Deposition No. 15
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Testimony of Nathan Barrett, et al, About the Battle of Concord
Lexington, April 23, 1775
We Nathan Barrot, Captain, Jonathan Farrar, Joseph Butler & Francis Wheeler Lieutenants. John Barret, Ensign, John Brown, Silas Walker, Ephraim Melvin, Nathan Buttrick, Stephen Hosmer Junr. Sam’l Barrett, Thomas Jones, Joseph Chandler, Peter Wheeler, Nathan Peirce and Edward Richardson all of Concord in the County of Middlesex in the province of the Massachusetts Bay of Lawful Age Testify and Declare that on Wednesday, the Nineteenth Instant, about an Hour after sunrise, we Assembled on a Hill near the meeting House in Concord afores’d, in consequence of an information, that a number of regular Troops had killed six of our Countrymen at Lexington & were on their march to s’d Concord,
& about an Hour afterwards we saw them approaching to the number, as we Imagine, of about Twelve Hundred, on which we retreated to a Hill about Eighty rods back, & the aforesaid Troops, then took possession of a Hill, where we were first posted.
Presently after this we saw them moving towards the North Bridge, about one mile from s’d meeting House.
We then immediately went before them, & passed the bridge just before a party of them to the the number of about Two Hundred arrivd —
They there left about one half of these two Hundred at the bridge, & proceeded with the rest towards Col. Barret’s, about two miles from ye s’d bridge —
We then seeing several fires in the Town, thought our houses were in Danger, and immediately mach’d back towards s’d bridge, & the troops who were stationed there,
Observing our approach march’d back over the bridge & then took up some of the planks.
We then hastned our Steps towards the bridge, & when we had got near the bridge they fir’d on our men, first three guns one after the other, & then a Considerable number more,
upon which, & not before, having orders from our Commanding Officer not to fire till we were fird upon we fird upon the regulars, & they retreated —
At Concord & on their retreat thro Lexington they plunder’d many houses, burnt three at Lexington together with a shop & a barn, and committed damage more or Less to almost every House from Concord to Charlestown
- Nathan Barrett
- Peter Wheeler
- Ephraim Melvin
- Jonathan Farrar
- Nathan Peirce
- Nathan Buttrick Josephe Butler
- Stephen Hosmer Junr.
- Francis Wheeler
- Edward Richarson
- Samuel Barrett
- John Barrett
- Thomas Jones
- John Brown
- Joseph Chandler
- Silas Walker
Testimony of Joseph Butler and Ephraim Melvin for the Battle of Concord
Lexington, April 23, 1775
We Joseph Butler & Ephraim Melvin do testify & declare that when the regular troops fir’d upon our people at the North Bridge in Concord, as related in the foregoing depositions, they shot one, & we believe two, of our people before we fir’d a single gun at them
- Joseph Butler
- Ephraim Melvin
Witnesses to the Testimony
Middlesex, April 23, 1775
The within named Nathan Barrett, Jonathan Farrar Joseph Butler, Francis Wheeler, John Barrett, John Brown Silas Walker, Ephraim Melvin, Nathan Buttrick, Stephen Hosmer Jun. Sam.l Barrett, Thomas Jones, Joseph Chandler, Peter Wheeler, Nathan Peirce & Edward Richardson appear’d &made solemn Oath to the truth of the above Depositions, by them Subscribed Before us
Johnathan Hastings
John Cumings
Duncan Ingraham
Certification of the Testimony
Province of the Massachusetts Bay, Charlestown
I Nathaniel Gorham notary & Tabellion Publick duly admitted & sworn, do hereby certify all whom it may or doth concern that Jona. Hastings, John Cummings & Duncan Ingraham Esg.s are three of his majesty’s Justices for the County of Middlesex & that full faith & Credit is to be given to their Transactions as such in Witness whereof I have hereunto fix’d my name & seal
this Twenty sixth of April one Thousand seven hundred seventy five
Nathaniel Gorham, Noty Publick
Charlestown May 2, 1775
The foregoing instruments are true copies in Witness thereof I have hereunto set my name & seal
Interesting Facts About the Deposition of Nathan Barret, et al
- Joseph Warren of the Massachusetts Provincial Congress wanted the depositions gathered as quickly as possible, so he could send them to the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia, and Benjamin Franklin in London.
- Franklin was the Agent for Massachusetts and acted as its representative. Warren wanted Franklin to have eyewitness accounts that could be used to help gain sympathy for the Patriot Cause.
- The witnesses in this deposition were members of the Concord Militia.
- An hour after sunrise, they assembled on a hill near the Concord Meetinghouse.
- About an hour later, the British column appeared on the road.
- The Concord Militia fell back to another hill.
- The British occupied the first hill, near the Meetinghouse.
- 200 British troops were deployed to the North Bridge and 100 of them went to search Colonel James Barrett’s farm.
- The militia saw fires in the town and marched to the North Bridge.
- The British forces guarding the bridge started removing the planks.
- As the militia hurried to cross the bridge, the British fired at them, initiating the Battle of Concord.
- The Americans were given orders to return fire, which they did.
- The British retreated and burned houses and buildings between Lexington and Charlestown.
- The notary public, Nathaniel Gorham, went on to serve as the 8th President of the Continental Congress (June 6, 1786–February 2, 1787).
