PREFACE. SOME dozen years or so ago, the author of this volullle planned to write an historic story of Old Concord, dealing with the months and the years prior to 177 j. to show the natural sequence of e ents that g 1ve to the old to vn her opportunity to fire the shot heard round the vorld, and nude her so large a factor in shaping the destiny of the American Republic. It was no mere chance that set apart the Old North Bridge at Concord as the arena . here vns enacted the opening scene of that struggle for independence that 1n lde the Colonies n free nation. Old Concord had long been 1 reparing for . hat God in his providence was preparing for her and the brilliant episode on the 19th of , April, I77j, as but the natural result of that long and faithful prelilni nary work. hfarvellous indeed in the eyes turned backward to that . April morning, is the outcorne In the words of the late President L vight, In 3 gratitude impossible to individually acknowledge or repay. For numberless courtesies that greatly as sisted the development of this book, for valuable information not to be obtained in the ordinary channels, or that proved and strengthened that already found, the author would here tender her most grateful and appreciative acknowleclgn ent to the citizens of the old town, who have thus aided her in her arduous but most congenial task. A list of books on another page is cited as partial authority for the historic basis of this volume, which has aimed in every line to be true to the letter and the spirit of the period of which it treats. WAYSIDE, Concord, Massach uset fs, May, 1898. CONTENTS . CttAFTER IAGB I . THE LITTLE JIAIII . . . . . . . . . . . 9 I1 . TORYL EI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 111 . YITIIIS TIIE LEE JIASSIOS . . . . . . . . 41 I. OSE I. lTrl. l C R IR11 E . . . . . . . . . 5 3 1. TIIE 0 1.1 TO VS IS GRITIS G I E. .. I S 1-. s1 . . . 7 7 I . A Cn1s1s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 4 I1 . I SHALL GO O. EK TO TIIE SII . I 01 . I . E I I 1 0 9 V111 . YHERE IS I ERUY . . . . . . . . . . . 121 IS . . AT TIIE RLTTERFIELL, FAKM . . . . . . . . 1 3 5 X . AS VsvSL. I. C SFEKESC . E . . . . . . . 1 4 8 XI . YE ARE EI. I. I TCIIET . . . . . . . . 162 XI1 . ABSER ACCOMI I. ISIIES HIS JIISSIOS . . . . . I 7 9 XI11 . LE .. l I ISC E v s . .. 1 S . . . . . . . . . . . 1 91 XIV . IN . 1 . 1 1 I I K I . I S C I O FFEE-IIOCTSE . . . . . . 2 0 2 XV . PREP, R I SG AS . R . E l S A . . . 2 1 7 XVI . THE SECRET M UST HE I ISCLOSEI Sn v . . 2 3 1 XVII . RAPIDP REI AK. ATIO . S . S . . . . . . . . 2 4 2 XYIII . COSCOKI i v1 1.1. SKVI . R HK COSQL EKEI . . . . . 2 6 3 7 8 CONTENTS. CHAPTER PACE XIX. USHERING IN THE YEAR OF LIBERTY . . . . 276 XX. A SEARCH TH ROUGH BOSTONT OWN . . . . . 291 XXI. HOME T O CONCORD TO WN . . . . . . . . 30s XXII. I Aar A TRAITOR D S A UGHTER . . . . . 323 XXIII. L THE R EGLARS A RE COMING . . . . . . 336 XXIV. SEARCHIN FO G R THE STORES . . . . . . 355 XXV. THE SHOT HEARD ROUND THE WORI. D . . . 371 XXVI. IIILL S HE BE A GREAT LADY I N TIIE COI OSIES 3 8 6 A LITTLE MAID OF CONCORD TOWN. THE LITTLE MAID. D EBBY