: "It lies
between two hills, that command it entirely. There is a river runs
through it, with two bridges over it. In summer it is pretty dry. The
town is large, and contains a church, jail, and court-house; but the
houses are not close together, but in little groups." The road from
Lexington entered Concord from the southeast along the side of a hill,
which commences on the right of it about a mile below the village, rises
abruptly from thirty to fifty feet above the road, and terminates at the
northeasterly part of the square. The top forms a plain, which commands
a view of the town. Here was the liberty-pole. The court-house stood
near the present county-house. The main branch of the Concord River
flows sluggishly, in a serpentine direction, on the westerly and
northerly side of the village, about half a mile from its centre. This
river was crossed by two bridges--one called the Old South bridge--the
other, by the Rev. William Emerson's, called the Old North bridge. The
road beyond the North bridge led to Colonel James Barrett's, about two
miles from the centre of the town.

Dr. Samuel Prescott, whose escape has been related, gave the alarm in
Lincoln and Concord. It was between one and two o'clock in the morning
when the quiet community of Concord were aroused from their slumbers by
the sounds of the church-bell. The committee of safety, the military
officers, and prominent citizens assembled for consultation. Messengers
were despatched toward Lexington for information; the militia and
minute-men were formed on the customary parade-ground near the
meeting-house; and the inhabitants, with a portion of the militia, under
the able superintendence of Colonel Barrett, zealously labored in
removing the military stores into the woods and by-places for safety.
These scenes were novel and distressing; and among others, Rev. William
Emerson, the patriotic clergyman, mingled with the people, and gave
counsel and comfort to the terrified women and children.

Reuben Brown, one of the messengers sent to obtain information, returned
with the startling intelligence that the British regulars had fired upon
his countrymen at Lexington, and were on their march for Concord. It was
determined to go out to meet them. A part of the military of
Lincoln--the minute-men, under Captain William Smith, and the militia,
under Captain Samuel Farrar--had joined the Concord people; and after
parading on the Common, some of the companies marched d