On the morning of the 19th of April, 1775, about 2 o’clock in the morning, I was called out of bed by John Barrett, a Sergeant of the militia company to which I belonged (I was 20 years of age the 28th of May next following): I joined the company under Captain Nathan Barrett (afterwards Colonel), at the old court-house, about 3 o’clock, and was ordered to go to the Court House to draw ammunition. After the company had all drawn their ammunition we were paraded near the meetinghouse and I should suppose that there was 60 or 70 men in Capt. Barrett’s company, and that the whole of the militia and minute-men of Concord under arms that day was not less than 200. About 4 o’clock they were joined by two companies from Lincoln: the militia commanded by Capt. Pierce (afterwards Colonel) and the minute-men by Capt. William Smith—the venerable and honorable Samuel Hoar of Lincoln was one of his lieutenants—and were then formed, the minute-men on the right and Capt. Barrett’s on the left, and marched in order to the end of Meriam’s Hill, then so-called, and saw the British troops a-coming down Brooks’ Hill: the sun was arising and shined on their red coats and glis’ning arms. We retreated in order over the top of the hill to the Liberty pole erected on the heights opposite the meetinghouse, and made a halt; the main body of the British marched up in the road and a detachment followed us over the hill, and halted in half gun-shot of us, at the pole; we then marched over the burying-ground to the road and then over the bridge to Hunt’s Hill, or Punkataisett so called at that time, and were followed by two companies of the British. One company went up to destroy stores at Colonel James Barrett’s, and they tarried near the bridge; some of them went to Capt. David Brown’s, some to Mr Ephraim Butterick’s. About 9 o’clock we saw smoke rise at the Court House; it was proposed to march into town and were joined by Westford and Acton companies, and were drawn up west of where Colonel Jonas Butterick now lives. Colonel James Barrett rode along the line, and having consulted with the officers, shouted, not to fire first; then began their march—Robinson and Butterick led. Upon beginning to march the company of British formed first on the causeway in platoons: they then retreated over the bridge and took up three planks and formed, part in the road and part on each side; our men the same time marching in very good order along the road in double file. At that time an officer rode up, and a gun was fired. I saw where the ball threw up the water about the middle of the river; then a second and a third shot, and cry of fire, fire, was made from front to rear: the fire was almost simultaneous with the cry, and I think it was not more than two minutes, if so much, till the British run, and the fire ceased. Part of our men went over the bridge and myself among the