The Lexington Alarm

As I was walking through the Raymond Hill Cemetary, I noticed quite a few headstones with the inscription of "Lexington Alarm." While in elementary school, like most students, I learned of Paul Revere and his famous ride to warn the citizens of the impending British troops during the start of the Revolutionary War.  But how did fifteen men from the North Parish (Montville) end up participating in the Lexington, Ma. during April 1775?  According to the National Heritage Museum:

“Late on April 18, 1775, British soldiers marched from Boston, toward Concord, to seize munitions that were stockpiled there. Around dawn on April 19, they were met by 77 militiamen on Lexington Common. A shot rang out, and the British opened fire. Eight patriots were dead and nine wounded.

At around 10 a.m. on the morning of April 19, 1775, just hours after the battle on the Lexington green, Joseph Palmer, a member of the Committee of Safety in Watertown, Massachusetts, composed a letter describing the events of that morning. Palmer then gave his letter to the Committee's messenger, Israel Bissel (sometimes spelled Bissell), who galloped out of Watertown on horseback and rode to Worcester. In Worcester, the text was then transcribed by Nathan Balding. Balding's copy of Palmer's letter was given to Bissel, who carried the letter on to Brooklyn, Connecticut, where he arrived on April 20.

The alarm letter seen here, which is in our collection, was copied out in Brooklyn, Connecticut during the late morning of April 20, by Daniel Tyler, Jr., son-in-law to General Israel Putnam. Tyler copied the text from the letter Bissel had brought from Worcester, and sent this letter on to Norwich, Connecticut where Bissel and the letter arrived around 4 o'clock in the afternoon of the 20th.”

 The letter written by Joseph Palmer became known as the Lexington Alarm.  Montville men angered by the British invasion of the Massachusetts immediately left their farms and businesses to answer the call to arms. Below is a list brave citizens from Montville who marched over 100 miles to assist their fellow colonists*:

• Avery, Amos, private, seven days' service at Lexington, Mass., 1775.
• Bishop, Nicholas, captain, eight days' service at Lexington, Mass., April, 1775.
• Chapman, Alpheus, sergt., eight days' service at Lexington, Mass., April, 1775.
• Darrow, Christopher, Jr., lieut,, 8 days' service at Lexington, April, 1775.
• Fox, Elisha, captain, 8 days' service at Lexington, April, 1775.
• Fargo, Joshua, private, 6 days' service at Lexington, April 1775.
• Hillhouse, John, sergt, 8 days' service at Lexington, April, 1775.
• Hillhouse, Samuel, private, 8 davs' service at Lexington, April, 1775.
• Latimer, John, capt., 10 days' service at Lexington, April, 1775.
• Latimer, Daniel, sergt., 10 davs 1 service at Lexington, April, 1775
• Prince, William, sergt., 8 days' service at Lexington, April, 1775.
• Raymond, Joshua, Jr., private, 8 days' service at Lexington, April, 1775.
• Raymond, Daniel, private, 7 days' service at Lexington, April, 1775.
• Raymond, John, Jr., lieut., 8 days' service at Lexington, April, 1775.
• Raymond, William, clerk, 8 days' service at Lexington, April, 1775.
• Weeks, Ebenezer, private, 8 days' service at Lexington, April, 1775.

*The above list was compiled from Henry A. Baker’s, History of Montville