1775. ] OF THE PROVINCE OF MARYLAND. 15

Newport, April 25, 1775.
GENTLEMEN,

You have, without doubt, before this time, heard of the bloody,
savage massacre of a number of the inhabitants of Lexington, a
town about 12 miles north-west from Boston, perpetrated by a de-
tachment of about 1200 of the king's troops, and what ensued
thereon. We inclose you two accounts, which may be more par-
ticular than any you have yet received: The one was brought us
by a gentleman who left Cambridge on Thursday last in the fore-
noon, and is contained in the hand bill; the other is in the news-
paper. Since we received these accounts, we have been credibly
informed that the number of the king's troops, killed and taken,
amounts to about 300, besides many were wounded and carried
into Boston; the number of Americans to about 40 killed and
wounded, and it is said about 4 or 5 taken prisoners. A large bo-
dy of men, not less than 20, 000, are assembled, and form a semi-
circle from Charlestown to Roxbury: what their plan of operation
will be is unknown. By a gentleman of the committee of corres-
pondence for the town of Providence, in this colony, who arrived
here this afternoon, we are informed, that the provincial congress
of the" Massachusetts bay, now sitting, have determined that a
standing army of 30, 000 men should be raised in the New England
colonies, expecting that the southern colonies will assist in furnish-
ing monies for their support. That our people had taken posses-
sion of a hill on Dorchester point, which commands general Gage's
works on Boston Neck, and that they had made entrenchment
within gun shot of those works at Roxbury. That two men of
war had arrived at Boston, and brought the three generals that have
been expected, that 6000 troops had embarked for that place when
those men of war left England. There were not more than 300
Americans in a body at any one time during the action on Wed-
nesday, and they acquitted themselves with such intrepidity as has
convinced the king's officers, that Americans can and will fight
All communication between the town of Boston and the other
parts of the colony being shut up, and things being in a state of con-
fusion, renders it almost impossible to obtain any certain particu-
lar intelligence from that quarter: However, the foregoing account
we think may be depended upon. We had hoped that the dispute
between Great Britain and these colonies would have been settled
without bloodshed; but the parliament of Great Britain it seems
have determined to push their iniquitous unconstitutional measures
by dint of arms. The sword of civil war has been drawn by the
king's troops, and sheathed in the bowels of our countrymen. May