es for carrying on a war out here through Middlesex
County and out to the west in Worcester. History tells us that he sent
out here Sergeant Howe and other spies, in order that he might find out
what the conditions were and whether it would be easy for the British
troops to come out here and seize those supplies and break what they
thought was the idea on the part of the colonists of starting a
rebellion. Sergeant Howe came out here, went to the hotel, where, of
course, the landlord received him hospitably, but informed him that
probably it wouldn't be a healthy place for him to stay for a very long
time, and sent him away in the dead of the night. He went back to Boston
and made a report to the General in which he said that the people of
this vicinity were generally resolved to be free or to die. That was the
spirit of those times; and he advised the Britishers that if they wanted
to go out to Worcester they would probably need an expedition of ten
thousand men and a sufficient train of artillery, and he doubted
whether, if such an expedition as that were sent out, any part of it
would return alive. On account of the report that he brought back it was
determined by the British authorities that it was more prudent to go up
to Concord than it was to come out here on the way to Worcester. That
was the reason that the expedition on that Nineteenth of April was
started for Concord rather than through here for Worcester.

Of course, there are many other interesting events in the history of
this town. You had here many men who have seen military service. You
furnished a large number for the Revolutionary War and a large amount of
money. You furnished as your quota one hundred and twenty-six soldiers
that went into the army from 1861 to 1865. But you were doing here what
they were doing all over the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. I doubt if
the leading and prominent and decisive part that Massachusetts played in
the great Revolutionary War is generally understood. It is interesting
to recall that when General Washington came here he seems to have come
with somewhat of a prejudice against New England men. I think there are
extant letters which he wrote at that time rather reflecting upon what
the New England men were doing and the character of Massachusetts men of
those days. But that was not his idea at the end of the war. Then,
although he had been brought up far to the south, he had a different
idea. Then he said, and said ve