THE SKIRMISH AT LEXINGTON.


"Now," observed Hand, "I should like to hear some account of how things
went on during the war. We are all in the right mood for it."

"I could talk enough to fill whole books about the war," replied
Kinnison; "but I want to hear Mr. Pitts and Mr. Colson, and the rest of
the old men, spend a little breath for our amusement."

"Mr. Kinnison was in the fight at Lexington, and all the principal
battles in the Northern States during the war. I think he could interest
you more than I," said Colson.

"I'll make an agreement with you," remarked Kinnison. "If I tell you all
I know of that skrimmage at Lexington, one of you must follow me." The
agreement was settled, and Kinnison commenced his narrative of how the
first blow of the Revolution was given.

"You see, after that tea scape, and the quarrels with the red-coat
troops in Boston, the people of Massachusetts, and, in fact, of nearly
all New England, began to see that there was no way of upholding their
rights but by war, and they accordingly began to arm and practise
military tactics. The fife and drum were to be heard every day all
around the country. In our village we collected a company of about
thirty men. My father, and two brothers, Samuel and James, and myself,
joined the company, and we used to parade and drill every day. A bold
and knowing fellow, named Jonathan Williams, was our captain. Well,
early in the fall of 1774, we heard the news that Gage had fortified
Charlestown Neck, and sent some troops to seize the gunpowder at