History of the Town of Fitchburg 1836: Part 29
 

The 19th of April, the day on which the troops of Great
Britain and her Colonies first came in hostile collision,
had now dawned.  The British troops reached Concord at seven
o'clock, A.M., and the "Alarm" was fired in Fitchburg at 9
o'clock in front of the store of Dea. Ephraim Kimball, which
then stood on the site of the present Stone MIll, in the Old
City.  This was the appointed rendezvous of the
"Minute-men," where their guns and equipments were kept,
ready for instant action.  This company had spent the
previous day at drill.  They assembled here as soon as
possible, when the alarm was given, and being joined by
several volunteers, about fifty men took up the line of
march for concord, under the command of Capt.  (afterwards
Col.) Ebenezer Bridge.  They arrived at their destination in
the course of the same evening, but in sufficient season
only to witness some of the effects of the action, viz: some
dead bodies, and several wounded British soldiers, whom
their brethren in the rapidity of their flight, had left to
he mercy of the people. The remains of the British
detachment were, by this time, safely entrenced on Bunker
Hill.

The anxiety which prevailed throughtout the town, on this
day, may be imagined.  Exaggerated reports of the force and
intentions of the enemy were spread, and every thing was
veiled in uncertainty.  A large proportion of the able
bodied men had marched forward at a moment's warning to
encounter dangers, how great no one could tell.  Many a one,
in bidding farewell to a father, husband or brother, felt
that the separation might be eternal.

Those who remained were not inattentive to the physial wants
of the departed.  A large baggage wagon well filled with
provisions was immediately sent forward, under the care of
Thomas Cowdin, Jr.

It thus appears that when the time of action came, the
people of the town did not fail to make their deeds
correspond with their professions.

As there was no immediate need for their services, a large
number of the men soon returned home.  The provisions which
they did not consume, were afterwards sold, and the
proceeds, amounting to $48.50, were given by a vote of the
town to their minister, Rev John Payson -- on the principle,
perhaps that if the money was not wanted by those who fought
our battles, it could not be better appropriated than by
being given to one who earnestly prayed for our success.

The army, which was now assembled around Boston, was
composed of "Minute-men" and others, who had rushed to the
scene of action upon the first alarm of the battle of
Lexington.  It was necessary to proceed to organize this
body of men immediately.  Measure to this effect were taken,
and the men were regularly enlisted, formed into companies
and regiments.  A company was enlisted (most of them for
eighteen months) and organized from amoung the volunteers of
Lunenburg and Fitchburg.  Of this company, John Fuller, of
Lunenburg, was captain, Ebenezer Bridge, of Fitdhburg,
lieutenant, and Jared Smith, of Lunenburg, ensign.

After this period, several of the inhabitants joined the
army at different periods, and for different lengths of
time.  As near as I can learn, about thirty were constantly
in the army till the British troops evacuated Boston, in
March 1776.

It is not certainly known how many of the inhabitants of
this town were engaged in the battle of Bunker Hill, but the
number was not far from ten or twelve.  I have been able to
get the names of four or five.  John Gibson, a son of Isaac
Gibson, (whose name has frequently occurred in the course of
this history) was one of these.  It is supposed that he was
killed there, for he has never been seen or heard of since
that day.  He was last seen in the entnrenchments, in the
hottest of the fight, bravely opposing the enemy with the
breech of his gun.  There cannot be much doubt but that he
was finally overpowered and killed, though his body could
not be recognized among the slain.

It may be worthy of remark that after this period, no
soldier belonging to this town was killed during the
continuance of the war, and that one only was severely
wounded, some years after this.

(to be continued)

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