Redcoats Retreat April 19 1775
Percy's Rescue: Kings Own, Royal Welch Fusiliers, 47th Foot, Marines
Earl Percy's mission to rescue soldiers retreating from the Battle of Lexington and Concord. New England Minutemen inflict heavy losses on 15 mile battle road to Boston!
Rescue Team
Hugh Percy was the Earl of Northumberland and also a British Brigadier General. His 1st Brigade numbered about 1000 and included three illustrious regiments and a battalion of Marines. The 4th Foot, the King's Own. Their respected symbol was the Lion Rampant of England, given them by King William III. The 47th Foot, nicknamed the Cauliflowers, had made their reputation as General Wolfe's favorites at the Battle of Quebec in the Seven Years War. Lastly and very colorfully were the Royal Welch Fusiliers, the 23rd. This regiment had managed to develop a huge reputation in their relatively short 85 year history by subduing the French at the legendary Battle if Minden. The 1st Battalion of Marines was commanded by Major John Pitcairn who was already in the fray at Lexington and Concord.
Rescue Mission
General Thomas Gage, feeling that his original troops would need help sent sealed orders to the Captain of the Regiment, Thomas Moncrief. Secrecy being at a premium in Gage's view, he only sent the one letter. The Captain was not in his barracks so the orders were given to his servant. The servant forgot to tell Moncrief when he returned. Also, early in the morning before Lexington, Colonel Smith sent an express to Gage for reinforcements. This rider woke the General up at 5 AM. The troops he had ordered were all sound asleep. The three regiments mustered as fast as sleepy soldiers can but were not ready until 7:30. The only hold up was the Marine Battalion which was uncharacteristically late. Percy waited a hellishly patient hour before sending a messenger who found the Marines still in bed. General Gage's staff had sent the sealed order for the Marines to their commander, Maj. John Pitcairn, whom we remember was busy in Lexington at the time. The rescue mission got started at 9 AM and began a 5 ½ march via the Boston Neck to Lexington.
Lexington
The harried Redcoats marched into Lexington at about the same time as Earl Percy. The panicked soldiers raced past Lexington Green where they had celebrated earlier and faced a line of bayonets at Monroe's Tavern warning them to halt or die. This managed to sober the troops. Percy brought two 6 pound field guns with him, dispersed the Rebels. The troops had been marching and fighting 14 hours so they earned an hours rest. At 3 PM the Redcoats formed up again. A small group of 50 men were assigned to the front to clear the way. Col. Smiths Light Infantry was next, followed by the Grenadiers and then wagons carrying injured and prisoners. The Kings Own were deployed on the right flank and the 47th Foot were given the left. The rear guard consisted of the Royal Welch Fusiliers. A tough fight to get to Boston was made tougher because they were low on ammunition.
Menotomy
Swelling rebel regiments kept the pressure on. Percy wrote, "There was not a stone wall whence the rebels did not fire upon us!" These Rebels were more organized than is tradition known. While the British were resting the American command used the time to strategize. Militia General William Heath had arrived and began to organize the rebels into a moving ring that would encircle the British and keep a galling fire if kept intact. The untried Militia displayed execution that would have made any Regular army proud with this skirmishing ring of fire, which Ezra Stiles said was "dispersed tho' adhering". The bloodiest fighting was in the town of Menotomy where both sides took their heaviest losses. Heavy fighting continued to Cambridge where Percy executed a faint and headed for the Charlestown Peninsula rather that the bridge across the Charles in Cambridge. By dark the battles of the day were over. Great Britain lost 73 killed, 174 wounded and 25 missing. The Americans lost 50 killed, 39 wounded, and 5 missing. These casualties represented 23 different New England towns!
American Grit
The indomitable American Spirit was personified that day by a crippled 78 year old named Samuel Whittemore. A Veteran of several of the French and Indian wars, this Menotomy resident took such a toll on the Regulars that they sent out a large party to silence him. He effectively fired his musket and two pistols hitting three charging Redcoats, killing one. Another Regular shot away half of Sam's face and the rest bayoneted him like a pin cushion, leaving him for dead. While he was barely breathing Dr. Cotton Tufts, expressed no hope … but … Whittemore survived to the age of 96 and even fathered several more Whittemores!
Sources
The War of the Revolution by Christopher Ward, 1952, The MacMillan Co.
Paul Revere’s Ride by David Hackett Fischer, 1994, Oxford University Press
Fusiliers by Mark Urban, 2007, Walker and Company
The Spirit of Seventy-Six, by Henry Commager and Richard Morris, Castle Books
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