ATTACK ON THE INHABITANTS OF MASSACHUSETTS BY THE BRITISH TROOPS.

Portsmouth New-Hampshire, April 20, 1775.

Early this morning we were alarmed with an Express from Newburyport, with the following Letter to the Chairman of the Committee of Correspondence in this Town:

Newburyport, April 19, 1775.

SIR: This Town has been in a continual alarm since mid-day, with reports of the Troops having marched out of Boston to make some attack in the country. The reports in general concur, in part, in having been at Lexington. And it is very generally said they have been at Concord. We sent off an express this afternoon, who went as far as Simons’s at Danvers, before he could get information that he thought might be depended upon. He there met two or three gentlemen who affirmed, the regular Troops and our men had been engaged chief of the morning, and that it is supposed we had twenty-five thousand men engaged against four thousand Regulars; that the Regulars had began a retreat. Our men here are setting off immediately. And as the sword is now drawn, and first drawn on the side of the Troops, we scruple not you will give the readiest and fullest assistance in your power. And send this information further on.

In behalf of the Committee for this Town.

Your humble servant,

JAMES HUDSON, Chairman.

LETTER FROM BOSTON TO A GENTLEMAN IN NEW-YORK, DATED APRIL 19, 1775.

I have taken up my pen to inform you, that last night about eleven o’clock, one thousand of the best Troops, in a very secret manner, embarked on board a number of Boats at the bottom of the Common, and went up Cambridge River, and landed.

In the mean time they stopped every person from going over the Neck, or any Ferry; but we soon found a way to get some men to alarm the country. From thence they marched to Lexington, where they saw a number of men exercising. They ordered them to disperse, and immediately fired on them, killed eight men on the spot, and marched to Concord. This alarmed the country so, that it seemed as if men came down from the clouds. This news coming to Town, the General sent out another thousand men, with a large train of artillery. In the mean time, those Troops at Concord had set fire to the Court-House there. We then had our men collected, so that an engagement immediately ensued, and the King’s Troops retreated very fast, until they were reinforced with the last one thousand that the General sent; but they did not stand long before the whole body gave way, and retreated very fast. Our men kept up at their heels, loading and firing till they got to Charlestown, when our men thought it not prudent to proceed any farther, fearing the Ships-of-War would be ordered to fire on Boston and Charlestown. They have gained a complete victory; and, by the best information I can get, most of the officers and soldiers are cut off. There were two wagons, one loaded with powder and ball, and the other with provisions, guarded by seventeen men and an officer going to the Army, when six of our men waylaid them, killed two; wounded two, and took the officer prisoner; the others took to the woods, and we brought off the wagons. The engagement began about twelve o’clock, and continued until seven; in the mean time they retreated twenty miles.

I have endeavoured to give you a few of the particulars, as near as I am able, considering the situation we are in, not knowing but the Troops may have liberty to turn their revenge on us. We have now at least ten thousand men round this Town. It has been a most distressing day with us; but I pray God we may never have reason to be called to such another.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER TO A GENTLEMAN NEAR PHILADELPHIA, DATED BOSTON, APRIL 20, 1775.

Yesterday produced a scene the most shocking that New-England ever beheld. Last Saturday P. M., orders were sent to the several Regiments quartered here, not to let their Grenadiers or Light-Infantry do any duty till farther orders; upon which the inhabitants conjectured that some secret expedition was on foot, and, being upon the look-out, they observed those bodies on the move between ten and eleven o’clock on Tuesday night, observing a perfect silence in their march, towards the point opposite to Phipps’s farm, where boats were in waiting, that conveyed them over. The men appointed to alarm the country on such occasions got over by stealth as early as the Troops, and took their different routes.

The first advice we had was about eight o’clock in the morning, when it was reported that the Troops had fired upon and killed five men in Lexington; previous to which an officer came express to his Excellency General Gage, when, between eight and nine o’clock, a Brigade marched out under the command of Earl Percy, consisting of the Marines, the Welsh Fusileers, the Fourth, and Forty-seventh, and Thirty-eighth Regiments, and two fieldpieces. About twelve o’clock it was given out by the General’s Aid-de-Camp that no person was killed, and that a single gun had not been fired, which report was variously believed; but, between one and two o’clock, certain accounts came that eight were killed outright, and fourteen wounded of the inhabitants of Lexington. Those people, it seems, to the number of about forty, were drawn out early in the morning near the Meeting-House to exercise; upon which the party of Light-Infantry and Grenadiers, to the number of about eight hundred, came up to them, and ordered them to disperse. The commander replied that they were innocently amusing themselves with exercise, that they had not any ammunition with them, and therefore should, not molest or disturb them. This answer not satisfying, the Troops fired upon them, and killed three or four; the others took to their heels, and the Troops continued to fire. A few took refuge in the Meeting-House, when the soldiers shoved up the windows, pointed their guns in, and killed three there. This is the best account I can learn of the beginning of the fatal day, and you must naturally suppose that such a piece of cruelty would rouse the Country.

The Troops continued their march to Concord, entered the Town, and refreshed themselves in the Meeting-House and Town-House. In the latter place they found some ammunition and stores belonging to the country, which finding they could not bring away by reason of the country people having occupied all the posts round them, they set fire to the house, but the people extinguished it. They set it on fire a second time, which brought on a general engagement at about eleven o’clock. The Troops took two pieces of cannon from the countrymen; but their numbers increasing, they soon regained them, and the Troops were obliged to retreat towards Town.

At noon they were joined by the other Brigades, under Earl Percy, when another very warm engagement came on at Lexington. The Troops not being able to stand it, where obliged to continue their retreat, which they did with the bravery becoming British soldiers; but the country was in a manner desperate, not regarding their cannon in the least, and followed on till seven in the evening, by which time they got into Charlestown, when they left off the pursuit, lest they might injure the inhabitants. I stood upon the hills in Town and saw the engagement very plain, which was very bloody for seven hours; and it is conjectured that one half of the soldiers at least are killed. The last Brigade was sent over the Ferry in the evening to secure their retreat; and they are this morning intrenching themselves upon Bunker’s Hill, till they can get a safe retreat to this Town.

It is impossible to learn any particulars, as the communication between town and country is at present broke off; they were till ten last night bringing over their wounded, several of whom are since dead, two officers in particular. When I reflect, and consider that the fight between those whose parents but a few years ago were brothers, I shudder at the thought, and there is no knowing where our calamities will end.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM BOSTON TO A GENTLEMAN IN NEW-YORK, DATED APRIL 20, 1775.

I have yet an opportunity of writing to you from my own house, but how long that privilege is to continue God only knows. Yesterday morning, or rather late in the night of the 18th, a Brigade, or four Regiments were carried