Then one of the other mounted officers, about two rods behind Pitcairn, name unknown, brandished his sword and the regulars huzzaed in unison. He then pointed his pistol towards the minute-men and fired.[123]
Pitcairn was back to that officer, so did not see him fire. He heard the discharge, and easily might have mistaken it as coming from an enemy, for he had not authorized it himself.[124] Furious with passion he gave the order:
"Fire!"
There was hesitation to obey from his men, for he repeated:
"Fire, damn you, fire!"[125]
The first platoon of eight or nine men then fired, evidently over the heads of the minute-men, for none were killed or wounded.[126] Pitcairn saw the effects of that volley and realized that his men did not aim to kill. Then came his next order:
"G——d d——n you, fire at them!"[127]
The second volley surely was fired to kill.
John Munroe, one of the minute-men in line, thought that the first volley was nothing but powder and so remarked to Ebenezer Munroe, who stood next to him. But as the second volley came quickly and with fatal effect, the latter answered that something more than powder was being used for he had received a wound in his arm, and, he added: