Roxbury, the adjoining town to Boston, southwesterly, was naturally the first town in that direction to know of the movement of the British. William Dawes, the first messenger out of Boston, as we have seen, passed through the town on his round-about-way to Lexington, and must have delivered his first message there before 11 o'clock on the evening of the 18th. There were three companies under the command of Captain Moses Whiting, Captain William Draper, and Captain Lemuel Child, respectively, who took active parts in the events of the 19th. As they marched for the scene of strife many women and children fled to other towns for greater safety.[85]
The news reached Dedham, ten miles southwesterly from Boston, a little after 9 o'clock in the morning. It came by way of Needham and Dover.[86]
Framingham, eighteen miles southwesterly from Boston, was alarmed before 8 o'clock in the morning. A bell was rung, and alarm guns fired, which assembled many of the two companies of militia and one of minute-men, who started in about an hour. Captain Edget went on foot the entire distance, and carried his gun. Those living in the extreme south and west parts of the town followed on a little later. Not long after the men had left, a report was started that negroes were coming to massacre them all, which seemed the more frightful to the women and children because of the absence of about all of the able-bodied men. For those defenceless ones at home it was a terrible day.[87]
Newton, seven miles westerly from Boston, was alarmed at early dawn by a volley from one of John Pigeon's field-guns, kept at the gun-house in Newton Centre, near the church.[88]
Sudbury, eighteen miles westerly from Boston, received its first news by a messenger from Concord, eight miles away, who reported to Thomas Plympton, a member of the Provincial Congress. Captain Nixon was aroused by a messenger, who shouted:
"Up, up! the red-coats are up as far as Concord."
Captain Nixon started off at once on horseback.[89]
In Worcester, forty miles westerly from Boston, the people were alarmed before noon by a messenger mounted on a white horse dripping with sweat, and bloody from spurring. Driving at full speed through the town he shouted:
"To arms, to arms! the war has begun!"
At the church the horse fell exhausted. Another was procured and the news still went on. The bell rang out the alarm, cannon were fired, and special messengers despatched to every part of the town to summon the soldiers. In a little while 110 men, under Captain Timothy Bigelow were paraded on the Green, and soon marched for Concord. They were met on the way by the intelligence of the British retreat. So they changed their course towards Boston.[90]