The Pictorial Field-Book of the Revolution, Vol. 2 (of 2): or, Illustrations, by Pen And Pencil, of the History, Biography, Scenery, Relics, and Traditions of the War for IndependenceLossing, Benson John
History
The Pictorial Field-Book of the Revolution, Vol. 2 (of 2): or, Illustrations, by Pen And Pencil, of the History, Biography, Scenery, Relics, and Traditions of the War for Independence
Lossing, Benson John
United States -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783
* The place where the hottest of the conflict occurred was between the
Birmingham meeting-house and the present dwellings of Messrs. Hibbert
Davis and Brinton Jones. Many were killed near the meetinghouse; and,
on the^day after the battle, several bodies were found south of the
meeting-house, doubtless slain in the retreat. The meeting-house was
taken possession of by General Howe, and used as an hospital. Several
officers who died there were buried in the grave-yard, on the north
side of the building. A popular tradition asserts that Earl Percy, the
officer who commanded the retreat from Lexington, was killed in
this engagement, and that he had a presentiment of his death on this
occasion. Even the place where he was said to be buried, near the
entrance gate to the grave-yard of the Birmingham meetinghouse, was
pointed out to me. This is not correct. The earl (who was afterward
Duke of Northumberland) left America previous to this battle. He died in
England at the age of ninety-four, on the 10th of July, 1817.
** The bullet passed quite through his leg. He met a surgeon in the
rear, who put a slight bandage around his leg, and he rode to Chester.
The soldiers were retreating, in a straggling manner, in that direction;
and La Fayette placed a guard near the bridge, at the entrance of the
village, with orders to stop all the retreating soldiers at that place.
His wound was then dressed, and the next morning he was conveyed to
Philadelphia, from whence, after a few days, he proceeded to Bristol.
When Henry Laurens was on his way to York, he took the route through
Bristol, and conveyed La Fayette in his carriage to Bethlehem, where he
received the kind attentions of the Moravians. There he remained about
two months, till his wound was sufficiently healed to enable him to join
the army. Laurens's kindness was long remembered. When, subsequently, he
became a prisoner in the Tower of London, the Marchioness De La Fayette
wrote a touching letter in his behalf to the Count De Vergennes,
soliciting the aid of the French court in procuring the release of
Laurens.--Sparks's Washington, v., 456.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account