"To march into the middle of the town for its defence, or die in the attempt."[185]
Col. Barrett then gave the order to Major John Buttrick to lead an advance over the Bridge and to the centre of the town. And his instructions were like those of Captain Parker a few hours before, not to fire unless fired upon.
It was then between nine and ten o'clock.[186] Col. Barrett retired to the rear on higher ground,[187] and Major Buttrick hastened to execute his order. His choice for a company to lead was naturally one from Concord, but the Captain of that one replied that he would rather not.[188] We wonder at the reason, for Concord seemed to be the most deeply concerned just at that hour. However, it could not have been for lack of courage, for the Concord companies were a part of that advance. Then Buttrick turned to Capt. Davis, and asked him if he was afraid to go. Davis promptly responded:
"No, I am not; and there isn't a man in my company that is."[189]
He immediately gave the command to march, and the men of Acton wheeled from the left of the line to the right, and were the first to march upon the invaders.
Major John Buttrick of Concord led in person this little army down the slope towards the river, but not until he had offered the command to a superior officer who happened to be present, but without a command, Lieut.-Col. John Robinson of Prescott's Regiment. Robinson lived in Westford, and had responded to the alarm. Magnanimously he refused the honor to lead, but with characteristic bravery, begged that he might march by Buttrick's side, which the latter acceded to. These were the two men in front of all the American host to first march against the soldiers of their King.
Then came Captain Isaac Davis and his company of thirty-seven men from Acton. Then next, a Concord company under Charles Miles. Then two more Concord companies under Capt. David Brown and Capt. Nathan Barrett.[190] Another company from Acton, then fell into line, the one commanded by Capt. Simon Hunt. They were just turning the corner of the main road when the firing at the bridge took place.[191] By order of Col. Barrett the companies from Bedford and Lincoln next fell into line. The march was by twos, and to the tune of "The White Cockade," played by two young fifers, Luther Blanchard of Davis's Acton company, and John Buttrick of Brown's Concord company.[192]
Down the road, now discontinued, in a southerly direction to the point of the triangle, then back towards the Bridge in an easterly direction, in all about a quarter of a mile, they marched.[193] The British watched the advance keenly, and when the southerly point of the triangle was reached, and the columns wheeled left towards the Bridge, they commenced to pull up the planks. Major Buttrick, in a loud voice, ordered them to desist, whereupon they left the Bridge and hastily formed for action in the road just beyond the easterly end. Then came the report of the first hostile gun in the battle of Concord, fired from the British ranks. Solomon Smith,[194] a member of Davis's Acton company, saw where the ball struck the river, on his right, which then ran nearly parallel to the road. This was quickly followed by two others, but they were not thought by the Americans to be aimed at them either.
Still onward marched Major Buttrick and his little band. They soon came nearly to the Bridge, when a sudden volley from the British indicated their serious intention to check the American advance. Luther Blanchard, the fifer from Acton, was slightly wounded.[195]
Major Buttrick heard his cry of anguish, and almost jumping into the air, exclaimed: