The New York Herald Newspaper, April 15, 1875, Page 8

NEW YORK HERALD, THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 1875.—QUAD oid Monament, was believed to have been the res | o’clock several of the Britisn soldiers stationed | Pitcairn’s name, and gave them to General Israel sult of that Major Buttrick’s order ran along the of militia and minure men, the word ‘Fire!’ “Fire! came from a hundred lips, snd @ general discharge instantly followed from the Americans, They fired as they stood and over bach Other's neaus, few minutes only, when THE BRITISG BROKE AND FLED im great alarm and confusion. Noah Parkhurst, Qne of the Lincoln men, said to one of bis com- rades, “NOW, THE WAR HAS BEGUN, AND NO ONE KNOWS WHEN IT WILL END!” ‘The fire of the Americans was destructive. Two British soldiers were xnstantly killed. Five dMicers, Lieutenants Gould, Hall, Sunderland aod Kelly, and a sergeant and six privates, were Beported to have been wounded at the same time. It has never been accucately ascertained how Many privates suffered in thisengagement. More | Sham a dozen had their wounds dressed in the Willage by Drs, Minot aud Cumings, and, of course, there were surgeons with the expeditionary force. Mapy of tne troops were covered with blood as smey passed the houses on their rerreat to the vil- lage, and were seen In this condition from the windows. The sudden fight of such veieran voldiers showed that the dre of the Americans must have been very severe. Lieutenant Hall Was taken prisoner on tue road, and died we Yextday, His remains were delivered to General Rage. Licutenant Gould was also capiured, and | pommitted to the kind care of the Key, Edward | Brooks, of Medford, Money was Gouid’s bope and guide, for he offered $10,000 tor his liberty. On | She 28th of May he was excasnged jor Josiah Breed, of Lynn, who was wounded in the after- | Qoon of that day. Lieutenant James Potter, of | she marines, was also a prisoner, and confined | for some time at Reuven Browu’s, The vlack- | Randled and orass-hilted sword of one of | these officers is now in the curious dric-d- | brace collection of axtiques im the rooms of Onaries &. Davis, an enthusiastic arcu@ologist in — Qoncord. un the hilt the characters Xo RGt Co | ¥I, No 10 are engraved. Two or three of the prisoners were condned in The tusilade continued ior & | near Reuven Brown’s fired at Ave! Prescott as he | Was riding home irom Sudbury. Aithouga wounded in his side he mauaged to reach Mrs, Jonathan Heywood’s house, where tis wound was hustily dressed by Mrs, Heywood and her sou Abiel, a lad then, but subsequently @ prominent physician in | Concord, On the approach of the soldiers Mrs, Heywood and her sun gathered all the tamily silver and threw it into the well and then sought | @ placg Of greater safety. Presco't ran up stairs and concealed himself ina cask in a dark place behind one of those enormous chimneys which hall Glied every house in those days. He beard the redeoats uttering bitter threats, as they unsuc- cessiuily searched for him, ip their disappoint- Ment they simashed the windows of tue house, Abel was a brother of Samuel Prescott, who brought the first news of the British early in the morning, and they were a pair o/ bovle brothers, RETREAT OF THE BRITISH, | | The British lest the village at twelve o'clock. | | They retreated in the same order as whey entered, the imfantry on the ridge of tae nil! on their left, and the grenadiers and marines on the road, but with more numerous #anking parties, and thrown out lurrher irom the main body. They evidently jelt Lhat the return on the homestretch was to be a lazardous one, and Colonel Smith acted with caution. Tne whole country had been aroused, and it seemed as if ‘men came down from the clouds.”” Alter the first conflict there was no mill tary order with the Americans. They be- came almost at one blow an independent people. On the pursuit each man was bis own geueral, chose bis owu time, his own position and his own mode of attack. This was @ new style of fighting to most of the British, fearfully telling on their morale, and ter- ribly effective and destructive, “On arriving at Merriam’s Corner, the end of the ridge, at the | junction of the Bedford and Boston roads, the retreating enemy were met by the American® who bad crossed over the Great Fields or Meacows from the North Bridge, and the winute meu who had just arrived (rom Reading, ander the com" mand of Major Join Brooks, afterward Governor | Potnam, | DEATH OF JAMES HAYWARD. Among the tragic tneivents om that long line of bastle was ove between James Hayward, of Acton, aod a British soldier at the foot of this hill, Hay- Ward, 00 going to the rear of a nouse lor a draught Oi water, Was seen by,a Briton, who had gone into the building tor plunder. Tne Briton went to the door to cut Hayward otfas he passed the corner. Hay Wards eye caught sight of the regular the mo- ment be opened the dour, They levelled their guns and fired at the same instant, the Briton remark- ing, “You are adead man!” “And ‘so are you!” said Hayward, The British soldier was in- | stantly killed. Hayward was mortally wounded, | | the Dall of his antagonist passing through his poWder-orn, driving the splinters tuto bis body. He lingered eight hours, and in the midst of his | Suifertogs exclaimed, “1 am happy to die in de | | lence of the rights of my country.” ! A SALMON DINNER SPOILED, j On the run down the hill an old fellow was | alarmed at the sight, and he soon created a sensa- | Breathing Relics of the Glo- | TWO REMARKABLE WOMEN Mob in an Unexpected quarter. Shortly alter the Britiso ieft Lexington for Coacord, a note irom Joun Haucock was received at Mr, Clark’s, stating | Where he and Adams were located, and requesting Mrs, Hancock and Miss Quiuey to come to them in | their carriage, and bring the tine salmon that had been sent to them for dinner, ‘Tue ladies went | Over to Burlingtua with the Ssh. Toey bad it nicely cooked and were on the point of sitting | down to enjoy it, When this Irigntened and excited | countryman rushed in, exclaiming, “Tne Britiso | are comiug! tho British are coming!, My wile’s | in etarpity now.” Hancock and Adams, suppos- Ing that the British were upon them, slipped out of the house and passed over a byrvad into & swamp, aud thence to the residence of | Mrs. Thomas Jones, where they remained con* | | cealed till tie aiarm and danger were over, | On nis return to Lexington—indeed, beiore he had fairly got out of Lincoin—Colonel , Smith was met by tue militia of Lexington, the men who bad been so barbarousiy treated by his troops Rime or ten hours previousiy. 1t was now their Opporcunity fo retallate, and it was ime Doncord Jail. Sergeant Cooper, one o1 the party | 0! Massachusetis, ‘These patriots were on their | Proved. Capraia Parker and his men, smarting who assisted in the search of Colonel Barrett's house, and one of the prisoners, sudsequently | married a Woman who uyed with Dr. Cuming. | Another, Samuel Lee, who afterward lived ip Doncora, always asserted that he was the drat way to Concord when the bull opened. When the alarm reached Reading the Rey, Edmund Foster ran directly to Major Brooks and asked, “Are you going to Concord, ana when?” “Immediately,” | wasthe reply. With wwe militia company of Read. | under the tragical aflair of the morning, were there, and gave tue enemy a warm reception; but, while the British suifered severely, three more of Parker’s coupany were killed and one wounded in the encounter. But there was now a brie lull British soldier captured m that town. The jail , ing, under Captain Bachelder, they started, They | !" the storm that had raged round the Britisn was close by Jones’ Tavern, and @ sketch of the | puilding was drawn by General Sir Archivaid Vampbell, who was captured of Boston by a | French privateer, aod confined io 44 in 1777, till | exchanged for Ethan Alien. The two soidiers killed at the bridge were left on | ‘he ground where they jell,avd alierward buried | oy Zachariah Brown and Thomas Davis, Jr., and | ihe spot marked by two rude stones to pout | out “THE PLACE WHERE THE FIRST BRITISH BLOOD WAS | SHED | (macontest which resuited in a revolution the Mightiest in its consequences in the annals of | mankind;” and the $ ones have remained there to tuis day. One of the wounded soldiers, Jonn Bateman, died, and was buried at tne end of the | Fidge on the common, Oi the wounded Americans there Is only this ad- | flitional incident to relate. On ieeling tnat be had been hit, Blanchard went, aiter the action, to the Rouse of Humphrey Barrett, where Mrs. Barrett, on eXamining the wouud witn a motuer’s solict- | ‘ade, remarked, “A little more, and you’d been | Kilied.” “Yes,” said Blanchard, “and a@ little More and t'woulda’t have toucued me at all,” end then immediately rejoined his company. Several of the minute men were detailed to sonvey the bodies of Davis and Hosmer to the bouse of Major Buttrick, whence they were taken ‘that afterovon to Acton. On the retreat of the enemy most of the Ameri | eens crossed tne bridge in pursuit. Many, inciad- img the Concord minute men and the Acton | minute men, the latter uader the command of Lieutenant Joho Hayward after the fall of Davis, went to the eminence im tne rear of Elisha Jones’ | bourne, now the residence of Jonn 8S. Keyes, Esq., | and stood behind a wall forty rods or more from | where the retreatiog Britisn were joimed by a@re- — emforcement from the village. One of the bullets Grea by the enemy auring the retreat passed through the shed 0 Jones’ house. Tue shed and bullet bole have Deen carefully preserved oy the | present owner of the place, and they continue to | be an object of patriotic Brtraction to the many Diigrims Woo aDouaily visit the scene o/ tne got ‘The result of the aGair at the North Bridge, in | severe one to the British. The: left their horses in Bedford and marched to Mer- Tiam’s Corner, and arrived there shortly beiore the British flanking parties came over the bil, | There they united witu the men tresh trom the | fignt, flushed wita excitement and the smoke of battle. with a ‘ew men from Bediord, was also there; and Colonel Wiliam Thompson, with a company of mi litta from Bullerica, added their strength to the otners, There was aiso @ company from East Sudbury im time for the second conflict. Ou came the enemy down the road and over tne hill, and @ sharp and serious engagement was iougnt there, lt was thus deseribed by Foster:— Before we came to Merriam’s Hili we discovered the enemy's flank guard of aboutelchty or a hundred men, on the retreat from Concord, kept the heaga! of the the main body being in ihe road. he British and the Americans at that time were equaliy dis- tant irom Merriam’s Corner. About twenty rods short of that piace the Americans made a nalt The Brit marched down the lull with @ very slow but steady step, withou: music, or a word ‘veing spoxen that coula be heard. silence reigned on both sides. As soon as the Britisn galued the mam road, and Passed a sinall bridge wear the corner, the ed about suddenly and Bred a volley of musketry ypon us ihey overshot, and no one to my knowied jured by the fire, The fire was iminediately ret the Americans, and two British soluiers tell Uctle distance irom each other in the road brook. Several of the officers were wound Ensign r. HARDY’? HILL FIGHT. There was another spirited affair on Hardy’s Hil, @ short distance beyond, where one of the Sudbury companies, Captain Cudworth, came up and vigorously attacked the enemy. Colunel Joho Ford, of Chelmsiord, was also conspicuous to this fignt, He bad been a ranger in the Freuch wars, | aod knew bow to handle bis rife. There Was aso @ severe action below tne well- known tavern with the quaint swinging sign of ‘those Gays, with @ picture of an Indian on one side aud of King George on the other, alterward known as the Brooks Tavern, with the efigy of King George changed to that of General Wasning- ton. Foster described this conflict as a very Was ‘a woodata | distance which appeared to lie on or near the road where the enemy must pass, Many leaped over | the wails aod ran Jor that wood.’ They “arrivea | just im time to meet the enemy. There was on the opposite side of the road a young growth of wood filied wicn Americans. The enemy were now com- figures, was as iolows :— Kile, Wounded. et 6 EFFECT OF THE REPULSE. What was the effect of this repulse on the { British? ‘The fire of the Americans astonisned and unde- | ceived them. It was wholly unexpected, tor they | fiid not beleve the colonists would fight fney @id not recover ‘rom the shoce it gave them, and they continaed their retrea: to tne pili on toe Qorth side of the village, on tae edge of the com- Mon, notwithstanding the reinforcement of grenadiers pushed forward by Co.onel Smita to | their relief, They reached tne main body avout’ the time Captain Pole and bis detachment arrived. Snortiy after, and in the midst of tm utmost confusion and excitement, Captain Par- sons reached tue bridge ‘rom Co.onel Barrett's. | When bis soldiers saw the dead bodies of their | comrades on the bank of tne river they were seized with @ panic, and “ran with great speed” to the centre of the town. “heir conduct was | *served vy the Rev. Mr. Emerson and uis tamily, bo bad witnessed the whole tragical scene irom de windows o1 his house, near tue oattle ground.” {Shas oeen asserted that if tue Americans had not | become somewhat coniused and scattered ny the Securrences that had just taken place this a tachment of the enemy would bave been captured; | but it isas probabie that tne Americans did not ‘Wish to run the risk of naving tbe village burned | jm retaliation. And what couid they bave done With 80 Many prisoners? | This short and sharp action changed the position | Of aeirsin Concord. The britisn bad heid pos | Session of tae towa from seven o'clock in the | Morning. With the Grst shot tne Americans had | assumed the offensive. } | pletely between two fires, renewed and briskly | wept up. They ordered out a flank guard | on the leit to disiouge the Americans from | their posts bebind the trees, but they only | became better marks to be shot at.” One side of this road was in Concord and the other in Lincoln. The result of this action was that eigpt | Oi,the British were Killed, and were buried tue | mext day in the Lincula bursing ground. Oue | from bis dress was supposed to Have been an om- eer, Some were killed im the woods, and some hear a barn on the Concord side of the road. Of | the Americans three were killed—Captain Jonathan Wilson, of Bedford; Nathaziel Wyman, of Billerica, | and Davia Thompson, of Wobura, Over the grave of the latter, Where it is mentioned that he was “slain at the Concord battic,” is this epitaph:— Here, passenger, confined, reduced to dus: Lies was once Keligiou. wise and } ‘The cause be engaged did animate bim hig! Namely, Religion aad dear Liverty. i Liberty's derence, luyal to bis Prince; ‘& thirst of wiory fired, ountry’s cause expired. | Although he's gone, his name embalmed shall be, And had in everiasting Memory. ‘The Britiso oad reacned tne limits of Concord, | where the Concord fight, pare and simple, ceased, gud where tue confict assumed tne proporsions | of @ revolation, which rolied on for the next seven years, witn Concord men in neariy every pattie, | till toe straggle ended at Yorktown tn peace and independence. } ‘Ine total number of killed, wounded and prisoners in the several fights and skirmishes in | Concord was as follows :— Kitied, Wounded. Priamers. Americans....... ... 5 3 - Britsh. le 2 8 Toe number of wounded on the Britisn side is an approximation only. There were probably twice | as Many a8 these figures indicate. | Is is believed toat by balf-past ten o'clock the British bad tugir enure force concea. | trated in the village. “For naif an nour,” said William Emerson, “the enemy, by ‘their | Marches and counter-marcnes, discovered great fickieness and inconstancy of mind, sometunes advancing, sometimes retreating \o sheir former posts.” It has veen supposed taat Colonel smitn Was wm hopes that \he rein orcements he had sent for would joia vm at Concoru. But, woaiceer were ais expectations, lis delay nearly proved iatal to bis entire command. it was doaiuy de Gidea to retreat to Boston. It became ciear to Colonel Smith that bis ouly saiety was in the im- Mediate evacuation of Concord. Tue writish thereupon arranged for the care of the woundea, and hastily cvilected their maverial togetuer for the retrograde movement. One of the oficers, in is burry-scurry, \e(t nis gold waten a: Dr. Minot’s, Where severai of the woungea nad been placed. It was founa by an old clack servant, who, wita monest simplicity, called out, “HOLLO, SiR, YOU HAVE LRFT YOCR WatcH.” The Britiso, in order to carry of some of their disabied officers, coufiscated a couise velonging to Reuben Brow: and anotner owned vy Joba veaton. | Toe stolen Venicies Were jurnished witn beucing taken irom (fe neiynvoring nouses, They also SpPpropriated severul nurses, and among (hem was the Soimal that Captain smh, of Liscoin, nad Jett at Wright's Tavern. One o1 the chalses was Mavsequentiy recaptured by Lieuienant Hayward @0d returned to its owner, aud the loliuwing ad- Vertisement, Which appeared in the Essex Gazetie & the lub of August, 1775, tells us avout one of She horses and aescrives (he sto.en bedding :— tayward, of Concord, gives notice om the 19th of April ist, iu ine Kegurars in Menotumy, & worse jas OWned Ly Mr. Lube Brown, of \oDcor: ins in his bangs 7 ‘nigh: ol, be Tullow and. piece ot Beds ‘nave tmeu by teliinw we marks ot thus advertisement. Other inverestiug incidents occurred toward the ose 0: tae occupation % Loucurd. Abvai seven A RACE FOR LIFR. Over the remainder of tne roaé the Britisn were driven veore the Americans like sheep,” and bad to “run the gauntlet.” it was a race ior lie with them. Toe highway was iinea with | Americans, Woose accurate aim generaily pro- duced the desired resuit. They were accustomed, | a8 individuals, tu the handing oO! guns; they were sharp-snooters; ‘hey had been taugnt from early youta to hit an Indian, or a wol’, or @ wild cat, or @ partridge, at sight; toey could hit higner zame Waen necessity and patriotism forced it upon them, Tuey made up im courage and accurate shooting what tuey lacked im military organiza tod and discipline. Most of them were without cartridges and car'Tidge boxes; tney had to reiy apon muskets and powder horns, . With weir | military Grili the British could, pernaps, ivuad and fre more rapidly than the Americans, but not with (he same eXecution, as the Britiso soldiers fired irom the breast and not irom the shoulder, | | Wit this (Xperience as marksmen, the Americans and intercepted the enemy at every poins at every tarn om the highway. fired stom beuind every house, burn, wall, senee, wee and corner. Alter fring from one posiion tug Americans would /@il back, Tua forward across toe feids, and repeat tue man@uvie at @ lower point om the roav, Tueir know.edge Of tue country gave (hem tais immense advattage, While the Britan were compelled to keep together on (ue Wighway, Which made the retreat @ more disastrous one to them, Any one can imagine bow terriviy (hey suffered in aii these | Cugagements, amouscades aud that origut aad givrious day for America. Several of the evemy were cilled near Vilew’ Tavern, | Cvlogel Smith Was wounged in the ley at Fiske’s Hili ana Major Pitcairn uié io the arm ana uo borsed tuere, His charger, a fine animal, ran uver the feids, rideriess, tll captured oy au American, gud, Wito (he accoutrements, was suvsequentiy Sold @t aUCKOD ID Concord. Captain Natnun Bar: Feit Dougas the Buisters aod pisivis, Marked Wito Sbow were General Ebenezer Bridge, of Chelmsiord, | | to snow itselt. | detachments of che British would have taiien into | the bandsof the Americans. skirmsoes on | irom the North Bridge to this point; there was a brief respite lor the woru-out aud demoraiizea | | redcoats, Tne reinforcements which Colonel Smith had so urgentiy demanded early in tne | morning had made their appearance, LORD PERCY AND “YANKEB DOODLE,” About nine o'clock in the morning a brigade of | 1,100 en, with two field-pieces und a provision train, marcned out of Boston to tue reliet of their suffering comrades in Concord, They were under the command of Lord Hugh Percy, Theyreached | Lexington about two o’ciock mm the afiernoon, | and entered that town to the music of “Yankee Doodie.” Perey placed nis cannon on two bills, one on eaco side 01 the road, near Munfoe’s Ta’ erp, ana coecked for half an hour the eager pur- suit of the Americans, This movement and the preseace of such a large reintorcement of regular troop ved Colonel smith’s regiment from anni- — bilation, It was well known before the arrival of Percy | that i! Colonel Smith could have found any one in authority to wuom he could have handed his sword he would have surrendered his entire com. mand to nave prevented further slaugoter. ‘his Tespite was bis rescue, According tu Steaman, ‘woo accompanied Percy, when Smith’s distressed | soldiers reached the hollow square iormed by the fresh troops for tneir reception ‘they were obliged ty lie down upon the ground, their tougues hanging out of their mouths like those of dogs | after @ chase.’ THE AMERICANS STAGGERED. When the two fleld-pieces opened fire upon the Americans it staggered many of them, as they | were unaccustomed to sucm warfare. The plang- | ing tire irom the blums produced @ stunning effect | on snem, Jouathan Harris, one of the Concord | Miuute men, said that the crasning of the balis | through the woods, tue tailing brancnes, startled | him, and jor a moment induced uim to think that | there was no place like home, and that the sharp sound of tae Cannovade Was feariully full of panic; but they soon became used to the noise, and were | again prepared to follow and warass the britiso on their stampede down the road after the briel rest given to Smith’s exhausted soldiers. | Quite a number of Americans who had | pursued the enemy as iar as Lexington | were compelled to return home for want of am- | munition. They bad fred their powder-borns and | ballet pouches empty. Tne case oi Hayward, woo | had the encounter with the Britoa, was that of many others—‘‘ol a pound of powder which he had taken with nim nearly the woole was fired agray, | and but two orthree of the forty bullets witn | which he bad started remaimed. his (acs shows the extraordinary severity of tue pursuit.” Meahwaiie (he British burned several houses, | barns and shops io Lexington, aud many “dweil- ing houses were abused, defaced, battered, shat- tered and almost ruined.’ Others were set on firo | in Camoridge and along the roadside, and would | bave been destroyed haa not tue close pursuit of the Americans prevented such @ catastropuec, The unarmed, the aged aod the infirm, who were una bie to fee, were bayoneted and murdered in sev- eral instances in toeir havitations, Even “women in child-bed, with their helpless babes in their arms, did pot escape the horrid aiternauve of be- ing either cruelly murdered in their beds, burned in their houses, or turned in(o the streets to perisa with cold, nakedness and distress.” EsCaré OF THE BRITISH, Witn the aid of Percy’s origade the enemy were enabled to reach Bunker Aili without veing en- turely captured or destroyed. There they were covered by the guns of the vessels of war in the harvor, By the time they came in sizht of Boston the force of, the Americans had largely increased from ali quarters, @nd some wilitary order began One hour more o/ delay, and both They arrived in Charlestown at seven o’clock im the evening. Smito’s regiment had marched thirty-six to iorty miles in twenty hours, and endured incredible suffering on their retreat. Percy's brigade were ten bours on the road, and had marched twenty- six miles, aud for hall that time and half that dis | tance they too were @ target for tue enraged Ameri- | cau sharpshooters. Neariy all the provisions they | had they obtained by purchase or piunder, as the | provision train sent out with Percy had been cap- tured im Camoridge. The Americans who joined in the pursuit, be- | ginning at the of! North Bridge, and tell | im along the road to Charlestown, came trom Acton, Bediord, Billerica, Brookline, Beveriy, | Concord, Carlisle, Cueimstord, Cambridge, Coarles- town, Danvers, Dedham, Dorchester, Framing- nam, Lexington, Lincoln, Lynn, Littieton, Med- ford, Milton, Needoam, Newton, Pepperell, Rox- bury, Reading, Sudbury, Stow, Salem, Woburn, | Watertown aud Westford. “Iwo companies irom Stow, under Captains Hapgood and Whitcomp, marcned ior Concord at noon, passed the North pridge and arrived at Cambridge at sunset.” ‘Yoiriy-one towns! This is the roll of voaor repre- sented in the opening figut of the Revolution. The men of Concord, witn Major Butirick among them, kept im the heat of pursuit until they reached Chariestowa Neck, and many of them remained (nere curing the nigut. None of ti were killed, and only a /ew were wounded, Amoug © whe wounded were ptain Charles Miles, who was injured ig ome hand by @ musket vail, and Captain Nathan Barrett, woo received a slight | ipjury. THE KILLED AND WOUNDED, The total casual on both sides, between Con- | Cord River and Bunker Mil, were as ioliows:— a Vi 7, is ina s Tne commanders o Americans at Concord— | Colonel Barrett and Major Butirick, wei as | Captain Davia, of AClon—fave been remembered, | anu their names handed down to postericy tm tue epitapus over ther graves, That over Colonel Barrett stares that “ne early stepped forward in the Contest With Britain, and distugaisved nim seit lu tae Cause of America,’ ago, and the veneravie lady herself seems to indulge in a confident belief that she will bold out for a long time | yet, Aside from the fact that she | ishing. All her jaculties ana senses seem as clear | and mouest littie cottage in the immediate vicinity | Of the famous Noriolk House, of Roxbury. It wason | eyes were as clearand brigit in appearance as toe | orvs of a maitea of twenty, and, with the excep. | The only trouole I have is with my eyes, and that | In fact,” she added, with a smile, “I don’t sup- BAY STATE CENTENARIANS, rious Revolution. MEMORIES OF OLD MASSACHUSETTS, The Battle of Bunker Hill—Glimpses of George Washington. HANNAH HAWLEY. Bosroy, Aprit 18, 1875. There are very few among the surviving and connecting links of the past and present genera- tops who are more “pert and chippew? in their oid age than “Aunty” Hannan Hawley, who lives in a comfortable and humble way in that part of Boston known as the Highlands, but which was until recently the city of Roxbury. On the 26th of Aagust, 1874, she became a centenarian, and ff | she 18 sparea until the same date of the present year she will have attained the remarkable and Tipe old age of 101 years, Physically and mentally the indications of the end of lie are no more per- ceptible or striking than they were half a ceptary has rounded the unusual score of a mundred years and upward, she ts in many other respects a most remarkable personage. She was born and reared in the immediate locality reuowned tor Revo- lutionary events, in which her own immediate an- cestors prominently participated, and se pos- sesses one of the very ew memories and inteliects capable of narrating and discussing the eventful periods of her youthiul life, To say that she is passionately iond of conversing upon these enter- | taining events ol a former geueration but faintly de- scribes the enthusiasm with which she enters into | the conversation, Her memory of incidents and detatis, anu ber graphic aud comprehensive man- ner of describing them and comparing them with the events of the presentage are simply aston- and vigorous as if She Were but a graduanug mise of some New England seminary or normal school, and a Visinng stranger is av once and irresistibly charmed by her coaversation, VISIT OF A HERALD CORRESPONDENT, The foregoing couciusions are the result of a visit to the venerable iady, which I paid afew days | since. I found her at the residence of her nephew, Winslow 8, Roliins, No, 227 Roxbury street, a neat | a pleasant Saturday afternoon, and in the absence of @ School session the half dozen or more direct and indirect juvenile descendants of the old lady were having a snow carnival in the tront yard. ‘The bell was auswerea by Mrs. Rollins, and your correspondent briefly stated that the purpose of his visit was to obtain an interview with the ven- ole Mrs. Hawley. Iwas ushered into the sit- ting room, and Mrs, Roilins weat tothe kitchen beiow to intorm the centenarianess that a representative of the HERALD had called to see her. ‘tel him 1 am glad he has come,’ Teplied the old lady, in @ cordial manner, “but, ifit makes no difference, I would rather be would come down here instead of ask- ing me to climb up stairs to the sitting room.” This was the message which Mrs. Rollins brought back, and, of course, I descended to the kitchen, and there, in one corner, near the stove, was the LIVELY AND CHEERFUL COUNTENANCB ofa woman over whose head had passed a hun- dred summers and @ hunored and one winters. The wrinkles of time were there, of course, but one irequently sees the marks of old age more conspiquously in persons of seventy-dve and eighty. Tne cheeks were slightly sunken, but the tion of the “cap of ye ancient tyme,’? which cov- ered a bouatiiul growth of hair of snowy white, her dress was not materially aifferent from tnat worn by elderly ladies of the present period, THE GREETING was most cordial. Hall arising ‘rom & low chair in which she was sitting she extended her hand | With the hasty exclamations of “How do you do?” and “i am giad to see you.” I reciprocated toe pleasure of the meeting, and expressed my delight at fluding her so well. She then went on to say, “Yes, I am feeling pretty well, but this has been an awful hard win- | ter on me, and sometimes I begin to think spring | will never come.” 1 was about admitting my own suspicions of an endless winter, when the old lady broke in with | an interruption :— “Lam glad you have calied to see me—that Js, if you wauted to see me; but I can’t see for my life what a young man like you wants to come | aoa visit suca an vid woman as I am for;’ and then, with @ merry and signif- caut twiukie of the eye sbe broke out into a long and hearty laugh, It was unmistakable that sie meant to intimate tnat | perbaps the society of & younger woman would be more congeniai to one of my years, and with this hearty manifestation of wit and flattery your correspondent ieit himself at onee periectiy | at home in tue society of the venerable dame, FAITH IN THR ALMiGUTY. T again assured her of my delight in finding her sochoerimi in body and mind im her old age, but Was again cut short with another interraption— this time in @ More serious strain, “Yes,” she sald, “1 am jeeling very well, and I ougnt to be thankiul to God jor having spared me | so long. 1 don’t know why it is, batl have no doubt it is for some good purpose, ior my jaith in God’s goodness is constant and firm, and I pray continually for His support. I know from the nature of things tout it Is impossible for me to live @ great while longer, and yet I don’t Dow but i feel aboat as well as I have at any time during the last twenty-five or tuirty yeara, lay to dimness caused by the snow which I see when 1 louk out of the windows. I never wore glasses in my ilie, and I don’t think I ever shall, pose could find a pair in the whole town that | would suit my eyes. When the snow goes away and I can see the biack ground I guess they will be ali rigut again.” HER OWN HISTORY OF HERSELF. In @ conversational sort of way the venerable lady then proceeded to give your correspondent an account of her ancestors and ber own early lue nd experienc in her narrative ner mind | at au times seemed periectiy clear, and with her bright, uadimmed eyes she looked tae interrogater at all tim quare in the face. Occa- sionally she seemed reflective, but at all times cheerful, and irequentiy she was witty and joily ber reierences and comparisons of the past with the present. ° “Where were you born?’ was my frst question in the line of a formal interview. “Up in Stratham, New Hampsnire,” she quickly answered, and supplemented wwe remark by ask. ing your corresponuent where ne was boro, “in Hinsdale, in the Western purt ol Massac’ setts,” | answered. “Bat you dou’t live there now, do you?’ she | time that there was indeed sometniug solemnly | Lexington Centeanials was traveiling in the steam | she frequently expressed the wish that she would ‘concert for her beneflt netted only a small ameunt | the daily Walks wuichasevere winter bas inter- asked, ‘up, no,” I replied; “if I bave any Massachu- sets iesiGence uow it is over in Ubariestown, unuer the Buuker Mili monument.’ “Do you know a MF. Baruett over there?” she asked, with cunsiderabie imtecest, When | iniormed ber (vat 1 bad not the pleasure of Mr. Baruetvs acquaimtance she seemed very Much dis.ppwinted, Sue continued, nevertne- jess, tu Supply me with all desiravie imiormativn woout bersell, vaviag frat asked pardon for the QuesliOus WOich she @sked, aud eXplaioing that a6 whe Was & thorough Yaukee se Jelt at Moerty RUPLE SHEET. ttt NE to ask about any matters that she happene to thinko, = * je Resuming, then, the conversation concerning her birth, she continued :—"I was born in Stratham 100 )ears ago the 26th of Iast August, avd if I live Until the 26th oF next August 1 shall oe 101 years old, My maiden name was Haunah Rollins, and I was among the youngest of a iamily of fourteen children, and am the only one Who has ever lived to be particularly ola. I came to Boston to live sixty-four years ago, but had Often been here belore with my jather. Why, biess your soul, there wasn’t nothing but woods and bushes up around where the Common and Public Garden are now, Many a time I have PICKED HUCKLEBERRIES ON BEACON HILL, right around where the State House and all those grand houses are now.” J here ventured to remark that she found things very different around there now. “Different! Why, yes, you know 1 do, Don’t you find tunings changing every year? Of course you do. The fashions change twice or three umes ayear, The peopie change. Some die and move away, and others come and take their place. I always notice these things and oiten think of tem, The greatest changes, though, are in the Jashions, both among the men and women, I notice some new fixings almost every day.” GENERAL GEORGE WASHINGION, Speaking of her ancestors she said:—‘My father fought in the battle of Bunker Hull, and was only aiew feet irom General Warren when he fell, I have often heard him tell of the fight, and I remember the incidents that he used to reiate as well as if it were He once took me to see General Washington, and I remember just exactly how he looked, He was @ spiendid look- ing man, and when he wasn horseback he looked sike a regular king. Iwas in New Hampshire then, and it was the last trip shat Washington made through New England. I was about fiiteen | years old at the time, and I cried so that my father took me along to see him,’’ The old lady seemed to refer to this circumstance with @ great deal of pride, and she repeated time ,and time again her | distinct remembrance of the appearance of the Patriot hero, The sight was one wich even the space of nearly acentury could not wipe from memory’s eye. She told me over and over how handsome ne looked—ot bis fair compiexion, and. bis commandiig figure when mounted on @ horse. Mr. Hawley, ter nuspaod, she related, was a soldier in the war of 1812, He fought all through that struggle, and died soon afier at Fort Warren, im Boston Harvor, A LONGING TO VISIT THE CENTENNIAL. Later in our conversation 1 expressed the hope that her healt would be spared to permit her to visit the great Centennial in Pulladelpnia io 1876, She paused ior a moment and then said:—“Yes, if | vhe Lord would only spare me until then, and te journey wouid not be too much, | should like to go; but! am afraid that is too muca to expect. I know I am Jeeling very well now, and | Know, too, that 1t is unreasonable for me to expect tulive a great while longer.”” She spoke these words with 4 great deal o! feeling, and it seemed lor the frst only this morning. grand in being in the presence of one who was born before (he Americano colonies declared their Independence, and woo has lived ail tarough the birtu, early struggles, wonderful, gigantic growta aud various vicissituues of this now great American Republic. ANXIOUS TO SEB GENERAL GRANT, During the imserview she inguired about the Concord, Lexing‘on and Bunker sill Centennials, which are to take place this spring and summer, and seemed anxious to know if President Grant | would be present, Itoid her that such was the understanding now, and she seemed very much | elated. “1 have seen Washington,” she said, “and I should lise ulso to see Grant, and if the weather is pleasant and I am feeling well I shall go to the Centennial celebrations 11 Concord and Charles- town.” In reply to urgent and searching ques- tions | assured her that there woud probably be | no difficulty in the way of her being introduced to | the Presigent, if soe Was able to be present on the occasions referred to, Ove other matter that troubled her about going to the Concord and cars, She was very much concerned that they Would not want to stop long enough for ‘an oid woman like her to get in and out. I sound it necessary to assure ner on this point several times, for, never having indulged in anything more than @ horse car riage, sue was very doubtiul about her ability to keep up to the rules of a more ecdy railrvad conveyance. Tne matier of the Centennials she Was Very much interested in, and be spared life and health to visit all of them, Whew joined with her in that bappy hope her countenance beamed volumes of deilwlt, aud io her enthusiastic auticipauons she intimated to her niece, Who Was present, thatif she was going to see Geveral Grant she supposed she would have — to have a new gown. STRUGGLES OF A LIFE OF A HUNDRED YEARS, Tue career of @ century through which Mra. Hawiey has passed has veen one of many hard- ships, although she has never veen the one to compiain oi her lot in life. She has aimost always had good health, but poverty she is more familiar with than luxury. Her iegal residence is the town of Mediord, aud, according to tne laws of Massa- chusetts, that town is re-ponsible for her support. Up to within a very few years she managed to eurn her own living, but when her age and infirmities WOuld not admit Of this she Was offered a reluge im tae Medford Poo:house. Her nephew, Mr. Rol- lins, though bimsel/ a poor man ana idle nearly all the winter, would not submit to this, and took her into his own family, waich Is, indeed, @ very large one. Recently @ subscription in her behal( bas met with but indifferent success, and a above expenses. The ola jady herseli was toe chiet attraction of tne occasion, and aiter climb- ing two dights of stairs to the hall, without asstst- — ance, she was greeted with more applause than | dollars. Contributions in ner beualf, it 1orwarded | to her at No, 227 Roxbury street, Roxbury, Mass, ‘will probably be gratefully received, A VIGOROUS CONSTITUTION, That the veneraviec lady is possessed of what | may well ve termed an iron constitution is tlius- trated by several events of lave years. When she was beLween sixty and seventy years Of age, while gathering clothes from the roof of @ thr tory house, she made a misstep and tell to the ground. “Iwas considerably jarred,” she says, “put I managed to iron the clothes the next day.’ Ten years ago, while crossing Gourt street, near Sudbury, in Boston, she was rua over by an ex- | press Wagon end so badly injured that her iife was despaired of for severai days, Two months alter. ward, however, sve Was around, a8 sound and well asever. During last summer she visited Boston in the horse cars as ofien as unce @ week, aud in the neighborhood where she lives she performs, | without @ cane, pedestrian feats that would weary | the strength of many younger dames, and she | longs for the gentie spring waen sue may resai rupted. MARY HOOPER. Boston, April 10, 1875, About midway of Main street, between the Neck and the Square, in the old Revolutionary city of Onariestown, lives a most remarkable woman of tne olden time in the person of Mrs. Mary Hooper, the wiaow of the late Thomas Hooper, She was bora, reared and married in the Bunker Ulli city, and bere, im the midst of her frieads and kindred and surrounded by the Scenes Of her chiidnood, sue proposes to pass her remaining days. Her husband, wno” died some ten years agu, Wasin his time one of the most prominent citizens of Charlestown, and was Specially Conspicuous on account of the prom- ment part which he took im all matters pertaining to public improvement. He was jor many years Chairman of the Board of Selectmen, Wheo the present city sas a town, aud it was by his suggesiiou and tarvagh bis mauence that the second bridge Was built Letween Busion and Vburiestown, He was ior waif a cenvary cashier Of the vid Massacnusetis Bank, and even aiter ne Telired, on account of old age, nis salary Was Con- tinued until tne day of ois deato, waicn vcoarred aiter am Honurable career ot upwarda of elwaty years, Mfs. MoUper, Woo survives hum, is ROW OB the threshold of her ninety-second yea: seems to be no transparent physical reasons wy she will not survive to become @ full-bloomed cem- tenarian. She 1s the mother of 1ourteen children, of whom one son and three daughters are now living, and one of the latter, a charming maidem of between fifty and sixty, lives with her at her home in Charlestown. As may be suspected, this matronly nonagenarian 18 A PERFECT ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF THE REVOLUTION, and she never tires in discussing the stirring scenesewhich were related to her in her youthful days. Mr. Frothingham was greatly indebted to this lady for much of the material which he has incorporated into the “History of Charlestown.’? She does not boast of any ancestors who took an active partin the events of the Revolution, but her father had cause to remember and regret it until the day of bis death. “He was one of the principal goldsmiths aod jewellers in Charles. town,” so the old lady relates, “and he went among the Hessians and sold them aoout all the articles he had, When he came home he had $28,000, but it was paper money and was nos worth scarcely acent. You can judge something of its value,” she added, with a smile, “when you koow that a fifty dollar bill would buy only one loaf of bread.” Among her Revolutionary remint- scences she stated that she had been told that there were many false alarms here in CharlestowD belore the troops actually came down upon them, ‘DHE REGULARS ARE COMING!"? was the word of warning, she said, and when it was sounded through the town the citizens aban~ doned everything and fled for their lives. When they finally came most of the people went to Mid« ford and towns in that direction. Her owm mother, she says, got separated from the reat of the family in the excitement of the fight, and becoming confused rushed rapidly in the direc. tion of the enemy. She discovered her mistak¢ only when she bad reached the shores of the Charles River, on the north side of Bunker Hill, | There was a boat load of her neighbors just pusn- ing away and she asked to be taken on board. They tola her that if she got in the boat would sink, and then started to go away without her. She jumped into the river and started to wade toward them, and finully they turned about and came to her assistance, and the whole party were then rowed safely up the river in the direction of Cambridge. She also told me about her “Aunt Bradshaw,” as she termed her, who fled from the city when sbe heard the regulars were coming. She left her home and everytuing, and, bareheaded and bare footed, ran clear to Midford without scarcely stopping. When she got there sbe laid down on the grass completely exhausted, and said to her companions that she could go no farther, if the Briugh came they must Kill her, In a few moe ments there was @ fresh alarm, and aunty gathe ered herself up and made double-quick time to Woburn, almost without stopping for breath or even slowing her pace to a common walk. A THRILLING EXPERIENCE. The experience of her uncle, Ricaard Austin, o@ that occasion was thrilliug and interesting. He lived in Salem, and on one of the eventful days of the Revolution he was in charge of an ammunition wagon, and im order to save it from failing into the hands of the enemy he started for Worcester with tt He was accompanied by a loud talking hero, whose name Mrs. Hooper has forgotten. When about half-way to Worcester a messenger overtook them and told them that the enemy was close upon their heels, Uncle Austin immediately tore down a rail tence by the roadside and shoved bis wagon of | ammunition into @ neighboring forest and caimly awaited future developments, The other warriot meantime took to his heels and reached Worces: ter a8 soon as possible, and in @ most grapni¢ manner described the capture of the ammunition, thecruel murder of Uncle Austin, and his own hairbreadth escape from a similar fate. As may be supposed, he was the hero of the pour, and hundreds and bonureds gathered around him to listen to the detatis o1 the exciting engage> ment. All this time Uncle Austin was himself on bis way to Worcester alive and well, and bringing with him bis load of ammunition, It seems that by secreting himself in the grove he caused the Britons to lose all track of him, and after looking around for a while they gave ap the pursuit and retraced their march toSalem. Uncie Austin then came from his hiding place and pro- ceeded to Worcester, where he arrived in time to refute by bis own presence the thrilling narrative which bis cowardiy companion had related. “MARM RAYNOR’? AND HER BABY, During the. Revolutionary period, Mrs. Hooper says, there was an estimavie jady living im Charlestown who was universally Known af “Marm Raynor,” ana her experience and adven+ tures on the 17th of June, 1776, are well worta relating. It net that when the battle wat ragiog most furiously the women of the town were rushing around wildly in all directions, Old Mother Raynor was among the number, and in her flight sbe happened to pass down that slope of Bunker Hill which was beid by the American troops. With @ mosher’s Instinct she nad her in~ fant concealed where she thought there was the least danger, and that was in the folds of nes dress which ld up before her in her rapid descent down the bill, When about haif way down the slope an American soldier cried out ta her that “some one bad lost @ baoy.” Turning around she saw upon the ground behind her @ crying infant, Sne hes itated @ moment, and feelings of tender ness overcoming the fears of salety sne went back to gather it up aud take it away salely witm her own child. When she reached the little wall sbe uniolded her dress and was astonished to find her own child missing. The little ove waien she had come back to rescue was no other tuan ber own clild, whom sbe had anconsciously dropped in her hasty descent down the ill, This little pride of @ motver’s heart was aiterward Joug Raynor, who filty years ago was one of the lead ing and most influential citizens of Boston. Mra, Raynor continued ber flight to Woburn, andafew days after the battle she came back to Charles town on horseback and got some articles of cloth ing which she leit in her hasty departare from | home. A GLIMPSE OF GENERAL WASIINGTON, Mrs. Hooper has a vivid recollection of George Washington, and describes bim in most glowing terms as one of the most noble and attractive mem she ever gazed upon. The last time she saw olm was when he rode at the head of the procession Ou the day of the celevration of the opeuing of tog Coaries River briaze, between Chariestown and Boston, Her husband, who accompanied her oa | the occasion, Was aiso very much impressed with the appearance of the country’s paternal ancestor. In all Ber conversations the venerabie widow Ire~ quenily aliudes in tender terms to her late partner ife, and says that sh@ sume tina thinks that it is his spirit that preserves aod refreshes her memory. Mrs Hooper was @ great lover of music, and many ot his leisure moments were spent ia comp sing nging pieces which were suggested oy ‘ol the period and reflections of his owa those which the venerable widow me Was tne foliowing, which sae re: snow! wae a beautiral portrayal o1 ner owm Jeelings a8 tme:— RETROSPECTION. “The time is For iy My sua of ile Abd wearled nature seeks her Th ried hue . then ly ehnidhood’s orphan tears, reusing cares ol riper years, Through danzers seen, and hiddea snares, Aiteriate boves, orueding fears, nant ied me on & power bew By chosen pat iy our rel Let évery auxious thought v6 still, ‘And calinly waituay Facher"s Wil, A DETERMINATION TO VISIT THE ORNTENNIAL, @ lively interest in the ape ration at Philadeiphi e proaching Ventennu aod prays that life uti then. Soe has phia, and wheo 10 be there to bas tra her oid Maryland and Teauessee, proposed demou+ ara n in ugnur of the ons handredth @inivers sury of American hopes will be such as to reflect honor upon tae ple and excite the sdawiration tue world, toils connection she remarked vein of sarcas |) thas (here We.e inauy tongs couaection with our modern guverameut and of Which One COWd Lot wel ve proad ne! pecially ) learuved buat avher tHab eng pk eapresced ihe conddeat uupy ot oobeme b Fepreschiauve oO: the Mana at tue Oentenaims