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all whom it doth or may concern, that Wm. Reed and Josiah Johnson, Esquires, are two of His Majesty’s Justices for the County of Middlesex, and that full faith and credit is to be given to their transactions as such. 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. NATHANIEL GORHAM, Notary Publick. Lexington, April 25, 1775. I, John Parker, of lawful age, and commander of the Militia in Lexington, do testify and declare, that on the nineteenth instant, in the morning, about one of the clock, being informed that there were a number of 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 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 us; and upon their sudden approach, I immediately ordered our Militia to disperse and not to fire. Immediately said Troops made their appearance, and rushed furiously, fired upon and killed eight of our party, without receiving any provocation therefor from us. JOHN PARKER. MIDDLESEX, ss., April 25, 1775: The above named John Parker personally appeared, and after being duly cautioned to declare the whole truth, made solemn oath to the truth of the above deposition, by him subscribed. Before us, WM. REED,
I, Nathaniel Gorham, Notary and Tabellion Publick, by lawful authority duly admitted and sworn, hereby certify all whom it doth or may concern, that Wm. Reed, Josiah Johnson, and Wm. Stickney, Esquires, are three of His Majesty’s Justices of the Peace for the County of Middlesex, and that full faith and credit is and ought to be given to their transactions as such. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my name and seal this twenty-sixth day of April, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five. NATH’L GORHAM, Notary Publick. [No 5.] Lexington, April 24, 1775. I, 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’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 horseback, 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 one volley. Captain Parker’s men, I believe, had not then fired a gun. And further the deponent saith not. JOHN ROBBINS. MIDDLESEX, ss., April 25, 1775: I, John Robbins, within named, appeared, and being duly cautioned to testify the truth, and nothing but the truth, made solemn oath to the truth of the within deposition, subscribed by his special order, he being so maimed and wounded that he thought he could neither write his name nor make his mark. Before us, WM. REED,
I, Nathaniel Gorham, Notary and Tabellion Publick, by lawful authority duly admitted and sworn, hereby certify all whom it doth or may concern, that William Reed and Josiah Johnson, Esquires, are two of His Majesty’s Justices for the County of Middlesex, and that full faith and credit is to be given to their transactions as such. 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. NATH’L GORHAM, Notary Publick. [No 6.] Lexington, April 25, 1775. We, Benjamin Tidd, of Lexington, and Joseph Abbott, of Lincoln, in the County of Middlesex, and Colony of 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 saith not.
BENJAMIN TIDD, MIDDLESEX, ss., April 25, 1775: WM. REEfsD,
I, Nathaniel Gorham, Notary and Tabellion Publick, by lawful authority duly admitted and sworn, hereby certify all whom it doth or may concern, that Wm. Reed, Josiah Johnson, and William Stickney, Esquires, are three of His Majesty’s Justices of the Peace for the County of Middlesex, and that full faith and credit is to be given to their transactions as such. In witness whereof I have hereunto affixed my name and seal this twenty-sixth day of April, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five. NATHANIEL GORHAM, Notary Publick. Charlestown, May 2, 1775. [No 7.] Lexington, April 25, 1775. We, Nathaniel Mullekin, Philip Russell, Moses Harrington, Junior, Thomas and Daniel Harrington, William Grimer, William Tidd, Isaac Hastings, Jonas Stone, Jr., James Wyman, Thaddeus Harrington, John Chandler, Joshua Reed, Jun., Joseph Simonds, Phineas Smith, John Chandler, Jun., Reuben Lock, Joel Viles, Nathan Reed, Samuel Tidd, Benjamin Lock, Thomas Winship, Simeon Snow, John Smith, Moses Harrington the third, Joshua Reed, 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 the 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
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