WE SOLOMON BROWN, JONATHAN LORING, and ELIJAH SANDERSON, all of lawful age and of Lexington, in the county of Middlesex and colony of the Mas­sachusetts-Bay, in New-England, do testify and declare, That on the evening of the eighteenth of April instant, being on the road between Lexington and Concord, and all of us mount­ed on horses, we were about ten of the Clock, suddenly sur­prized by nine persons whom we took to be regular officers, who rode up to us, mounted and armed, each holding a pistol in his hand, and after putting pistols, to our breasts, and seizing the bri­dles of our horses, they swore that if we stirred another step we should be all dead men, upon which we surrendered ourselves, they detain­ed us until two o'clock the next morning, in which time they search­ed and greatly abused us, having first enquired about the magazine at Concord, whether any guards were posted there and whether the bridges were up, and said four or five regiments of regulars would be in possession of the stores soon, they then brought us back to Lex­ington, cut the horses bridles and girts, turned them loose, and then left us.

I ELIJAH SANDERSON above-named, do further testify and declare that I was in Lexington Common the morning of the nineteenth of April aforesaid, having been dismissed by the officers abovementioned and saw a large body of regular troops advancing towards Lexington Company, many of whom were then dispersing, I heard one of the regulars, whom I took to be an officer, say, damn them we will have them, and imme­diately the regulars shouted aloud, run and fired on the Lex­ington Company, which did not fire a gun before the regulars discharged on them, eight of the Lexington company were kil­led, while they were dispersing and at considerable distance, from each other, and many wounded, and although a spectator I narrowly escaped with my life.

I THOMAS RICE WILLARD, of lawful age, do testify and declare, that being in the house of Daniel Harrington, of Lexington, on the nineteenth instant, in the morning, about half an hour before sun-rise, looked out at the window of said house and saw (as I suppose) about four hundred of regulars in one body coming up the road and marched toward the north part of the Common back of the meeting house, of said Lexing­ton, and as soon as said regulars were against the East End of the meeting house, the commanding officer said something, what I know not, but upon that the regulars ran till they came within about eight or nine rods of about an hundred of the militia of Lexington who were collected on said common, at which time the militia of Lexington dispersed, then the officers made an huzza, and the private soldiers succeeded them, directly after this, an officer rode before the regulars, to the other side of the body, and hollowed after the Militia of said Lexington, and said "Lay down your arms, damn you, why don't you lay down your arms," and that there was not a gun fired till the militia of Lexington were dispersed, and further saith not.

SIMON WINSHIP of Lexington, in the county of Middle­sex, and province of the Massachusetts-Bay in New-Eng­land, being of lawful age testifieth and saith, that on the nine­teenth of April instant, about four o'clock in the morning, as he was passing the public road in said Lexington, peaceably and unarmed, about two miles and an half distant from the meeting house in said Lexington, he was met by a body of the King's regu­lar troops, and being stopped by some officers of said troops was [Page 7] commanded to dismount, upon asking why he must dismount, he was obliged by force to quit his horse, and ordered to march in the midst of the body, and being examined whether he had been warning the minute-men he answered no, but had been out and was then returning to his father's. Said Winship fur­ther testifies, that he marched with said troops until he came within about half a quarter of a mile of said meeting-house, where an Officer commanded the troops to halt, and then to prime and load, this being done, the said troops marched on till they came within a few rods of Capt. Parker, and company, who were partly collected on the place of parade, when said Winship ob­served an officer at the head of said troops, flourishing his sword and with a loud voice giving the word fire, which was instantly followed by a discharge of arms from said regular troops, and said Winship is positive, and in the most solemn manner de­clares, that there was no discharge of arms on either side, till the word fire was given by said Officer as above,

I JOHN PARKER, of lawful age, and commander of the militia in Lexington, do testify and declare, that on the 19th instant, in the morning about one of the Clock, being in­formed that there were a number of the regular officers riding up and down the road, stopping and insulting people as they passed the road, and also was informed that a number of the regular troops were on their march from Boston, in order to take the province stores at Concord, ordered our militia to meet on the common in said Lexington, to consult what to do, and concluded not to be discovered nor meddle or make with said regular troops (if they should approach) unless they should insult or molest us, and upon their sudden approach, I immediately ordered our militia to disperse and not to fire. Immediately said troops made their appearance and rushing furiously, fired upon and killed eight of our party, without receiving any provocation therefor from us.

I JOHN ROBBINS, being of lawful age to testify and say, that on the 19th 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's troops, about a thou­sand, as I thought, at the distance of about sixty or seventy yards from us, huzzaing, and on a quick pace towards us, with three officers in their front on horse back, and on full gallop towards us, the foremost of which cried, throw down your arms, ye vil­lains, ye rebels, upon which said company dispersing, the fore­most of the three officers ordered their men saying fire, by God, fire, 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 me. Capt. Parker's men I believe, had not then fired a gun, and further the deponent saith not.

WE BENJAMIN TIDD, of Lexington, and JOSEPH ABBOT, of Lincoln, in the county of Middlesex, and colony of the Massachusetts-Bay, in New-England, of lawful age do testify and declare, that on the morning of the nineteenth of April instant, about five o'clock being on Lexington com­mon and mounted on horses, we saw a body of Regular Troops marching up to the Lexington company which was then dispersing, soon after the regulars fired, first a few guns, which we took to be pistols, from some of the regulars who were mounted on horses, and then the said regulars fired a volley or two before any guns were fired, by the Lexington company. Our horses immediately started and we rode off and further say not.

WE NATHANIEL MULLIKEN, PHILLIP RUSSELL, MOSES HARRINGTON, jun. THOMAS and DA­NIEL HARRINGTON, WILLIAM GRIMER, WILLIAM TIDD, ISAAC HASTINGS, JONAS STONE, jun. JAMES WYMAN, THADDEUS HARRINGTON, JOHN CHAN­DLER, JOSHUA REED, jun. JOSEPH SIMONDS, PHINEAS SMITH, JOHN CHANDLER, jun. RUEBEN LOCK, JOEL VILES, NATHAN REED, SAMUEL TIDD, BENJAMIN LOCK, THOMAS WINSHIP, SI­MEON SNOW, JOHN SMITH, MOSES HARRING­TON, 3d. JOSHUA READ, EBENEZER PARKER, JOHN HARRINGTON, ENOCH WILLINGTON, JOHN HOSMER, ISAAC GREEN, PHINEAS STEARNS, ISAAC DURANT, and THOMAS HEAD­LY, jun. all of lawful age, and inhabitants of Lexington, in the county of Middlesex, and Colony of the Massa­chusetts-Bay, in New-England, do testify and declare, that on the nineteenth of April instant, about one or two o'clock in the morning, being informed that several officers of the regu­lars, had the evening before been riding up and down the road, and had detained and insulted the inhabitants passing [...] same, and also understanding that a body of regulars were marching from Boston, towards Concord, with intent (as it was supposed) to take the stores belonging to the colony in that town, we were alarmed and having met at the place of our Company's parade, were dismissed by our Captain, John Parker, for the present, with orders to be ready to attend at the beat of the drum, we fur­ther testify and declare, that about five o'clock 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 up 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 they continued firing until we had all made our escape

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 [Page 11] also informed that the regular troops, were on their march from Boston, in order (as it was said) to take the colony stores then depo­Concord, we met on the parade of our Company in this town, 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 above 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.

I TIMOTHY SMITH of Lexington, in the county of Mid­dlesex and colony of Massachusetts-Bay, in New-England, being of lawful age, do testify and declare, that on the morn­ing of the nineteenth of April instant, being at Lexington com­mon, as a spectator, I saw a large body of regular troops, march­ing up towards the Lexington Company then dispersing, and likewise saw the regular troops fire on the Lexington company before the latter fired a gun, I immediately run and a volley was discharged at me, which put me in imminent danger of losing my life: I soon returned to the Common, and saw eight of the Lexington men, who were killed and lay bleeding at a consider­able distance from each other, and several were wounded, and further saith not.

WE LEVI MEAD and LEVI HARRINGTON, both of Lexington, in the county of Middlesex, and colony of the Massachusetts-Bay, in New-England, and of lawful age, do testify and declare, that on the morning of the nineteenth of April, being on Lexington Common, as spectators, we saw a large body of regular troops marching up towards the Lexing­ton company, and some of the regulars on horses, whom we took to be Officers, fired a pistol or two on the Lexington com­pany, which was then dispersing, these were the first guns that were fired, and they were immediately followed by several vollies from the regulars, by which eight men belonging to said com­pany were killed, and several wounded.

I WILLIAM DRAPER, of lawful age, and an inhabitant of Colrain, in the county of Hampshire, and Colony of the Massachusetts-Bay in New-England, do testify and declare, that being on the parade of said Lexington, April 19th, instant, a­bout half an hour before sunrise the King's regular troops ap­peared at the meeting-house of Lexington, Captain Parker's company who were drawn up back of said meeting-house on the parade, turned from said troops, making their escape by dispersing, in the mean time the regular troops made an huzza, and ran towards Captain Parker's company who were dispersing, and immediately after the huzza was made, the commanding officer of said troops (as I took him) gave the command to the troops fire, fire, damn you fire, and immediately they fired, before any of Captain Parker's company fired, I then being within three or four rods of said regular troops, and further saith not.

I THOMAS FESSENDEN, of lawful age, testify and de­clare, that being in a pasture near the meeting-house, at said Lexington, on Wednesday last, at about half an hour before sunrise, I saw a number of regular troops pass speedily by said Meet­ing-house, on their way towards a company of militia of said Lex­ington, who were assembled to the number of about an hundred in a company, at the distance of eighteen or twenty rods from said meeting-house, and after they had passed by said meeting­house, I saw three officers on horse back advance to the front of said regulars, when one of them being within six rod of said mi­litia, cried out, disperse you rebels immediately, on which he brandished his sword over his head three times, mean while the second officer, who was about two rods behind him fired a pistol pointed at said militia, and the regulars kept huzzaing till he had finished brandishing his sword, and when he had thus finish­ed brandishing his sword, he pointed it down towards said mili­tia, and immediately on which, the said regulars fired a volley at said militia, and then I ran off as fast as I could, while they continued firing till I got out of their reach. I further testify, that as soon as ever the officer cried disperse you rebels, the said company of millitia dispersed every way as fast as they could, and while they were dispersing the regulars kept firing at them inces­santly, and further saith not,

I JOHN BATEMAN, belonging to the fifty-second regiment, commanded by Colonel Jones on Wednesday morning, on the nineteenth day of April instant, was in the party marching to Concord, being at Lexington in the county of Middlesex, being nigh the meeting-house in said Lexington, there was a small party of men gathered together in that place, when our [Page 14] said troops marched by, and I testify and declare, that I heard the word of command given to the troops to fire, and some of said troops did fire, and I saw one of said small party lay dead on the ground nigh said meeting-house, and I testify, that I ne­ver heard any of the inhabitants so much as fire one gun on said troops.

WE JOHN HOAR, JOHN WHITEHEAD, ABRA­HAM GARFIELD, BENJAMIN MUNROE, ISAAC PARKS, WILLIAM HOSMER, JOHN ADAMS, and GRE­GORY STONE, all of Lincoln, in the county of Middlesex, Massachusetts-Bay, all of lawful age, do testify and say, that on Wednesday last we were assembled at Concord, in the morning of said day, in consequence of information received, that a bri­gade of regular troops were on their march to the said town of Concord, who had killed six men at the town of Lexington. About an hour afterwards we saw them approaching to the num­ber as we apprehended of about twelve hundred, on which we retreated to a hill about eighty rods back, and the said troops then took possession of the hill where we were first posted; pre­sently after this we saw the troops moving towards the North­bridge about one mile from the said Concord meeting-house, we then immediately went before them and passed the bridge, just before a party of them, to the number of about two hundred arrived: They there left about one half of their two hundred at the bridge, and proceeded with the rest towards Colonel Barret's about two miles from the said Bridge; we then seeing several fires in the town, thought the houses in Concord were in danger, and marched towards the said bridge, and the troops who were stationed there, observing our approach, marched back over the bridge, and then took up some of the plank, we then hastened our march towards the bridge, and when we had got near the bridge they fired on our men first three guns one after the other, and then a considerable number more, and then and not before (having orders from our commanding officers not to fire till we were fired upon) we fired upon the regulars, and they retreated, on their retreat through this town and Lexington, to Charlestown, they ravaged and destroyed private property and burned three houses, one barn, and one shop.

WE NATHAN BARRET, Captain; Jonathan Farrer, Jo­seph Butler and Francis Wheeler, Lieutenants; John Barret, Ensign; John Brown, Silas Walker, Ephraim Melvin, Nathan Butterick, Stephen Hosmer, jun. Samuel Barrett, Tho­mas Jones, Joseph Chandler, Peter Wheeler, Nathan Peirce, and Edward Richardson, all of Concord, in the county of Mid­dlesex, in the province of the Massachusetts-Bay, of lawful age, testify and declare, that on Wednesday the nineteenth instant, about an hour after sunrise, we assembled on a hill near the meet­ing-house in Concord aforesaid, in consequence of an informa­tion that a number of regular troops had killed six of our coun­trymen at Lexington, and were on their march to said Concord, and about an hour after we saw them approaching, to the number, as we imagine, of about twelve hundred, on which we retreated to a hill about eighty rods back, and the aforesaid troops then took possession of the hill where we were first posted. Presently after this we saw them moving towards the north-bridge, about one mile from said meeting-house, we then immediately went before them, and passed the bridge just before a party of them to the number of about two hundred arrived, they there left about one half of those two hundred at the bridge, and proceeded with the rest towards Colonel Barrett's, about two mile from the said bridge, we then seing several fires in the town, thought our hous­es were in danger and immediately marched back towards said bridge and the troops who were stationed there observing our approach, marched back over the bridge, and then took up some of the planks, we then hastened our steps towards the bridge and when we had got near the bridge, they fired on our men first three guns one after the other, and then a considerable number more, upon which, and not before, (having orders from our commanding officers not to fire till we were fired upon) we fired upon the regulars and they retreated. At Concord, and on their retreat through Lexington, they plundered many houses, burnt three at Lexington, together with a shop and a barn, and com­mitted damage, more or less, to almost every house from Con­cord to Charlestown.

WE JOSEPH BUTLER and EPHRAIM MELVIN, do testify and declare, that when the regular troops fired upon our people at the North-Bridge, in Concord, as related in the foregoing depositions, they shot one and we believe two of our people before we fired a single gun at them.

I TIMOTHY MINOT, jun. of Concord, on the nineteenth day of this instant April, after that I had heard of the regu­lar troops firing upon the Lexington men, and fearing that hos­tilities might be committed at Concord, thought it my incum­bent duty to secure my family: After I had secured my family, sometime after that, returning towards my own dwelling, and finding that the Bridge on the northern part of said Con­cord was guarded by regular troops, being a spectator of what had happened at said Bridge, declare that the regular troops sta­tioned on the bridge after they saw the men that were collected on the westerly side of said bridge, marched towards said bridge, then the troops returned towards the easterly side of said Bridge, and formed themselves as I thought for a regular fight, after that they fired one gun, then two or three more, before the men that were stationed on the westerly part of said bridge fired up­on them.

I JAMES BARRETT of Concord, Colonel of a regiment of militia in the county of Middlesex, do testify and say, that on Wednesday morning last, about day break, I was informed of the approach of a number of the regular troops to the town of Concord, where was some magazines belonging to this pro­vince, when there was assembled some of the Militia of this and the neighbouring towns, when I ordered them to march to the north-bridge, so called, which they had passed and were taking up, I ordered said militia to march to said bridge and pass the same, but not to fire on the King's troops unless they were first fired upon, we advanced near said bridge, when the said troops fired upon our militia, and killed two men dead on the spot, and wounded several others, which was the first firing of guns in the town of Concord, my detachment then returned the fire, which killed and wounded several of the King's troops.

WE BRADBURY ROBINSON, SAMUEL SPRING, THADDEUS BANCROFT, all of Concord and JAMES ADAMS, of Lincoln, all in the County of Middlesex, all of lawful age, do testify and say, that on Wednesday morning last, near ten of the clock, we saw near one hundred of regular troops being in the town of Concord, at the North-Bridge in said town (so called) and having passed the same they were tak­ing up said bridge, when about three hundred of our militia [Page 18] were advancing toward said bridge, in order to pass said bridge, when, without saying any thing to us, they discharged a number of guns on us, which killed two men dead on the spot and wounded several others, when we returned the fire on them, which killed two of them, and wounded several, which was the begining of hostilities in the town of Concord.

I JAMES MARR of lawful age testify and say, that in the e­vening of the eighteenth instant I received orders from George Hutchinson, Adjutant of the fourth regiment of the regular troops stationed in Boston, to prepare and march to which order I attended and marched to Concord where I was ordered by an officer, with about one hundred men to guard a certain bridge, there, while attending that service, a number of people came a­long, in order as I supposed, to cross said bridge, at which time a number of regular troops first fired upon them.

I EDWARD THORNTON GOULD, of his Majesty's own regiment of foot, being of lawful age, do testify and declare, that on the evening of the 18th, instant, under the order of Ge­neral Gage, I embarked with the light infantry and grenadiers of the line, commanded by Colonel Smith, and landed on the marshes of Cambridge, from whence we proceeded to Lexington, on our arrival at that place we saw a body of provincial troops armed, to the number of about sixty or seventy men, on our approach they disbursed and soon after firing began, but which party fired first I cannot exactly say, as our troops rushed on, shouting, huzzaing, previous to the firing, which was continued [Page 19] by our troops so long as any of the provincials were to be seen. From thence we marched to Concord, on a hill near the entrance of the town, we saw another body of provincials assembled, the Light-Infantry companies were ordered up the hill to disperse them, on our approach they retreated towards Concord, the gre­nadiers continued the road under the hill towards the town, six companies of light-infantry were ordered down to take possession of the bridge which the provincials retreated over; the company I commanded was one of the three companies of the above de­tachment went forward about two miles, in the mean time the provincial troops returned to the number of about three or four hundred, we drew up on the Concord side the bridge, the pro­vincials came down upon us, upon which we engaged and gave the first fire: This was the first engagement after the one at Lex­ington, a continued firing from both parties lasted through the whole day: I myself was wounded at the attack of the bridge, and am now treated with the greatest humanity and taken all possible care of, by the provincials at Medford,

I NATHANIEL GORHAM, Notary and Tabellion Public, by lawful authority, duly admitted and sworn, hereby certify to all whom it doth or may concern, that Thaddeus Mason, Josiah Johnson, and Simon Tufts, Esq'rs. are three of his Majesty's Justices of the Peace (Quorum Unus) for the county of Middle­sex, and that full faith and credit is and ought to be given to their transactions as such, both in court and out. In witness whereof I have hereunto affixed my name and seal, this twenty sixth day of April, Anno. Domini one thousand, seven hun­dred, and seventy-five.

N. B. A certificate was made out under the signature of the Notary Public, that all the other Justices who administered the oaths to the several deponents, were his Majesty's Justices of the Peace, in the counties where such certificates were made, and were legally appointed to that office, and that full faith and credit is and ought to be given to their transactions.

A paper having been printed in Boston, representing that one of the British troops killed at the bridge at Concord, was scalp­ed, and the ears cut off from the head, supposed to be done in order to dishonour the Massachusetts people, and to make them appear to be savage and barbarous, the following deposition was taken that the truth may be known.

WE the subscribers, of lawful age, testify and say, that we buried the dead bodies of the King's troops that were killed at the North-Bridge in Concord, on the nineteenth day of April, 1775, where the action first began, and that neither of those persons were scalped, nor their ears cut off, as has been re­presented.

HANNAH ADAMS, wise of Deacon Joseph Adams, of the second precinct in Cambridge, testifieth and saith, that on the nineteenth day of April last past, upon the return of the King's troops from Concord, diverse of them entered our house, by bursting open the doors, and three of the soldiers broke into the room in which I then was, laid on my bed, being scarcely able to walk from my bed to the fire, not having been to my chamber door from my being delivered in child-birth to time. One of said soldiers immediately opened my curtains with his bayonet fixed, pointing the same to my breast. I im­mediately cried out for the Lord's sake do not kill me, he repli­ed, damn you, one that stood near said, we will not hurt the woman, if she will go out of the house, but we will surely burn it. I immediately arose, threw a blanket over me, went out, and crauled into a corn-house near the door, with my infant in my arms, where I remained untill they were gone, they immediately set the house on fire, in which I had left five children and no o­ther person, but the fire was happily extinguished, when the house was in the utmost danger of being utterly consumed.

WE BENJAMIN COOPER and RACHEL COOPER, both of Cambridge aforesaid, of lawful age, testify and say, that in the afternoon of the 19th day of April last, the King's regular troops, under the command of General Gage, upon their return from blood and slaughter which they had made at Lex­ington and Concord, fired more than an hundred bullets into the house where we dwell, through doors, windows, &c. then a number of them entered the house, where we and two aged gentlemen were, all unarmed, we escaped for our lives into the cellar, the two aged gentlemen were immediately most barbar­ously and inhumanly murdered by them, being stabbed through in many places, their heads mauled, skulls broke, and their brains out on the floor and walls of the house, and further saith not.