siderable importance. In that year, finding their pasturage insufficient, they asked, and obtained, a new grant, including the present towns of Acton and Ashby. In the same year, the Shepard and Law families commenced a permanent settlement upon this new grant. But for about three-quarters of a century, until 1735, the grant continued a part of the parent town.

Middlesex County was not found wanting during King Philip's war. At the time of the destruction of Brookfield, a few men from this county were present, and, after the wounding of the commander, Lieut. Simon Davis of Concord assumed command. And, too, when the news of the danger there reached Concord, a party at once went to the rescue. The first events of this war that actually belonged to this county were in the early part of 1676. In February, Abraham and Isaac Shepard of Concord, fearing the Indians, stationed their younger sister, about 15 years of age, to keep watch while they threshed the grain in the barn. But the Indians came upon her unawares, and carried her off a captive, and then killed her brothers. However, while the Indians slept, probably rendered stupid by liquor, she made her escape, even taking the saddle away from the head of her keeper, and, by riding all night, returned to the settlement.

burned several houses, and killed two citizens. A company from Watertown, aided by some citizens, attacked them on the east side of Concord River, but were compelled to retreat. Some citizens of Concord went to their relief, but were surrounded by savages near the garrison house of Walter Haynes, and were destroyed.

The attack upon Marlborough occurred late in March, 1676. A party of Indians here killed some of the inhabitants, and set fire to their houses. A company sent from Concord to defend the place was totally destroyed, and two other companies from Boston met a similar fate. These companies, under Capts. Wadsworth and Smith, were led into an ambuscade near Sudbury, surrounded by about 300 natives, and destroyed.

An attack upon Chelmsford was made by the Indians living in the vicinity of the Merrimac. Overpowering the inhabitants, they put all to death indiscriminately, not even sparing the babes at their mother's breast. At about the same time, they burned the house of Mr. Ezra Eames, near Concord, killed his wife, and captured his children. A few days later, they took a young woman, 16 years of age, and carried her away captive.

Sixteen of the towns at present in the county were chartered during the seventeenth century, and all but twelve of the remainder during the next hundred years. So rapidly did this locality develop its resources and add to its population.

In 1724-5, Capt. John Lovewell of Dunstable, at the head of a company of 600 men, induced by the offer of a The next attack was upon Groton. "A body of sav- generous bounty for scalps (£100), made three expediages entered the town on the 2nd of March, plundered tions against the Indians, in the last of which, surprised several houses, and carried off a number of cattle. On at a place called Pigwacket, in Maine, he lost his life. the 9th, they ambushed four men who were driving their carts, killed one, and took a second, but while they were disputing about the manner of putting him to death, he escaped. On the 13th, about 400 of these people assaulted Groton again. The inhabitants, alarmed by the recent destruction of Lancaster, had retreated into five garrisoned houses. Four of these were within musket shot of each other. The fifth stood at the distance of a mile. Between the four neighboring ones were gathered all the cattle belonging to the inhabitants. In the morning, two Indians showed themselves behind a hill near one of the four garrisons, with an intention to decoy the inhabitants out of their fortifications. The alarm was immediately given. A considerable part of the men in this garrison, and several from the next, imprudently went out to surprise them, when a large body, in ambush for the purpose, arose instantaneously and fired upon them. The English fled. The ungarrisoned house's were then set on fire." The entire town was burned, except the four garrisons, which successfully resisted all hostile attempts upon them.

On the 21st of April, an alarm was raised that 1,500 Indians were about to attack Sudbury. They had already

To the call to engage in the struggle for national independence, the towns, of Middlesex responded nobly. "No power on earth," said the people of Concord, "can agreeably to our constitution, take from us our rights, or any part of them, without our consent." Framingham replied that "it is our absolute duty to defend, by every constitutional measure, our dear privileges, purchased with so much blood and treasure." Medford, Acton, Stoneham, Groton, Pepperell and Shirley spoke with equal decision. "Death," said Marlborough, "is more eligible than slavery."

The real commencement of the Revolution belongs to this county. The towns of Lexington and Concord, especially, in this county, will be forever memorable as the scene of the first armed encounter between the British and the American forces, in connection with that great contest. On the night of April 18, 1775, Paul Revere of Boston, having eluded the British sentinels, and escaped

across Charles River into the country, with all despatch silently, stood their ground, and held their ranks. Pitspread abroad information of an intended march of a de- cairn then commanded his men to fire. A heavy distachment of British troops, 800 strong, commanded by charge of muskets followed, and seven men fell. † Lieut.-Col. Smith, to seize the provincial stores and After this volley, Capt. Parker ordered his men to discannon at Concord. The alarm, by means of church perse. The British drew up on the Common, discharged bells, bonfires, and other preconcerted signals, was given their pieces, gave three cheers, and then, after a halt of at once, and, by two o'clock in the morning, about 130 about half an hour, pushed on towards Concord. By militia-men were assembled under arms on Lexington this time the country round about had become thoroughly Common, under the command of Capt. John Parker. alarmed. On the one hand, the Concord people were alJust at daybreak, the advanced guard of the enemy, com-ready busily employed removing and secreting the coveted

manded by Maj. Pitcairn, was discovered approaching the village. The alarm was sounded, and the militia-men at once paraded in two ranks on the Common, a few rods north of the meeting-house. After a brief halt, to allow the rest of the detachment to come up, the British advanced, almost on the run, Maj. Pitcairn, meanwhile, riding in front and shouting: "Disperse, ye rebels; disperse, disperse!" The "rebels," however, firmly and *The killed were Jonas Parker, Isaac Muzzey, Jonathan Harrington, Jr., Caleb Harrington, Robert Monroe, Samuel Hadley and John Brown. The last two were pursued and killed after they had left the Common. Asahel Porter of Woburn, a prisoner taken by the British on the march, was killed while attempting to effect his escape.

stores; while, on the other, the patriot military were hastily gathering from near and from far. When, at length, the enemy came in sight, there were not less than 150 minute-men who had already reported for duty; and a part under Col. Barrett, and a part under Maj. Buttrick ‡ - a descendant of one of the oldest settlers of the town-had been drawn up in battle array just beyond the North Bridge, across Concord River, and were prebloodshed of the Revolutionary War. Recently, a more fitting memorial of the event has been erected, consisting of a colossal bronze statue of a Revolutionary minute-man, elevated upon a lofty pedestal of granite, with appropriate sculptures in bas-relief.

Maj. Buttrick, it is said, has the honor of having issued the first + In 1799, a small monument was erected to inark the spot of the first order to fire on the royal troops -"the shot heard round the world."

pared to offer the invaders, if necessary, a stubborn and Bridge's regiments, with a fatigue party of two resistance. During the brief, but decisive engagement hundred Connecticut troops, under Thomas Knowlton, which followed, several were killed on both sides, includ- and the artillery of Capt. Samuel Gridley, in all about ing Captain Isaac Davis of Acton. The British, mean- twelve hundred men, to go, supplied with a day's prowhile, discomfited by this unexpectedly warm reception, visions and intrenching tools, and seize and fortify disappointed in regard to finding the stores in quest of Bunker Hill, under the chief engineer, Col. Richard which they had been dispatched, and fearing, withal, lest Gridley. The detachment paraded on Cambridge Comin case of further delay on their part, swarms of enraged mon, and about nine in the evening, after prayer for patriots might descend upon them and prevent their their safety and success by President Langdon of Harreturn, at length commenced their disastrous retreat-vard College, they marched to Charlestown, headed by followed along the road to Lexington by the provin- Prescott. After setting a guard at the Neck, they procials, who inflicted upon them serious injury. While passing through Lincoln, they were attacked by the Lexington men, and sharply pursued, the latter maintaining a galling fire upon them from behind trees, buildings and walls, and heading them off, and seriously harassing them at every turn of the road. About a mile below Lexington Common, the British were saved from total rout and destruction by the timely arrival, with reinforcements, of Lord Percy. Even as it was, the royal troops, on finally reaching Boston, were thoroughly exhausted, and as completely demoralized.

*

Some one has said that, so far as the deliberate purpose of the Americans was concerned, the American Revolution was begun by the determination of the farmers of Middlesex County to resist British assault by marching upon the North Bridge at Concord..†

The people everywhere bore insults and annoyances with the utmost calmness. Minute-men were everywhere, and the people in every possible way were getting stores of ammunition ready for immediate use. Not a red-coat could be seen anywhere but he was followed, and his errand discovered.

For some time it was evident that Gen. Gage was preparing to occupy the heights of Charlestown or Dorchester, probably the latter. The provincials had already examined the ground for fortifications, and breastworks had been recommended at the present site of the McLean Asylum and on Prospect Hill, with redoubts upon Winter and Bunker hills, provided with cannon. This was referred to a council of war, approved, and a part of the works at once constructed. As Gage's plan to seize Dorchester became known, it was at once determined to seize and fortify Bunker Hill.

On Friday, June 16, orders were issued to Col. William Prescott, and the commanding officers of Frye's

ceeded to Bunker Hill, but considering that to be too far from the shipping, it was decided to intrench Breed's Hill, as better suited to the objects of the expedition. Gridley marked out the plan, and about midnight the work commenced.

When the morning dawned, the British were astonished to see such works thrown up in so short a time, and, as it were, almost in their face and eyes. Gage was thunderstruck, while, from the ships of war and a mortar on Copp's Hill, was commenced a cannonade sufficient to appall the stoutest heart. A council of war, called immediately, decided that the Americans must be dislodged at all hazards, and their works destroyed; and, despite different advice, Gage determined to make the attack in front.

At about one o'clock, in plain sight of the Americans, a British force of 2,000 men bore away from Boston for Moulton's Point, near Breed's Hill, Gen. Howe commanding the right, and Gen. Pigot the left wing. On the American side, the military force under arms did not exceed 1,500 men. Col. Prescott was the first in command, Knowlton, Stark and Putnam being active and efficient in various ways. The British columns under Pigot advanced to a simultaneous attack a little after 24 o'clock. With their scarlet uniforms and flashing armor they presented a formidable appearance. A tremendous volley of musketry from the Americans, however, levelled nearly the whole front rank of the British troops. Again and again the latter advanced, only to recoil under the effective and unremitting fire of the Americans, until at length they staggered and retreated in more or less disorder. Howe's division, in like manner, was received by a sheeted and deadly fire that soon forced it into confusion and precipitate retreat. A second attempt to storm the American position was no more successful.

* How impressive the crisis now reached! The action at Lexington In 1835, a granite obelisk, 28 feet high, including the base, 5 and Concord roused the whole country, and precipitated the long-impend-feet broad, was erected on the spot where the first British soldiers fell, ing conflict. The night before these battles, there were few people in the Colonies, probably, who expected that any blood would be shed in the contest. "The night after," says Bancroft, "the king's governor and the king's army found themselves closely beleaguered in Boston.

with a suitable inscription. The spot is one of great rural beauty, the road along which the troops marched having been many years closed, and the bridge over which the first volleys of the Revolution flew having long since disappeared.