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the least, in no mild or becoming language : one account, says, 

 " he stamped and swore, ordering the bridge to be immediately 

 lo;Yered." Being questioned as to his design in making this 

 movement, and why he wished to cross the bridge, he replied 

 that he had orders to cross it, and he would do so if it cost his 

 life, and the lives of his men. Here was however a dilemma 

 from which this bravado could not relieve him. To advance 

 under the present circumstances without the consent of the in- 

 habitants, was impossible, and to retreat, disgrace. In the 

 bitterness of his feelings he then went upon West's (now 

 Brown's) wharf, to reconnoitre, — closely followed by Captain 

 Eelt, who was observing every motion and order with the keen, 

 unremmitting watchfulness of the tiger, — and turning to an 

 officer near him, said, " you must face about this division, (or 

 company,) and fire upon those people." These were the 

 inhabitants on the northern side of the river, who had collected 

 upon a small wharf which jutted out from the eastern side of 

 the bridge, conspicuous among whom was Captain Robert 

 Foster, recently an officer in the Essex regiment, and the owner 

 of the premises upon which the cannon had been deposited. 

 This order to fire having been overheard by Captain Felt, who 

 stood within two yards of Colonel Leslie, " he cried out with a 

 loud voice, for his resentment was kindled by the order to fire : 



fire ! you had better be d d than fire ! you have no right 



to fire without further orders ! if you do fire, (said he) you 

 will all be dead men ! " Mr. William Northey, a respectable 

 citizen of the quaker persuasion, now endeavored to check the 

 impetuosity and rashness of Captain Felt, by saying, ' ' do you 

 know the danger you are in, surrounded by armed troops, and 

 an officer with a clrawn sword in his hand? " But such pru- 

 dent caution found no favor in his highly excited mind, and 

 was therefore unheeded. He had hurled defiance in the very 

 teeth of the instruments of British power and aggression, and 

 he was not a man to be induced by any considerations of per- 

 sonal peril to retreat from the stand he had taken. This 

 language, sustained by the dauntless bearing of its author, acted 

 like magic upon the minds of the people in this the hour of 

 their danger. So sudden had been the appearance of the troops 

 in town, that no^^ioncerted plan of operations, and no organized 

 opposition had been formed. The inhabitants had hastily col- 

 lected together, bent only upon opposing the troops, but with- 

 out any acknowledged head to direct them. 



At the moment these words were uttered by Captain Felt, a 



ESSEX INST. PROCEED. 15. 



