A Deposition of Colonial Militiamen from the Battle of Lexington and Concord

The following primary source is a deposition of colonial minutemen who were at Lexington on April 19, 1775. Six days later, they gave this testimony of what they experienced and remembered.

We Nathanael Parkhurst, Jonas Parker, John Munroe, Junr, John Winship, Solomon Pierce, John Muzzy, Abner Mead, John Bridge, Jun Ebenezer Bowman William Munroe 3d, Micah Hager, Saml Saunderson, Samuel Hastings & James Brown of Lexington in the County of Middlesex and Colony of Massachusetts Bay in New England & all of lawfull age do Testify and Say that on the morning of the nineteenth of April Instant about one or Two OClock being informed that a number of Regular Officers had been riding up & down the Road the evening & night preceding & that some of the Inhabitants as they were passing had been Insulted by the Officers and stoped by them; and being also informed that the Regular Troops were on their march from Boston in order (as it was said) to take the Colony store then deposited at Concord. We met on the Parade of our Company in this town; After the Company had collected we were ordered by Capt John Parker (who commanded us) to disperse for the present and to be ready to attend the beat of the Drum and accordingly the Company went into houses near the place of Parade. We further Testify and Say that about five o clock in the morning we attended the beat of our Drum and & [[object Object]] were formed on the Parade. We were faced toward the Regulars then marching up to us & some of our Company were coming to the parade with their backs towards the troops and others on the parade began to Disperse when the Regulars fired on the Company before a gun was fired by any of our company on them. they killed eight of our company & wounded several & continued their fire until we had all made our escape.
Nathanael Parkhurst
Lexington 25th April 1775 Abner Mead Jonas Parker
Samuel Saunderson John Bridge Jr John Munroe, Jun
Samuel Hastings Ebenezer Bowman John Winship
James Brown William Munroe Solomon Pierce
Micah Hager John Muzzy

Middlesex April 25th 1775 Nathanael Parkhurst Jonas Parker