"Solomon Brown,
"Jonathan Loring, Elijah Sanderson."
"Lexington, April 25, 1775.
"I, Elijah Sanderson, above named, do further testify and declare, that I was on Lexington common, the morning of the 19th of April aforesaid, having been dismissed by the officers above mentioned, and saw a large body of regular troops advancing toward Lexington company, many of whom were then dispersing. I heard one of the regulars, whom I took to be an officer, say, "Damn them, we will have them;" and immediately the regulars shouted aloud, run and fired upon the Lexington company, which did not fire a gun before the regulars discharged on them. Eight of the Lexington company were killed while they were dispersing, and at a considerable distance from each other, and many wounded; and, although a spectator, I narrowly escaped with my life.
"Elijah Sanderson."
"Lexington, April 23, 1775.
"I, Thomas Rice Willard, of lawful age, do testify and declare that, being in the house of Daniel Harrington, of said Lexington, on the 19th instant, in the morning, about half an hour before sunrise, looked out at the window of said house, and saw (as I suppose) about four hundred regulars in one body, coming up the road, and marched toward the north part of the common, back of the meeting-house of said Lexington; and as soon as said regulars were against the east end of the meeting-house, the commanding officer said something, what I know not, but upon that the regulars ran till they came within about eight or nine rods of about a hundred of the militia of Lexington, who were collected on said common, at which time the militia of Lexington dispersed. Then the officers made a huzza, and the private soldiers succeeded them: directly after this, an officer rode before the regulars to the other side of the body, and hallooed after the militia of said Lexington, and said, "Lay down your arms, damn you, why don't you lay down your arms?"—and that there was not a gun fired till the militia of Lexington were dispersed. And further saith not.
"Thomas Rice Willard."
"Lexington, April 25, 1775.
"Simon Winship, of Lexington, in the county of Middlesex, and province of Massachusetts Bay, New England, being of lawful age, testifieth and saith, that on the 19th April instant, about four o'clock in the morning, as he was passing the public road in said Lexington, peaceably and unarmed, about two miles and a half distant from the meeting-house in said Lexington, he was met by a body of the king's regular troops, and being stopped by some officers of said troops, was commanded to dismount. Upon asking why he must dismount, he was obliged by force to quit his horse, and ordered to march in the midst of the body; and, being examined whether he had been warning the minute-men, he answered, 'No, but had been out, and was then returning to his father's.' Said Winship farther testifies that he marched with said troops, till he came within about half a quarter of a mile of said meeting-house, where an officer commanded the troops to halt, and then to prime and load: this being done, the said troops marched on till they came within a few rods of Captain Parker's company, who were partly collected on the place of parade, when said Winship observed an officer at the head of said troops, flourishing his sword, and with a loud voice giving the word, 'Fire! fire!' which was instantly followed by a discharge of arms from said regular troops; and said Winship is positive, and in the most solemn manner declares, that there was no discharge of arms on either side, till the word 'Fire' was given by the said officer as above.
"Simon Winship."