Beschreibung:

Property from the Eric C. Caren Collection(LEXINGTON AND CONCORD)Lexington and Concord reported in an English newspaper, The Shrewsbury Chronicle or, Wood's British Advertising Gazette. Vol. IV, No. 126. Shrewsbury: Printed by T. Wood, Saturday, June 3, 1775 Folio, 4 pages (17 5/8 x 12 in.; 450 x 307 mm) on a full sheet of laid paper, two woodcut vignettes in masthead, woodcut initial-frame, text in four columns, stamp in lower right corner of first page; disbound. The consignor has independently obtained a letter of authenticity from PSA that will accompany the lot. "Last Wednesday the 19th of April, the troops of his Brtannick Majesty commenced hostilities." Wood's Shrewsbury Chronicle takes its front-page account of first battles of the American Revolution from the Essex Gazette of April 25 with no editorial commentary. Thus this story characterizes the British troops as the "enemy," and accuses them of "shooting down the unarmed, aged and infirm … killing without mercy, and mangling their bodies in the most shocking manner." The second page of the Chronicle provides a British summary of the action from the Secretary of State's office. "General Gage having heard that the insurgents were drawing some cannon a few miles from Boston, he dispatched an officer, with some troops, to demand them to be delivered up, which the insurgents refused to comply with.—A second message was sent, when the officer informed them, that he must obey his orders, which were, in case of refusal to surrender them, that he must fire on those that surrounded them, but which he hoped they would prevent, by immediately relinquishing them. This they absolutely refused to do; on which the troops fired on them, and killed about sixty. On this the country arose, and assisted the insurgents to load the cannon, and they were directly fired upon General Gage's troops."Condition ReportCondition as described in catalogue entry. The lot is sold in the condition it is in at the time of sale. The