Although the 4th Battalion was not the only representative of the Royal Artillery in America during the war—the 1st and 3rd Battalions also being represented—its commanding officers, Colonels Cleaveland and Pattison, who served on the Staff of the Army as Brigadiers, were in command of the Artillery on the Continent; and, therefore, in tracing the services of the corps, the records of the 4th Battalion form the best groundwork. When hostilities commenced, in Massachusetts, the head- quarters of the battalion were in Boston. General Gage, who commanded the troops, had failed to conciliate the colonial representatives. On the 25th February, 1775, he sent a party of infantry and marines to seize some guns which he understood were in the town of Salem; but on their arrival, they found that the guns had been removed. On the evening of the 18th April, in the same year, he sent a similar body—about 900 strong—to the town of Concord on a like errand, and here the first blood of the war was shed. Great mismanagement was displayed on the part of the English commander, and a very decided hostility on the part of the colonists, ultimately rendering a retreat necessary. The troops commenced retiring on Lexington, under an incessant, although irregular fire from the militia and peasantry; and luckily, on their arrival at that town, they met a reinforcement under Lord Percy, sent to their assistance, and accompanied by two field-guns. This was the first appearance of the Royal Artillery in the war. Under the fire of the guns, the troops were able to continue their retreat comparatively unmolested; but before they reached Boston, they had sustained a loss of no less than 273 killed, wounded, and prisoners. This number was considered sufficient to justify the Americans in honouring the conflicts which occurred, by the high-sounding titles of the "Battles of Concord and Lexington." Effective as the fire of the English guns was, complaints were made, probably in self-defence, by the commanding officer of the troops, that the Artillery were inadequately supplied with ammunition on the occasion. A strong remonstrance was immediately addressed by Colonel Cleaveland to the Master-General of the Ordnance, stating the true facts. "I find it has been said in England, that ammunition was wanting for the two guns which went with the Brigade to Lexington—that they had only 24 rounds per gun. I had a waggon with 140 rounds on the parade, and Lord Percy refused to take it, saying it might retard their march, and that he did not imagine there would be any occasion for more than was on the side boxes."[32]