fires in the town thought
our houses were in danger, and immediately marched back toward
said bridge, and the troops who were stationed there, observing
our approach, marched back over the bridge, and then took up some
of the planks. We then hastened our steps toward the bridge, and
when we had got near the bridge, they fired on our men--first
three guns, one after the other, and then a considerable number
more; upon which, and not before (having orders from our
commanding officer not to fire till we were fired upon), we fired
upon the regulars, and they retreated. At Concord, and on their
retreat through Lexington, they plundered many houses, burnt
three at Lexington, together with a shop and barn, and committed
damage, more or less, to almost every house from Concord to
Charlestown.

"Signed by the above deponents."

"We, Joseph Butler and Ephraim Melvin, do testify and declare,
that, when the regular troops fired upon our people at the north
bridge, in Concord, as related in the foregoing depositions, they
shot one, and we believe two, of our people, before we fired a
single gun at them.

"JOSEPH BUTLER, EPHRAIM MELVIN.
"LEXINGTON, _April 23, 1775_."

"CONCORD, _April 23, 1775_.

"I, Timothy Minot, jun., of Concord, on the 19th day of this
instant, April, after that I had heard of the regular troops
firing upon Lexington men, and fearing that hostilities might be
committed at Concord, thought it my incumbent duty to secure my
family. After I had secured my family, some time after that,
returning toward my own dwelling, and finding that the bridge on
the north part of said Concord was guarded by regular troops,
being a spectator of what had happened at said bridge, declare
that the regular troops stationed on said bridge, after they saw
the men that were collected on the westerly side of said bridge,
marched toward said bridge; then the troops returned toward the
easterly side of said bridge, and formed themselves, as I
thought, for regular fight: after that they fired one gun, then
two or three more, before the men that were stationed on the
westerly part of said bridge fired upon them.

"TIMOTHY MI