Concord, seventeen miles northwesterly from Boston was first aroused by Dr. Samuel Prescott, between one and two o'clock in the morning of the 19th. He had just escaped from the British, in Lincoln, at the time they captured Revere. It was nearly three o'clock when the alarm bell was rung, whereupon several posts were despatched, who returning, brought the news that the regulars were indeed coming; that they had reached Lexington, and killed six Americans, and then started for Concord.[77] Capt. Minot's Company took possession of the hill to the eastward above the meeting house, and Capt. Brown's Company marched up the road to meet the enemy.[78]
Corporal Amos Barrett of Capt. David Brown's Company has left a written statement that he thinks one hundred and fifty minute-men had assembled. His Company resolved to go up the road towards Lexington and meet the British. They accordingly marched a mile or a mile and a half, when they saw them coming. They halted and awaited them, and when they were within one hundred rods were ordered by their captain to about face. They marched back to the village to the music of their fife and drum, the British following, also playing their fifes and drums.[79]
Brown's Company consolidated with Minot's, and both took up a new position, a little farther north on the adjoining hill, back of the town. The British were so many more in number, that it was thought prudent to still farther retire. Accordingly the two companies marched down the hill, over the North Bridge, distance three-quarters of a mile from the village, and took a new and stronger position on Punkatasset Hill, a little more than a mile from the village, but clearly overlooking it. There they welcomed the reinforcements that were arriving from the neighboring towns.
In Tewksbury, twenty miles northwesterly from Boston, the alarm was given at about 2 o'clock in the morning. "The British are on their way to Concord and I have alarmed all the towns from Charlestown to here,"[80] were the words that aroused Capt. John Trull, from his slumber, who in turn fired his gun to arouse Gen. Varnum, across the Merrimack River over in Dracut, a signal previously agreed upon between them. When Capt. Trull reached the village his men were awaiting him and they at once started for Concord. There were two other Tewksbury companies commanded respectively by Capt. Jonathan Brown and Capt. Thomas Clark, who also responded to the alarm.
In Acton, twenty-one miles northwesterly from Boston, and the adjoining town to Concord westerly, the alarm was given early in the morning. Col. Francis Faulkner resided in South Acton. His son, Francis, Jr., was lying awake and listening to the clatter of a horse's feet drawing nearer and nearer. Suddenly he leaped from his bed and ran to his father's room, adjoining, and exclaimed:
"Father, there's a horse coming on the full run, and he's bringing news!"
His father had heard the horseman also, for he was partly dressed with gun in hand. Across the bridge and up to the house came the messenger.
"Rouse your minute-men, Mr. Faulkner, the British are marching on Lexington and Concord." And away he rode to spread the news.
Col. Faulkner, without completing his dress, fired his gun three times as fast as he could load, that being the preconcerted signal. Very quickly a neighbor repeated it, and the boy, still listening, heard a repetition many times, each farther away. Thus was Acton aroused.
At the home of Col. Faulkner very soon assembled Capt. Hunt's Company. Women were there, too, to help as they might. Stakes were driven into the lawn, kettles hung, fires built, and a dinner for the soldiers soon cooked. Some of the older boys were delighted to follow on and carry it in saddle-bags, separately from the minute-men, with instructions to take the field roads if the British should be found occupying the highways. Col. Faulkner marched away with Capt. Hunt's Company, to take command of the Middlesex Regiment, which he supposed to be assembling at Concord.