Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: forwardness, and then mounted with ten brass and two iron cannon; that the old fortification, at the entrance of the town, was repaired, and rendered much stronger by the addition of timber and earth to the parapet; that ten pieces of iron cannon were mounted on the old platforms; that a block-house brought from Governor's Island, was erecting on the south side of the Neck, between the old fortification and the new works advanced on the Neck. On the 18th of April, our General had been sitting with the Committee of Safety, at Menotomy in Cambridge; and on his return home, soon after he left the committee, and about sun-setting, he met eight or nine British officers on horseback, with their swords and pistols, riding up the road towards Lexington. The time of day, and distance from Boston, excited suspicion of some design. They indeed were out reconnoitring and getting intelligence, but were not molested. On the 19th, at day-break, our General was awoke, called from his bed, and informed that a detachment of the British army were out; that they had crossed from Boston to Phipps' farm, in boats, and gone towardls Concord, as was supposed, with intent to destroy the public stores. They probably had notice that the committees had met the preceding day at Wetherby's tavern, at Menotomy; for, when they came opposite to the house, they halted. Several of the gentlemen slept there during the night. Among them were Col. Orne1, Col. Lee, and Mr. Gerry. One of them awoke, and informed the others that a body of the British were before the house. They immediately made their escape, without time to dress themselves, at the back door, receiving some injury from obstacles in the way, in their undressed state. They made their way into the fields. The country was immediately alarmed, and the m...