, I suppose, to
tell the rest of his crew.--When we found we were in that situation, we
resolved to lie down for two or three hours, and set off at twelve
o'clock at night; so we got some supper on the table and were just
beginning to eat, when _Barnes_ (who had been making enquiry of his
servants) found they intended to attack us, and then he told us plainly
he was very uneasy for us, that we could be no longer in safety in that
town: upon which we resolved to set off immediately, and asked Mr.
_Barnes_ if there was no road round the town, so that we might not be
seen; he took us out of his house by the stables, and directed us a bye
road which was to lead us a quarter of a mile from the town, it snowed
and blew as much as ever I see it in my life; however, we walked pretty
fast, fearing we should be pursued; at first we felt much fatigued,
having not been more than twenty minutes at Mr. _Barnes_'s to refresh
ourselves, and the roads (if possible) were worse than when we came;
but in a little time after it wore off; and we got without being
perceived, as far as the hills that command the causeway at _Sudbury_,
and went into a little wood where we eat a bit of bread that we took
from Mr. _Barnes_'s, and eat a little snow to wash it down.--After that
we preceded about one hundred yards, when a man came out of a house and
said those words to Capt. _Brown_, "What do you think will become of
you now," which startled us a good deal, thinking we were betrayed.--We
resolved to push on at all hazards, but expected to be attacked on the
causeway; however we met no-body there, so began to think it was
resolved to stop us in _Sudbury_, which town we entered when we passed
the causeway; about a quarter of a mile in the town we met three or
four horsemen, from whom we expected a few shot, when we came nigh they
opened to the right and left and quite crossed the road, however they
let us pass through them without taking any notice, their opening being
only chance; but our apprehensions made us interpret every thing
against us.--At last we arrived at our friend _Jones_'s again, very
much fatigued, after walking thirty-two miles between two o'clock and
half-after ten at night, through a road that every step we sunk up to
the ankles, and it blowing and drifting snow all the way--_Jones_ said
he was glad to see us back, as he was sure we should meet with
ill-usage in that part of the country, as they had been watching for us
sometime; but said he found we were so deaf to his hints, that he did
not like to say any thing for fear we should have taken it ill: we
drank a bottle of mulled Madeira wine, which refreshed us very much,
and went to bed and slept as sound as men could do, that were very much
fatigued. The next morning, after breakfast, we set off for _Boston_.
_Jones_ shewed us a road that took us a quarter of a mile below
_Watertown_ bridge, as we did not chuse to go through that town. We
arrived at _Boston_ about twelve o'clock, and met General _Gage_ and
General _Haldiman_, with their aid-de-camps, walking out on the neck,
they did not know us until we discovered ourselves; we besides met
several officers of our acquaintance, who did not know us.

A few days after our return, Mr. _Barnes_ came to town from
_Marlborough_, and told us, immediately on our quitting the town, the
committee of correspondence came to his house and demanded us; he told
them we were gone; they then searched his house from top to bottom,
looked under the beds and in their cellars, and when they found we were
gone, they told him if they had caught us in his house they would have
pulled it about his ears.--They then sent horsemen after us, every
road; but as we had the start of them, and the weather being so very
bad, they either did not overtake us, or missed us. Mr. _Barnes_ told
them we were not officers, but relations of his wife's, from
_Penobscot_, and were gone to _Lancaster_; that, perhaps, might have
deceived them.

                 *       *       *       *       *

_Account of the proceedings of the aforesaid officers, in consequence
of further orders end instructions from General_ Gage, _of the 20th
March following; with occurrences during their mission_.

The twentieth of _March_ Captain _Brown_ and myself received orders to
set out for _Concord_, and examine the road and situation of the town;
and also to get what information we could relative to what quantity of
artillery and provisions. We went through _Roxbury_ and _Brookline_,
and came into the main road between the thirteen and fourteen
mile-stones in the township of _Weston_; we went through part of the
pass at the eleven mile-stone, took the _Concord_ road, which is seven
miles from the main road. We arrived there without any kind of insult
being offered us, the road is high to the right and low to the left,
woody in most places, and very close and commanded by hills frequently.
The town of _Concord_ lies between hills that command it entirely;
there is a river runs through it, with two bridges over it, in summer
it is pretty dry; the town is large and covers a great tract of ground,
but the houses are not close together but generally in little groups.
We were informed that they had fourteen pieces of cannon (ten iron and
four brass) and two cohorns, they were mounted but in so bad a manner
that they could not elevate them more than they were, that is, they
were fixed to one elevation, their iron cannon they kept in a house in
town, their brass they had concealed in some place behind the town, in
a wood. They had also a store of flour, fish, salt and rice; and a
magazine of powder and cartridges. They fired their morning gun, and
mounted a guard of ten men at night. We dined at the house of a Mr.
_Bliss_, a friend to government; they had sent him word they would not
let him go out of town alive that morning; however, we told him if he
would come with us we would take care of him, as we were three and all
well armed,--he consented and told us he could shew us another road,
called the _Lexington_ road. We set out and crossed the bridge in the
town, and of consequence left the town on the contrary side of the
river to what we entered it. The road continued very open and good for
six miles, the next five a little inclosed, (there is one very bad
place in this five miles) the road good to _Lexington_. You then come
to _Menotomy_, the road still good; a pond or lake at _Menotomy_. You
then leave _Cambridge_ on your right, and fall into the main road a
little below _Cambridge_, and so to _Charlestown_; the road is very
good almost all the way.

In the town of _Concord_, a woman directed us to Mr. _Bliss_'s house; a
little after she came in crying, and told us they swore if she did not
leave the town, they would tar and feather her for directing Tories in
their road.

                 *       *       *       *       *

Transactions _of the_ British _troops previous to, and at the Battle
of_ Lexington; _with a Return of their killed, wounded and missing, as
made to General_ Gage.

On the night of the 18th of _April_, 1774 at nine o'clock, the
grenadiers and light-infantry of the army at _Boston_, received orders
to embark immediately under the command of Col. _Smith_, in the men of
war's boats, and proceed according to his directions. They embarked at
the common in _Boston_, and crossed to the shore lying between
_Charlestown_ and _Cambridge_, where they landed and received a day's
provisions: They began their march about twelve o'clock for _Concord_,
that being the place they were ordered to go to, for the purpose
of destroying some military stores laid up there by the rebels. The
troops received no interruption in their march until they arrived at
_Lexington_, a town eleven miles from _Boston_, where there were about
150 rebels drawn out in divisions, with intervals as wide at the front
of the divisions; the light-infantry who marched in front halted, and
Major _Pitcairn_ came up immediately and cried out to the rebels to
throw down their arms and disperse, which they did not do; he called
out a second time, but to no purpose; upon which he ordered our
light-infantry to advance and disarm them, which they were doing, when
one of the rebels fired a shot, our soldiers returned the fire and
killed about fourteen of them; there was only one of the 10th
light-infantry received a shot through his leg; some of them got into
the church and fired from it, but were soon drove out. We then
continued our march for _Concord_, and arrived there between nine and
ten o'clock in the morning of the 19th _April_, the light-infantry
marched on the hills that lay the length of the town, and the
grenadiers took the lower road immediately on our arrival; Capt.
_Parsons_ of the 10th, was dispatched with six light-companies to take
possession of a bridge that lay three quarters of a mile from
_Concord_, and I was ordered to shew him the road there, and also to
conduct him to a house where there was some cannon and other stores
hid; when we arrived at the bridge, three companies under the command
of Capt. _Lowry_ of the 43rd, were left to protect it, these three
companies were not close together, but situated so as to be able to
support each other; we then proceeded to Col. _Barrett_'s, where these
stores were, we did not find so much as we expected, but what there was
we destroyed; in the mean time Capt. _Lowry_ and his party were
attacked by about 1500 rebels and drove from the bridge, three officers
were wounded and one killed, three soldiers were killed and a number
wounded, notwithstanding they let Capt. _Parsons_ with his three
companies return, and never attacked us; they had taken up some of the
planks of the bridge, but we got over; had they destroyed it we were
most certainly all lost; however, we joined the main body. Col. _Smith_
during our absence, had sent Capt. _Pole_ of 10th regiment, to destroy
some provisions and cannon that were lodged in another part of the
town, he knock'd the trunnions off three iron 24 pound cannon and burnt
their carriages; they also destroyed a quantity of flour, and some
barrels of trenchers and spoons of wood for their camp. Upon the
different detachment's joining the main body, and after getting some
horses and chaises for the wounded, we began the march to return to
_Boston_, about twelve o'clock in the day, in the same order of march,
only our flankers were more numerous and further from the main body;
all the hills on each side of us were covered with rebels--there could
not be less than 5000; so that they kept the road always lined and a
very hot fire on us without intermission; we at first kept our order
and returned their fire as hot as we received it, but when we arrived
within a mile of _Lexington_, our ammunition began to fail, and the
light companies were so fatigued with flanking they were scarce able to
act, and a great number of wounded scarce able to get forward, made a
great confusion; Col. _Smith_ (our commanding-officer) had received a
wound through his leg, a number of officers were also wounded, so that
we began to run rather than retreat in order--the whole behaved with
amazing bravery, but little order; we attempted to stop the men and
form them two deep, but to no purpose, the confusion increased rather
than lessened: At last, after we got though _Lexington_, the officers
got to the front and presented their bayonets, and told the men if they
advanced they should die: Upon this they began to form under a very
heavy fire; but at that instant, the first brigade joined us,
consisting of the 4th, 23d, and 47th regiments, and two divisions of
marines, under the command of Brigadier-General Lord _Percy_; he
brought two field-pieces with him, which were immediately brought to
bear upon the rebels, and soon silenced their fire.--After a little
firing the whole halted for about half an hour to rest. Lord _Percy_
then made the light-infantry march in front, the grenadiers next, and
the first brigade brought up the rear and sent out flankers; the rebels
still kept firing on us, but very lightly until we came to _Menotomy_,
a village with a number of houses in little groups extending about half
a mile, out of these houses they kept a very heavy fire, but our troops
broke into them and killed vast numbers; the soldiers shewed great
bravery in this place, forcing houses from whence came a heavy fire,
and killing great numbers of the rebels. At about seven o'clock in the
evening we arrived at _Charlestown_, they kept up a scattering fire at
us all the way; at _Charlestown_ we took possession of a hill that
commanded the town, the Selectmen of which sent to Lord _Percy_ to let
him know that if he would not attack the town, they would take care
that the troops should not be molested, and also they would do all in
their power for to get us across the ferry; the _Somerset_ man of war
lay there at that time, and all her boats were employed first in
getting over the wounded, and after them the rest of the troops; the
piquets of 10th regiment, and some more troops, were sent over to
_Charlestown_ that night to keep every thing quiet, and returned next
day. The rebels shut up the neck, placed sentinels there, and took
prisoner an officer of the 64th regiment that was going to join his
regiment at _Castle-William_.--So that in the course of two days, from
a plentiful town, we were reduced to the disagreeable necessity of
living on salt provisions, and fairly blocked up in _Boston_.

                 *       *       *       *       *

RETURN _of the killed, wounded and missing, on the 19th of_ April,
1775, _as made to General_ Gage.

  KILLED.

  IVth regiment, Lieut. _Knight_, at _Menotomy_.
  XLIIId, ditto, Lieut. _Hull_, bridge beyond _Concord_.

  WOUNDED.

  IVth regiment, Lieut. _Gould_, bridge beyond _Concord_.
  Vth,    ditto, Lieut. _Hauxshaw_, near _Lexington_.
          ditto, Lieut. _Cox_,          ditto.
          ditto, Lieut. _Baker_,        ditto.
  Xth     ditto, Lieut. Col. _Smith_,   ditto.
          ditto, Lieut. _Kelly_, bridge beyond _Concord_.
          ditto, Ensign _Lester_, near _Concord_.
  XXIIId  ditto, Lieut. Col. _Bernard_, _Menotomy_.
  XXXVIIId do.   Lieut. _Sunderland_, bridge _Concord_.
  XLVIIth ditto, Ensign _Baldwin_, near _Lexington_.
          ditto, Ensign _McCloud_,      ditto.
  MARINES. {Capt. _Souter_, and } near _Lexington_.
           {Lieut. _Potter_     }

  PRISONERS.

  IVth regiment, Lieut. _Gould_.
  LXIVth  ditto, Lieut. _Hamilton_.
  MARINES.       Lieut. _Potter_.

                 _Killed.  Wounded.  Missing._
  Officers            2        13        3
  Serjeants           2         7        1
  Drummers            1         0        1
  Rank and File      68       154       21
                     --       ---       --
    _Total_,         73       174       26





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