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 dispersed, and soon after firing began; but which party fired first, I cannot exactly say, as our Troops rushed on shouting and huzzaing previous to the firing, which was continued by our Troops as 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 on 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; 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 of 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 continual 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.

EDWD. THOROTON GOULD,
   Lieut. King’s own Regt.

Lieutenant Edward Thoroton Gould, aforenamed, personally made oath to the truth of the foregoing declaration by him subscribed.

Before us:

Justices of the Peace for the County aforesaid, Quorum unus.

I, Nathaniel Gorham, Notary and Tabellion Publick, 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, Esquires, 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 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.

ALEXANDER SCAMMELL TO JOHN SULLIVAN.

Portsmouth, New-Hampshire, May 3, 1775.

HONOURED SIR: Your leaving New-Hampshire at a time when your presence was so extremely necessary to cherish the glorious ardour which you have been so instrumental in inspiring us with, spread a general gloom in Durham, and in some measure damped the spirit of liberty through the Province; and nothing but the important business in which you are embarked would induce us to dispense with your presence with any degree of patience or resignation.

But when the horrid din of civil carnage surprised us on the 20th of April, the universal cry was—Oh! if Major Sullivan was here! I wish to God Major Sullivan was here! ran through the distressed multitude. April Court, which was then sitting, adjourned immediately. To arms! to arms! was breathed forth in sympathetick groans.

I went express to Boston, by desire of the Congressional Committee, then sitting at Durham, proceeded as far as Bradford, where I obtained credible information that evening. Next morning I arrived at Exeter, where the Provincial Congress was assembling with all possible haste. There I reported what intelligence I had gained: that the American Army at Cambridge, Woburn, and Charlestown, was more in need of provisions than men; that fifty thousand had assembled in thirty-six hours; and that the Regulars, who had retreated from Concord, had encamped on Bunker’s Hill, in Charlestown.

The Congress, upon this report, resolved that the Durham Company, then at Exeter, (armed complete for an engagement, with a week’s provisions,) should return home, and keep themselves in constant readiness. All the men being gone from the westward and southward of Newmarket, and Men-of-War expected hourly into Portsmouth, it was with the greatest difficulty your Durham soldiers were prevailed upon to return. Six or seven expresses arrived at Durham the night after our return; some desiring us to march to Kittery; some to Hampton; some to Ipswich, &c., which places, they said, sundry Men-of-War were ravaging. The whole country was in a continual alarm; but suspecting that the Marines at Portsmouth might take advantage of the confusion we were then in, and pay Durham a visit, we thought proper to stand ready to give them a warm reception; and supposing that your house and family would be the first mark of their vengeance, although I had been express the whole night before, I kept guard to defend your family and substance to the last drop of my blood. Master Smith being under the same apprehension, did actually lay in ambush behind a warehouse, and came very near sinking a fishing-boat anchored off in the river, which he supposed heaped full of Marines. Men, women, and children, were engaged day and night in preparing for the worst.

Many Towns in this Province have enlisted Minute-Men, and keep them under pay; and the Congress, before this, would actually have raised an army, had they not waited for the General Court, which sits to-morrow, in order to raise as much money as they can, to pay off their army when raised.

I am extremely mortified that I am unable to join the army at Cambridge. The particulars of the skirmish between the Regulars and Americans will, long before this, have reached you. In longing expectation, your safe, happy, and speedy return is hoped for by all your friends, but by none more sincerely than your dutiful humble servant,

ALEX. SCAMMELL.

To John Sullivan, Esq., at Philadelphia or New-York.

COMMITTEE OF BRUNSWICK TO THE BOSTON COMMITTEE OF CORRESPONDENCE.

Brunswick, May 3, 1775.

GENTLEMEN: We, whose names are hereunto subscribed, beg liberty to inform you with our situation, as we are chosen by this Town to examine into the circumstances of it; and finding the Town very deficient as to arms and ammunition, have sent by water to Salem, but have just had our money returned back, without arms or ammunition; and at present we have not more than a quarter of a pound of powder to a man, throughout the Town, nor more than one firelock to two men; and in this defenceless state we are obliged to apply to you to assist our trusty friend whom we have sent, which is Captain Nathaniel Larrabee; and as we think it would be unsafe to transport powder by water, we have ordered him to take only one hundred weight, and for him to consult with you how and in what way it would be safest to get arms and more powder down to us.

We should esteem it a favour to be informed by you by way of letter, at every convenient opportunity, of our publick affairs. We are, gentlemen, yours ever to be commanded,

NORFOLK (VIRGINIA) COMMITTEE.

At a meeting of the Committee of the County of Norfolk, at the Court-House of said County, on Thursday, the 4th of May, 1775:

The Resolves of the Convention held at the Town of Richmond, on the 20th of March last, were read, and unanimously approved.

Resolved, That the thanks of this Committee be presented to Thomas Newton, Junior, and James Holt, Esquires, our worthy Delegates, for their faithful discharge of the important trust reposed in them.

Having heretofore placed the highest degree of confidence in the good intentions of our Chief Magistrate towards

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