a cart whip lustily to the animal's flanks, so as to incite him to most unwonted speed. At the same time, he lifted up his voice and shouted in a strange, high tone, that communicated the tremor and excitement of the shouter 'Alarum! Alarum! The Redcoats! the Redcoats! To arms! To arms! Alarum!' and trailing this sound far wavering behind him like a pennon, the eager horseman dashed onward to the village."

Another messenger was sent to Watertown; Major Buttrick meanwhile asking Reuben Brown1 to ride toward Lexington and learn what news he could and bring back word. Brown seems to have hastened back at the first firing with his report, for he could not be sure if bullets or blank cartridges had been used, though he thought probably bullets. He seems next to have ridden to Hopkinton.2 Doubtless with this increased information of what was at hand, the exertions to conceal the stores were redoubled.

Bedford men were already in town, summoned the night previous by Nathan Munroe and Benjamin Tidd, who had been sent by Captain Parker and ordered to return by way of Merriam's Corner, alarming the country as they rode.3 They probably first called Captain Wilson and Captain Moore and afterward roused Ensign Page3 from his bride. Captain Wilson was somewhat prepared for the tidings, for his brother-in-law, Thompson Maxwell, was spending the night with him, and being familiar with camps, had noticed little matters in Boston leading him to suspect some action afoot, and they were talking it over excitedly when Captain Parker's messenger arrived about one in the morning. Another Bedford man, Lieutenant Edward Stearns, had married a half sister of Captain Wilson's, and is said to have taken command later in the day, when 1 Frederick Hudson. Harper's Monthly, May, 1875.

2 History of Concord, 104. Shattuck.

3 Bedford Sesqui-Centennial Celebration, 1879, 22. Jonathan F. Stearns, D.D. Boston, 1879.

4 Beneath Old Roof Trees, 176, 185. Brown.

Wilson fell. His son Solomon,' nineteen years of age, and a nine year old brother Abner were sleeping side by side when the call came. Sol marched away never to come home alive, sickening in Cambridge camp, where he died May 18th following. There were three girls,' Rachel sixteen, Susanna thirteen, and Alice eleven, who melted pewter spoons and made cartridges, besides preparing breakfast supplies for the men. Their home being near the river, the sound of the firing was carried there by water when the affair took place at the North bridge. Rachel Stearns had much to try her. The twins, John and Matthew Fitch, had reported early at Fitch's tavern, the Bedford rendezvous, their mother having called after them, "Be sure and get something warm at Jeremiah's." An elder brother, Moses, a lad of nineteen, followed on after them, stopping on his way for a last word with Rachel, to whom he was engaged. Goodies from home and goodies from Rachel followed him to Cambridge, and at length, 1782, on Thanksgiving Day, the two were united. The wedding ring then used has, so the story runs, been worn by three Rachels since, in 1819, 1868, and 1893.

As we have seen, the Bedford men rallied at the tavern. Sol Lane used to say Captain Wilson drew his men up at Sergeant Jeremiah Fitch's door and said, "Come, boys, we'll take a little something, and we'll have every dog of them before night." And as they ate their rye bread and cheese he said, "We give you a cold breakfast, boys, but we will give the British a hot supper." "Ah,” ended Lane's story, "he was as lively as a bird, but he never came home 'till they brought him home."

The flag carried by Ensign Page still exists in the Bedford Public Library and has an exceptionally interesting history, being no less, so it is claimed, than the flag designed

1 History of Bedford, “Genealogical and Biographical," 34. Abram English Brown. Bedford, 1891. Published by the author.

2 American Monthly Magazine, October, 1895.

Story of Patriots' Day, 97, 94. Varney.

Beneath Old Roof Trees, 204-12, 198–203. Brown.
Bedford Celebration, 1879, 23. Stearns.

in England between 1660 and '70 for the "Three Counties" of Middlesex, Suffolk, and Essex. It is of red silk, and bears the device of three silver balls, and a hand holding a dagger, with the motto "Vince aut morire." It or its predecessor had been carried by a previous Ensign Page in the French and Indian War, and even earlier, in King Philip's. It was intended apparently for a cavalry flag, being about two feet square and fixed on a long staff. Originally it was ornamented by a border, but Madam Ruhamah Lane, when past ninety, owned that she had, as a "giddy girl," spoiled the old flag of its silver fringe and gone to a military ball decked grandly in its trimmings.

While toiling over the stores the Ensign laid his beautiful flag against a stone wall for the time being. On his return2 he is said to have found some boys playing soldier with it, all unconscious that a war had broken out which would not have finished until some of them were men.

3

About 4 o'clock, while it was still dark, two companies from Lincoln reached Concord - the Militia, under Captain Abijah Pierce, and the Minute-men, led by Captain William Smith, Samuel Hoar being one of his lieutenants. A little before seven the advance guard, stationed a mile and a quarter toward Lexington at the end of the Ridge, in the easterly part of the town, brought word that the British troops were at hand, "and their numbers treble ours." 4 Thaddeus Blood continues: 5 "We were then formed, the minute men on the right, and Captain Barrett on the left, and marched in order to the end of Merriam's Hill, then so called, and saw the British troops a-coming down Brook's Hill. The sun was rising and shined on their arms, and they made a noble appearance in their red coats and glistening arms." The Bedford men were with the rest on the Ridge and saw the Regulars enter, saying 1 Beneath Old Roof Trees, 200. Brown.

2 History of Middlesex County, II, 830. Hurd.

3 Concord Gazette and Middlesex Yeoman, April 8, 1826.

Rev. William Emerson. Concord Guide Book, 34. Bartlett.
Boston Daily Advertiser, April 20, 1886.

grimly,1 “We must spoil their fine uniforms before night." Josiah Merriam2 and his older boys, Josiah, Jr., and Timothy, had joined the neighbors in the village, leaving little Joseph, a boy of seven, at home, as he always said, "to take care of the women." Before long the family left the house, which still stands at the corner of the Bedford road, and went into the woods behind the hill. The hungry British soon after came by and drew unbaked pies from the oven and took the soft-soap kettle from the crane, scattering soap and ashes over the hearth, in a hasty search for food. Daniel Hoar, son of Timothy, was born in 1752; he married Mary Rogers, who was sixteen at this time. They lived in the house since made famous as the Wayside by Hawthorne. When the British soldiers came along some of them stopped at the well for a cool drink, ordering Mary to draw water for them. But "the Concord people were not obeying the orders of the redcoats that day, and she refused.” A soldier pointed a musket at her without effect, and they finally drew what was wanted themselves. A similar story is told of an aged man who was ordered by one of the officers to fetch him a glass of water; his reply being, "There is the well; get it yourself." As they stood on the Ridge looking down, the small body of Patriots, some 150 at that time, could see the bayonets of 800 Regulars glittering as they came round the bend by John Beaton's, the long line wavering and rippling as they kept step. A counsel was held. The impetuous young minister, feeling the momentousness of the occasion, besought them to "keep their ground, and if they died, die there." 5

Colonel Barrett, suffering from suffering from a disease a disease which made walking almost impossible, but left him the use of

1 Bedford Celebration, 1879, 23. Stearns.

2 American Antiquarian Soc. Pro. "Concord," by John McKinstry Merriam.

April, 1894.

3 Under Colonial Roofs, 163-4. Jones.

"Wayside Happenings in 1775." Rev. Edward G. Porter.

Harper's Magazine, May, 1875.

6 "Events of April 19." George Tolman. Concord Antiquarian Society.

the saddle, on the point of going back to make sure that the stores were concealed and nothing suspicious in sight, warned his men 1 "not to expose themselves without the prospect of doing good service" and rode off. "Let us go and meet them," said one impulsively; then Eleazar Brooks of Lincoln spoke his mind, which was clearly to the effect: It would not do for them to begin the fight while uncertain as to what had befallen at Lexington. More were continually arriving, it would be more prudent to fall back, and let the British distinctly deal the first blow.

Accordingly the Provincials remained on the Ridge until the redcoat flank was within a few rods, when they fell back some eighty rods, retreating "in order," says Blood,' "over the top of the hill to the liberty pole erected on the heights opposite the Meeting House and made a halt.” Amos Barrett, a member of the Concord Minute Company (whose powder horn was carved with horses, fish, ships, and wheels and the legend "Amos Barrett, His Horn," "), in an account written in 1825, adds, "We halted and staid till they got within about 100 rods, then we was ordered to the about face and marched before them with our drums and fifes a-going, and also the British. We had grand musick." "The main body of the British," continues Blood, "marched up in the road, and a detachment of [6 companies] of Light Infantry followed us over the hill and halted in half gun shot of us at the liberty pole. We then marched over the burying ground to the road, and then over the bridge to Hunt's Hill, or Punkatassett, so called at that time." Respecting these movements, we have the

1 Concord Gazette and Middlesex Yeoman, April 8, 1826.

2 History of Concord, 105-6. Shattuck.

3 Harper's Magazine, May, 1875.

4 Boston Daily Advertiser, April 20, 1886.

5 Journal and Letters of Rev. Henry True, etc. Also An Account of the Battle of Concord, etc. Ed. Henry True.

Boston Morning Journal, April 20, 1875. Supplement.

7 Concord Guide Book, 29. Bartlett.