hostile act until the light infantry companies had killed two men, when the Americans instantly opened a sharp fire, and by their superior numbers forced the King's troops to retire. The country now appeared swarming with armed men, who fired on the troops on all sides, while numbers followed in their rear, and during the six miles' march from Concord to Lexington, skirmish succeeded skirmish, and a continued but irregular fire was sustained until the detachment had expended nearly all its ammunition. Fortunately it was met at Lexington by Earl Percy (Colonel of the FIFTH), who had been sent forward to support the detachment with his brigade and two pieces of artillery, and his lordship after a short halt made dispositions for continuing the march to Boston[31]. But the moment the troops were in motion the attacks became more frequent and more violent than before, the Americans hovering in hundreds upon the rear and keeping up a sharp fire from houses, from behind walls, trees, and other coverts, on both sides of the road; yet the troops, displaying a steady and noble bearing, united with a high state of discipline and undaunted spirit, marched under all these difficulties, in perfect order, a distance of fifteen miles to Charlestown, where they arrived at sunset, quite exhausted from a march of about thirty-five miles, on a hot day, and experiencing the extraordinary fatigues already mentioned. From Charlestown the troops crossed the river by the ferry to Boston, under cover of the fire of the men-of-war. The loss of the FIFTH, in this day's skirmishes, was five men killed; with Lieutenant Thomas Baker, Lieutenant William Cox, Lieutenant Thomas Hawkshaw, and fifteen men wounded; also one man taken prisoner[32].