A Narrative, of the Excursion and Ravages of the King ’s Troops Under the Command of General Gage, on the nineteenth of April, 1775: Together with the Depositions...

WE NATHANIEL PARKHURST, JONAS PARKER, JOHN MUNROE, jun. JOHN WINDSHIP, SOLOMON PEIRCE, JOHN MUZZY, ABNER MEADS, JOHN BRIDGE, jun. EBENEZER BOWMAN, WILLIAM MUNROE, 3d. MICAH HAGAR, SAMUEL SANDERSON, SAMUEL HASTINGS, and JAMES BROWN, of Lexington in the county of Middlesex and colony of the Massachusetts-Bay, in New-England, and all of lawful age, do testify and say, that on the morning of the nineteenth of April, instant, about one or two o’clock, being informed that a number of regular officers had been riding up and down the road the evening and night preceding, and that some of the inhabitants as they were passing had been insulted by the officers and stoped by them, and being also informed that the regular troops, were on their march from Boston, in order (as it was said) to take the colony stores. 

We met on the parade of our Company in (Concord), after the company had collected we were ordered by Capt. John Parker, (who commanded us) to disperse for the present, and to be ready to attend the beat of the drum, and accordingly the company went into houses near the place of parade. We further testify and say, that about five o’clock in the morning we attended the beat of our drum, and where formed on the parade, we were faced towards the regulars then marching up to us, and some of our company were coming to the parade, with their backs towards the troops, and others on the parade began to disperse, when the regulars fired on the company before a gun was fired by any of our company on them, they killed eight of our company and wounded several, and continued their fire until we had all made our escape.

Lexington, 25th April, 1775.