Subject: Diary of a British Officer in Boston in 1775 Part 5 Source: The Atlantic Monthly Magazine, Vol XXXIX. April 1877. No. CCXXXIV. Lexington & Concord - April 19, 1775 We met with no interruption till within a mile or two of the town, where the country people had occupied a hill which commanded the road; the Light Infantry were ordered away to the right and ascended the height in one line, upon which the Yankees quitted it without firing, which they did likewise for one or two more successively. They then crossed the River beyond the town and we marched into the town after taking possession of a Hill with a Liberty Pole on it and a flag flying, which was cut down; the Yankees had that Hill but left it to us; we expected they would have made a stand there, but they did not choose it. While the Grenadiers remained in the town, destroying 3 pieces of cannon, several gun carriages and about 100 barrels of flour, with harness and other things, the Light Companies were detached beyond the river to examine some house for more stores; one of these Companies was left at the bridge, another on a hill some distance from it, and another on a hill 1/4 of a mile from that; the other three went forward two or three miles to seek for some cannon which had been there, but had been taken away that morning. During this time the people were gathering together in great numbers, and, taking advantage of our scattered disposition, seemed as if they were going to cut off the communication with the bridge, upon which the two companies joined and went to the bridge to support that company. The three companies drew up in the road the far side of the bridge and the Rebels on the hill above, covered by a wall, in that situation they remained a long time, very near an hour, the three companies expecting to be attacked by the Rebels, who were about 1,000 strong. footnote The company left at the bridge was the light company of the 43d under the command of Lieutenant Gould of the King's Own. The other two posted on the hills nearby were the light companies of the 10th Regiment and of the King's Own (with which was, no doubt, the writer of this Diary). Capt. Lawrie, who commanded these three Companies, sent to Col. Smith, begging he would send more Troops to his Assistance and informing him of his situation; the Colonel ordered 2 or 3 Companies, but put himself at their head, by which means stopped them from being time enough, for being a very fat, heavy man, he would not have reached the bridge in half an hour, though it was not half a mile to it; in the mean time the Rebels marched into the road and were coming down upon us, when Captain Lawrie made his men retire to this side of the bridge (which by the bye he ought to have done at first, and then he would have had time to make a good disposition, but at this time he had not, for the Rebels were got so near him that his people were obliged to form the best way they could. footnote: These three light companies, under the command of Capt. Lawrence Parsons of the 10th, went to Col. Barrett's, guided by Ensign De Berniere. Walter Sloane Lawrie was of the 43d. As soon as they were over the bridge the three companies got one behind the other so that only the front one could fire; the Rebels, when they got near the bridge halted and fronted, filling the road from the top to the bottom. The fire soon began from a dropping shot on our side, when they and the front company fired almost at the same instant, there being nobody to support the front company. The others not firing the whole were forced to quit the bridge and return toward Concord; some of the Grenadiers met them in the road and then advanced to meet the Rebels, who had got this side the bridge and on a good height, but seeing the manoeuvre they thought proper to retire again over the bridge, the whole then went into Concord, drew up in the town and waited for the three companies that were gone on, which arrived in about an hour. Four Officers and eight who were at the bridge were wounded [1]; three men killed; one sergeant and several men wounded; after getting as good conviences for the wounded as we could and having done the business we were sent upon, we set out upon our return. footnote: 1 Lieutenants William Sutherland of the 38th, Waldron Kelly of the 10th (wounded again at Bunker Hill) Edward Gould of the King's Own and Edward Hull of the 43d. Before the whole had quitted the town, we were fired on from houses and behind trees, and before we had gone one half mile we were fired on from all sides but mostly from the rear, where people had hid themselves in houses till we had passed and then fired; the country was an amazing strong one, full of hills, woods, stone walls, etc., which the Rebels did not fail to take advantage of for they were all lined with people who kept an incessant fire upon us, as we did too upon them, but not with the same advantage, for they were so concealed there was hardly any seeing them - in this way we marched between nine and ten miles, their numbers increasing from all parts, while ours was reducing by deaths, wounds and fatigue; and we were totally surrounded with such an incessant fire as its impossible to conceive - our ammunition was likewise near expended. To be continued Part 6 Transcribed by Janice Farnsworth