Table of

nly put a stop to further rebellious acts, but would cause the colonists to feel sorry for what they h

Han

sts made up their minds they would not be put down in this manner. They said: "The King has broken up th

army was called for, and provision made that a certain number of the men enlisted should

these preparations, General Gage, who was in command of the British troops in Boston, had received ord

ock's Hom

John Hancock was president of th

gton. He had learned also through spies that minutemen had collected some cannon and mil

f troops to arrest the two leaders at Lexington, and the

nute

inutemen. We shall see how one of these, Paul Revere, outwitted him. Perhaps you have read Longf

py out the British plans. I fancy that the daring and courage called for in this business appealed to the high spirits and love of adventure of these young

at they believed General Gage was about to carry out his plan, already reported to the patriot

on and Concord and give the alarm. He sent them by different routes, hoping that one at least migh

orth

oston Neck, and Paul Revere was g

show by which route the British forces were advancing, "one if by land and two if by sea," he stepped

, straining his eyes in the darkness to catch sight of the signal-lights. The horse waits obedient t

evere'

Then another light! "Two if by sea!" The British troops

saddle and spurring his horse, he sp

im. He turns quickly and, dashing into a side-path,

es at every house to shout: "Up and arm! Up and

m from the windows. Doors open a

s and Hancock are sleeping. "Make less noise! Don't disturb the people inside," they warn the lus

off together toward Concord, in company with Samuel Prescott, a prominent Son of Liberty whose home was

nd rode in hot haste to Concord, which he reached in safety; but Pa

OF LEXINGTO

re they had gone far they were made aware, by the ringing of church-bells, the firing of signal-guns, the beating of drums, and th

Common Marking the L

ent Major Pitcairn ahead with a picked body of troops, in the hope that they might reach Lex

alling to arms thousands of patriots ready to die for their rights. Hastily wakened from sleep, men snatched their old muskets

rched into Lexington, where he found forty or

. But they did not disperse. Pitcairn ordered his me

where, commanding Revere to dismount, they let him go. Running off at full speed to the house where Samuel Adams and

ounded, Colonel Smith hastened to Concord. He arrived about seven i

not get at those. But they cut down the liberty-pole, set fire to th

side. When the minutemen had increased to four hundred, they advanced to the bridge and brought on a fight which resul

ton and

. Even in the town they could not rest, for an ever-increasing b

n to Boston. So, although his men had marched twenty miles, and had had li

ual fight. The minutemen, trained to woodland warfare, slipped from tree to tree, shot down the wor

rd Br

tone wall and hill, every house and barn seemed to the exhausted British troops to bristle with the guns of minutemen.

Lord Percy, whose timely arrival saved the entire force from capture. Lord Percy's men formed a square for the protection of the retreating s

ers every moment, kept up the same kind of running attack that they had made between Concord and Lexington un

en driven back, almost in a panic, to Boston, with a loss of n

He had a vision of his superb regiments in thei

saw clearly and without glamour the deadly nature of the struggle upon which they had enter

ement. Farmers, mechanics, men in all walks of life flocked to the army, and within a

al Congress, coming together for the second time, was making plans for carrying on the war by voting money for war purposes and by making George Washington commander-in-chief

ge, Praying for the Bunker Hill Entrenching Party

ton, making an army of ten thousand men. Believing they could be forced to leav

ed Americans marched quietly from Cambridge and, advancing to Breed's Hil

at Bunk

on awaking, were greatly surprised to see what had been done. They turned the fire

would be easy enough to drive off the "rebels." So about thre

fering from the heat of a summer sun, had to march through t

r. Powder was low, and must not be wasted. Colonel William Prescott, who was in command,

the slope of the hill and charge the breastworks. Twice the A

Hill Mo

er has given out! A great rush-and the redcoats have climbed over. But it is no easy victory even now, a

great loss. "Many such," said one crit

news of the battle brought joy to every loyal heart. Washin

stand fire?" was

was the

he liberties of the

ngs To T

ll the story of his famous ri

troops march out to

on the morning of the batt

reed's Hill? What were the resu

that the Americans had stood their g