John Brown and Samuel Hadley were killed on the edge of the swamp, a little way to the north of the Common. They were retreating, but not beyond the reach of their pursuers' bullets.[142]
Asahel Porter, unarmed, non-combatant, and who had been brought up from Menotomy with Josiah Richardson as prisoners, was killed a few rods over the wall in Buckman's garden, to the eastward of the Tavern. He had been liberated with other prisoners, and had been cautioned not to run, but walk away. After walking a little distance he felt impelled to run, and was pursued by a British bullet, with fatal effect. Richardson walked away, and safely escaped.
The work of the British on Lexington Common, occupying less than half an hour, was now finished. Their casualties were slight, one man of the Tenth Regiment wounded in the thigh, another in the hand, and Major Pitcairn's horse shot in two places.[143] The killing of the minute-men, had, however, wrought the rank and file up to a frenzied pitch of excitement, so much so, that the officers had difficulty in forming them into line again.[144] They succeeded though. In the meantime the main body under Lieut.-Col. Smith arrived, and when they were all in marching order a volley was fired, and huzzas shouted as an expression of victory, and then they proceeded on their way.[145] Just then the sun rose on this new field of battle.[146]
Again the fife and drum, at first harsh and loud, echoing against the neighboring hills; then fainter and fainter, as the troops marched up and over the summit of Concord Hill, a mile away.
And when they were indeed gone, the men and women and children of Lexington came forth from their hiding places and looked upon the scene. We of today, have never seen our Common as they saw it, its turf torn with horses' hoofs, and clotted here and there with human blood; with prostrate figures of men, some with faces upward to the sky, others with theirs smothered helplessly in the dust. One might almost think they were asleep.
Such was the fulfilment of their solemn pledge, that they stood ready to sacrifice "everything dear in life, yea and life itself, in support of the common cause."[147]
Strong and willing arms then bore all of those precious dead into the house of God. And we can imagine, as they came forth, that their faces were turned towards Concord Hill, shining with a patriot's full meaning. We can go with them through the day, as they join the men of Acton; of Concord;—men from all over Middlesex, and Essex, and Norfolk Counties, who also stood so ready to defend the common cause, yea, even with life itself!
The dead on or near Lexington Common were Jonas Parker, Jonathan Harrington, Jr., Ensign Robert Munroe, Isaac Muzzy, John Brown, Samuel Hadley, Caleb Harrington, and Asahel Porter. The wounded were John Robbins, so that he could not write his name or even make his mark;[148] Solomon Pierce; John Tidd, sabre cut on his head by a British officer;[149] Joseph Comee, on his arm;[149] Ebenezer Munroe, Jr., on his arm;[150] Thomas Winship; Nathaniel Farmer; Prince Estabrook (colored) and Jedediah Munroe (who was killed later in the day).
Hardly had the soldiers of King George reached the summit of Concord Hill, a mile away, ere stragglers, wearing the same uniform, were seen coming up the road, apparently without fear or guile. There were five in all, but as they came singly or in twos, were not looked upon as dangerous belligerents. Joshua Simonds emerging from the meeting-house, captured the first one, took his gun away, and gave it to Captain Parker.[151] Deacon Benjamin Brown captured one.[152] Joshua Reed, of Woburn, captured one, took away his gun and other warlike equipments and turned him over to James Reed of Burlington,[153] then called Woburn Precinct. Two more were taken on or near the Common, and their arms, or those of two Britons at all events, carried into Buckman Tavern by Ebenezer Munroe, later given to minute-men, who had none of their own.[154]