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Show haps a score more, he took one of those ungainly but capacious Down East boats known as "gondolas" and went down the river nine miles to the fort. He surprised the place, captured cap-tured it without a shot or a blow, and took all its munitions a hundred muskets and a hundred kegs of powder pow-der back to Durham In the gondola and hid them for future use underneath under-neath the Durham meeting house. Incidentally, he had all the men take off their boots and wade ashore and enter the fort barefooted, so as to make no noise, and remain barefooted bare-footed in the boat all the way back, lest a nail in a boot-heel strike fire and explode the powder and It was mid-December in New Hampshire. Led to British Raid. It was that exploit of Sullivan's that provoked the British four months later to try to raid the patriot stores at Concord, with momentous results. Moreover, some of that very powder carted from Durham down to Charles-town Charles-town in John Demeritt's ox-cart, although al-though it arrived too late to save the day at Bunker Hill, did arrive Just in time to enable John Stark to cover the retreat of Prescott's troops and save them from being trapped The Paul Revere house In Boston. Built about 1676. I The, Shot j Heard tk World WHEN the poet Emerson wrote the much-quoted lines Hera once the embattled farmers stood And fired the shot heard round the world he made use of poetic license to take sides in an historical controversy that even yet has not been settled, a century cen-tury and a half after the so-called Battle of Lexington, to which it refers. That controversy is still warm and, the chances are, will always find partakers, par-takers, especially in the towns of Lexington Lex-ington and Concord, Mass., rivals for the honors of patriotism. It was revived re-vived by the recent historical celebration celebra-tion at Lexington. Was there really "a battle" at Lexington, Lex-ington, when Major Pitcairn's British troops killed eight American militiamen? militia-men? The phase, "fired the shot heard round the world" would lead one to believe that in the engagement that marked the first outbreak of hostilities hos-tilities the colonials offered stiff opposition, op-position, but the truth is that right after the fight they were very careful to deny any shots whatever had been fired on their side. Treason Then. Firing on British troops meant open rebellion, and the colonists at this time, 1775, were petitioning for their rights, not fighting for freedom. Independence In-dependence had hardly been thought of. The "battle" of Lexington was nothing less than treason. The Massachusetts provincial congress, con-gress, then meeting at Watertown, acted cannily and lawyerlike, says the New York Herald. The depositions deposi-tions of 62 persons were taken to prove that the Colonials were dispersing dispers-ing on Pitcairn's order, and It was admitted only by implication that the "shot heard round the world" had actually been fired. The report was then rushed to England to beat General Gen-eral Gage's official report. The necks of prominent citizens were at stake. Different Later. It was in 1824, almost a half century cen-tury later, that the Lexingtonians re- versed themselves. The Marquis de Lafayette, on a visit, was told the Revolution started at Concord, and the men of Lexington then Indignantly came forward with the assertion that the affair with the Minute men was nothing less than a pitched battle, despite the existence of the 62 depositions. deposi-tions. A fresh set of depositions was taken from the old-timers who remembered remem-bered the engagement to prove that at Lexington the patriots offered the first resistance to the oppressor. Concord called up the past to prove that the first determined resistance had been offered there on Pitcairn's retreat. But Lexington has been awarded a large share of the credit, thanks largely to Emerson. Historic Portsmouth. The launching last year at Portsmouth, Ports-mouth, N. H., of a submarine boat about twice as large as any ever built before by our navy, and probably the equal In power and efficiency of any rn the world, Is In itself a gratifying Incident. But in addition it recalls gome historic and patriotic associations associa-tions of the old New Hampshire town which are well worth cherishing, and one of which, perhaps the greatest nnd most significant of all, has been far too much neglected. It was four months before the famous night ride to Concord and Lexington, Lex-ington, and the consequent "shot heard round the world." Paul Revere came riding with desperate speed into Durham to tell John Sullivan, for the Boston Committee of Safety, that George III had put an embargo on importations of arms and ammunition into the colonies, and was sending two regiments up from Boston to occupy Portsmouth and its harbor fort. Seized Precious Powder. That night John Sullivan . "got busy." With John Langdon, Thomas Pickering, Winborn Adams and per- and captured at Charlestown Neck. Truly, an episode worthy to make Portsmouth rank close to Concord and Lexington as, Indeed, their forerunner. fore-runner. LEXINGTON (April 19, 177B.) Slowly the mist o'er the meadow was creeping, Bright on the dewy buds glistened the sun, When from his couch, while his children chil-dren were sleeping, Rose the bold rebel and shouldered his gun. Waving her golden veil Over the silent dale, Blithe looked the morning on cottage and Bplre; Hushed was his parting sigh, While from his noble eye Flashed the last sparkle of liberty's fire. On the smooth green where the fresh leaf is springing Calmly the first-born of glory have met; Hark! the death-volley around them Is ringing! Look! with their life-blood the young grass is wet! Faint Is the feeble breath, Murmuring low in death, "Tell to our sons how their fathers have died"; Nerveless the iron hand, Raised for its native land. Lies by the weapon that gleams at Its side. Gayly the plume of the horseman was dancing, Never to shadow his cold brow again; Proudly at morning the war-steed was prancing, Reeking and panting he droops on the rein; Pale Is the Hp of scorn, Voiceless the trumpet horn. Torn Is the silken-fringed red. cross on high; Many a belted breast Low on the turf shall rest Ere the dark hunters the nerd have passed by. Snow-glrdled crags where the hoars wind is raving, Rocks where the weary floods murmur mur-mur and wail. Wilds where the fern by the furrow is waving, Reeled with the echoes that rode on the gale; Far as the tempest thrills Over the darkened hills, Far as the sunshine streams over th plain, Roused by the tyrant band, Woke all the mighty land. Girded for battle from mountain ta main. Green be the graves where her martyn are lying! Shrouded and tombless they sunk tc their rest, While o'er their ashes the starry fold flying Wraps the proud eagle they roused from his nest. Borne on her northern pine. Long o'er the foaming brine Spread her broad banner to storm and to sun: Heaven keep her ever free, Wide as o'er land and sea Floats the fair emblem her heroej have won! Oliver Wendell Holmes. |