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from History of the Town of Danvers by J. W. Hanson  (A copy of this book is available through the Cullen Library.  Refer to the book to compile a citation.)

p. 86

The Nineteenth of April arrived.  The day which was to baptize the soil of Concord and Lexington had dawned. Its 18th, Its history need not here be related.  It is sufficient to say, that in the night of April 18th, about 800 soldiers were despatched to destroy military stores  supposed to be secreted at Concord.  The expedition arrived at Lexington at about four o'clock in the morning.  The battle was fought, and the British were driven like deer, before the defenders of freedom.  A reinforcement came to their relief, and met them when they were half a mile beyond Lexington meeting house.  The English forces, amounting to about 1800 men, commenced their retreat.

The news of the battle reached Danvers at about 9 o'clock A.M., and was communicated to the citizens by the ringing of bells, and the sound of drums.  The call awakes the land.  From every shop and field and bench, the hardy sons of Liberty throng  to their rendezvous, near the Old South.  With firm tread and , and dauntless bearing they gather around the edifice where they have prayed and worshipped, and when they understand the tidings, each man clenches his teeth, seizes his musket, and prepares for the march.  The women are there.  And not with entreaty and fear do they gather around their guardians and protectors.  They gird the sword, and fasten the belt.  Pale, but strong in faith and a love of country, they bid their husbands and sons and fathers God speed, and return to their deserted homes  Mr. (Nathan) Holt, the Minister of the Middle Precinct (Old South), gave his parting benediction to them, and they started for the field of death.  Sp generally did the men forsake their homes to attack the invading foe, "When freedom from her mountain height, unfurled her standard in the air," that at the New Mills, there were but two men left on the night of the Nineteenth.  Frank Brown was confined to his bed by sickness, and Jonathan Sawyer returned just at nightfall from the battle to bring news of the living and the dead.  Before sunset of this day, the wives and children of those who had rushed from New Mills, to obey the cry of Freedom, gathered, in the house now occupied by Mrs. Reed, and thus, passed the night Amid fears of approaching foes, - doubts of the living, and tears for the wounded and the dead, - they did not discover the bright days of Peace and Plenty which had since visited their descendants. But they did not quail.  They women were true.  They cheerfully suffered privation and urged their sons and brothers to "fight the good fight".

The Muster Rolls of the State, give but four companies from Danvers, omitting the company of minutemen commanded by Foster.  Foster is set down as a Lieutenant in Eppes' company, but he himself informed us, that he was placed in command of a company a short time previous to battle.  Thus Danvers contributed five companies, commanded by Jeremiah Page, Samuel Flint, Samuel Eppes, Gideon Foster and Israel Hutchinson, numbering in all above two hundred men from Danvers, besides those from Salem and Beverly.  Thus they started for the scene of action.

When the news of the intention of the British reached Danvers, Foster sent one of his lieutenants to Col. Pickering and obtained permission to start with his minute men, without waiting for the movement of the regiment.

They arrived art West Cambridge a distance of sixteen miles in four hours.  There they met the retreating British, and poured in a most destructive fire.  Col. Pickering with his regiment came on more slowly.  Hon. D. P. King has thus describe the scene:  "Our townsmen heard the roar of the artillery and the rattle of the musketry, and they panted to join in the deadly combat.  A little west of the meetinghouse is a hill around which the road wound in such manner as to conceal the British.  Many of the men of Danvers went into a walled enclosure and piled bundles of shingles which were lying there, to strengthen the breast-work; rumor had deceived them as to the force of the enemy; it was certainly their expectation here to have intercepted their retreat.  Others selected trees on the side of the hill from which they might assail the enemy.  But they had little space for preparation; they soon saw the British in solid column descending the hill on their right, and at the same moment discovered a large flank guard advancing on their left.  The men in the enclosure made a gallant resistance, but were overpowered by numbers - it was here that several of those whom we re proud to claim for our townsmen were slain - some sought shelter in a neighboring house, and three or four, after they had surrendered themselves prisoners of war, were butchered with savage barbarity.

Capt. Foster, with some of his men on the side of the hill, finding themselves nearly surrounded, made an effort to gain the pond - they passed along its margin, and crossed the road directly in front of the British column. On the north side of the road, they took position behind a ditch wall.  From this casual redoubt they fired upon the enemy as long as any of them were within reach of their muskets.  Some of them fired eleven times, with two bullets at each discharge, and it cannot be doubted that these winged messengers of death performed their destined work.  The bodies of the slain were scattered along the road - the British were followed till they reached Charlestown neck.  Mortifying and severe to them were the defeat and loses of that day.  Their killed, wounded and missing amounted to about 300, - According to an account published at the time, in the form of a handbill, 42 Americans were killed and 22 wounded , -" afterwards ascertained to be killed.

To the English Soldiery, this must have been an awful retreat.  The weather was very warm, the sun poured down his fiercest rays, - the air was dry, and as they hurried along their route, towards the place of safety miles away, death intercepted their progress at every step.  An unseen foe from behind enclosures and from the midst of thickets, poured out a falling and continuous fire, which ever and anon smote down some veteran in the midst of his days and strength, while from closed teeth, sharp, hoarse whispers were carried into captivity, several slightly wounded, and two severely so.

The names of the slain were Samuel Cook, aged 33 years, Benjamin Daland 25, George Southwick 25, Jotham Webb 22, Henry Jacobs 22, Ebenezer Goldthwaite 22, Perly Putnam 21.  The bodies of the slain were brought home and were buried with appropriate ceremonies.  Two companies from Salem performed escort duty.  Nathan Putnam was wounded in the shoulder.  He and his brother Perley, who was killed  were relatives of Israel Putnam.  Dennison Wallis was at first taken prisoner.  The enemy were so infuriated at the havoc made by the patriot troops, that they determined to kill all the prisoners they captured.  Wallis saw this, and in attempting to escape he received twelve bullets.  He fell by the side of a wall he was leaping, and was left for dead.  He recovered, and effected his escape.  Joseph Bell was taken prisoner and carried into Boston, where he was imprisoned two months in an English frigate.

Many chivalric deeds were performed by our citizens, in winning this doubtful conflict.  Brave and fearless they "dared to all that might become men," for their country: and is the 19th of April 1775, was a glorious day for America, then was it glorious also for Danvers who sacrificed seven of her bravest sons on the Altar of Liberty, out of the fifty who there perished, and although she was father from Lexington than any of her sister towns who were represented at the battle, yet she lost more of her children than any other town except Lexington.