118 



Near the same spot, a solitary individual was seen standing, 

 prompt for action in front of his dwelling, with his musket at 

 his shoulder, and a look of fixed defiance, as if single handed 

 and alone he was ready to defend to his last drop of blood, any 

 violation of his own or his country's rights by these military 

 free-booters. The name of this man was Symonds, who like 

 Cuddie Headrigg, appears to have composed the whole infantry 

 upon this side of the bridge. 



We have noticed particularly the pertinacious manner in 

 which Capt. Felt dogged the footsteps of Col. Leslie from the 

 moment he left the Court House, and during all the time he 

 was upon the bridge. It was his object, as he afterwards 

 avowed, in case the troops had fired upon the people, to grapple 

 with the Colonel and jump into the stream, there, like the 

 doughty Balfour of Burley, to try the death struggle together, 

 — "for," said he, "I would willingly have been drowned 

 myself, to have' been the death of an Englishman."! 



The foregoing are but a few individual instances, the 

 concentration and embodiment as it were, of the intensity of 

 the bitter feelings of scorn and hatred almost universally 

 entertained by the Colonists towards the Military, and the 

 desperation to which they w^ere driven by the inhuman acts of 

 oppression practiced by their rulers. , 



The inhabitants, who were not disposed, from various causes, 

 to enter into the conflict, should matters proceed to extremities, 

 including the women who always proved themselves in these 

 times which tried men's souls, of true Spartan blood, assembled 

 on Odell's hill, at the eastward of the road, where they could 

 overlook all that was passing at the bridge, and by their cheers, 

 waiving of handkerchiefs, and other tokens of encouragement 

 to their husbands, fathers and brothers engaged in the melee, 

 not to yield to the military, showed that but one spirit actuated 

 the entire population. 



Immediately upon the appearance of the troops in Salem, 

 expresses were sent out into all parts of the country to spread 

 the alarm as far and wide as possible.* On the instant the 



t Captain Felt subsequently died of a cancer, in Danvers, January 

 29th, 1785. 



* In this respect, Mr. Benjamin Daland is said to have done good 

 service. He rode with all speed thrpugh the main part of Danvers to 

 spread the alarm, and returned by the way of the North Fields, just as 

 the troops were resuming their march homeward, and riding up to the 

 Colonel he thus addressed him: — "Well Colonel, I think you have 

 done right to march oft", for in a short time we shall have more men 

 here than your soldiers have 1-ce in their heads." 



