Lexington alarm letter, 1775 April 19

A1995_011_DS1.jpg
A1995_011_DS2.jpg

Title

Lexington alarm letter, 1775 April 19

Description

Alarm letter, containing an account of the Battle of Lexington, April 19, 1775, originally written by Joseph Palmer, at Watertown, Massachusetts, just hours after the event. This attested copy written by Daniel Tyler, Jr., at Brooklyn, Connecticut on the morning of April 20, 1775 and addressed "To Christopher Leffingwell Esq. or either the Committee of Correspondence Norwich" on verso.

Palmer, a member of the Committee of Safety in Watertown, Massachusetts, gave the letter to the Committee's messenger, Israel Bissel, who delivered it to Worcester. There, Nathan Balding transcribed the letter and gave that copy to Bissel who carried it to Brooklyn Connecticut, late in the morning of April 20, 1775. Daniel Tyler, Jr. transcribed the letter which was sent on to Christopher Leffingwell in Norwich, Connecticut.

Source

Collection of Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library, Lexington, Massachusetts
USM 001.059

Date

1775 04 20

Rights

This image is presented for research and educational purposes only, and may not be distributed or re-published without permission from the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library.

Language

English

Identifier

A1995/011/1

Extent

1 document; 31 x 20 cm.

Provenance

Museum purchase.

Text

Watertown Wednesday Morning near 10 o'Clock

To all the Friends of American Liberty, be it known that this Morning before breake of Day a Brigade consisting of about 1000 or 1200 Men landed at Phip’s Farm at Cambridge & marched to Lexington where they found a Company of our Colony Militia in Arms, upon Whom they fired without any Provocation and killed 6 Men and Wounded 4 others. By an Express from Boston this Moment, we find another Brigade are now upon their march from Boston supposed to be about 1000. The Bearer Mr. Israel Bissel is charged to alarm the Country quite to Connecticut and all Persons are desired to furnish him with Fresh Horses as they may be needed. I have spoken with Several Persons who have seen the Dead & Wounded. Pray let the Delegates from this Colony to Connecticut see this they know.

J. Palmer, one of the
Committee of S-----y [i.e. Safety].
Col. Foster of Brookfield one of the Delegates. A True Coppy taken from the original p[er] order of Committee of Correspondence for Worcester. Attest. Nathan Balding T[own] Clerk
Worcester April 19th 1775.

Brooklyne Thursday 11 o'Clock - The above is a true Coppy as rec[eived] here p[er] Express forwarded from Worcester - [at]Test. Daniel Tyler, Jr.

Citation

Tyler, Daniel, Jr., about 1750 - 1832 and Palmer, Joseph, 1716-1788 , “Lexington alarm letter, 1775 April 19,” digitalVGW, accessed March 18, 2024, https://digitalvgw.omeka.net/items/show/497.