By the rude bridge that arched the flood,
\nTheir flag to April\u2019s breeze unfurled,
\nHere once the embattled farmers stood,
\nAnd fired the shot heard round the world.<\/p>\n
The foe long since in silence slept;
\nAlike the conqueror silent sleeps;
\nAnd Time the ruined bridge has swept
\nDown the dark stream which seaward creeps.<\/p>\n
On this green bank, by this soft stream,
\nWe set to-day a votive stone;
\nThat memory may their deed redeem,
\nWhen, like our sires, our sons are gone.<\/p>\n
Spirit, that made those heroes dare,
\nTo die, and leave their children free,
\nBid Time and Nature gently spare
\nThe shaft we raise to them and thee.<\/p>\n
—Concord Hymn, Ralph Waldo Emerson<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
At 2 o\u2019clock we began our march … at 5 o\u2019clock we arrived [in Lexington], and saw a number of people, I believe between 200 and 300, formed in a common in the middle of town; we still continued advancing, keeping prepared against an attack through without intending to attack them; but on our coming near them they fired on us two shots, upon which our men without any orders, rushed upon them, fired and put them to flight; several of them were killed, we could not tell how many, because they were behind walls and into the woods. We had a man of the 10th light Infantry wounded, nobody else was hurt. We then formed on the Common, but with some difficulty, the men were so wild they could hear no orders; we waited a considerable time there, and at length proceeded our way to Concord.<\/em> We Nathaniel Mulliken, Philip Russell, [and 32 other men …] do testify and declare, that on the nineteenth in the morning, being informed that… a body of regulars were marching from Boston towards Concord. … About five o\u2019clock in the morning, hearing our drum beat, we proceeded towards the parade, and soon found that a large body of troops were marching towards us, some of our company were coming to the parade, and others had reached it, at which time, the company began to disperse, whilst our backs were turned on the troops, we were fired on by them, and a number of our men were instantly killed and wounded, not a gun was fired by any person in our company on the regulars to our knowledge before they fired on us, and continued firing until we had all made our escape.<\/em>
\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.azuse.cloud\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/04\/800px-concord_expedition_and_patriot_messengers.jpg\" "\\"800px-concord_expedition_and_patriot_messengers\\"")
<\/a><\/p>\n
\n<\/a>
\nI, John Robbins, being of lawful age, do testify and say, that on the nineteenth instant, the Company under the command of Captain John Parker being drawn up (sometime before sunrise) on the green or common, and I being in the front rank, there suddenly appeared a number of the King\u2019s Troops, about a thousand, as I thought, at the distance of about sixty or seventy yards from us, huzzaing and on a quick pace toward us, with three officers in their front on horseback, and on full gallop towards us; the foremost of which cried, \u2018Throw down your arms, ye villains, ye rebels;\u2019 upon which said Company dispersing, the foremost of the three officers ordered their men, saying \u2018Fire, by God, fire;\u2019 at which moment we received a very heavy and close fire from them; at which instant, being wounded, I fell, and several of our men were shot dead by one volley. Captain Parker\u2019s men, I believe, had not then fired a gun.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"