Patrick Henry, a member of the Virginia Legislature, took it upon himself to return a rather evasive answer by “repeating it, sir, WE MUST FIGHT!”
CHAPTER XVII.
REVOLUTIONARY—A ROW AT CONCORD—A MASTERLY RETREAT—THE BRITISH COUNT NOSES.
And we did fight.
The first gun was fired on the 19th of April, 1775, at Concord, where a large and select assortment of explosives for celebrating the coming Fourth of July was stored and guarded by a squad of minute-men.
A detachment of 3,000 British was sent to destroy these explosives.
“Disperse ye Rebels!” is what the British commander remarked.
RETREAT OF THE BRITISH.
“You’re another!” promptly replied the minute-men, and immediately obeyed the order to disperse. They placed an unexpected construction upon it, however, for they dispersed the British troops, who deemed it expedient to saunter back to Charlestown, where they found on counting noses that they were short some two hundred and eighty men.