FFQF: Sylvanus Wood

FFQF: Founding Fathers Quote Friday

The British colony of Massachusetts was a hot-bed of rebellious and seditious thoughts and actions against the British during years leading up to 1775. British actions – such as the Stamp Act of 1765 – led to colonial reactions, which led to further British actions, colonial reactions, and so on until the evening of April 18th, 1775.


The British military commander decided to send an expedition to Concord to seize munitions and weapons gathered by their rebellious cousins before further escalation occurred, changing the economic, social, and political wrangling into armed conflict. As important as the munitions, if not more so, the British troops also sought the rabble-rousing leaders of Massachusetts, men like Samuel Adams, John Hancock, and John Adams.

As the colonial warning system sent Paul Revere and William Dawes on their famed ‘Midnight Ride’ to warn the minutemen of the British advance, twenty-three year Sylvanus Wood joined the militia commanded by Captain Parker on the village green at Lexington during the early morning hours of April 19, 1775.
Fifty-one years after the event, on June 17, 1726, seventy-four-year-old Wood would provide an affidavit at Middlesex, Massachusetts, to the Justice of the Peace, Nathan Brooks. The papers were first published in 1858.

His words make up the Founding Father’s Quote Friday for April 17th.

I, Sylvanus Wood, of Woburn, in the county of Middlesex, and commonwealth of Massachusetts, aged seventy-four years, do testify and say that on the morning of the 19th of April, 1775, I was an inhabitant of Woburn, living with Deacon Obadiah Kendall. An hour before the break of day, I heard the Lexington bell ring, and fearing there was difficulty there, I immediately arose, took my gun and, with Robert Douglass, went in haste to Lexington, which was about three miles distant. When I arrived there, I inquired of Captain Parker, the commander of the Lexington company. What was the news?
Parker told me he did not know what to believe, for a man had come up about half an hour before and informed him that the British troops were not on the road. But while we were talking, a messenger came up and told the captain that the British troops were within half a mile. Parker immediately turned to his drummer, William Diamond, and ordered him to beat to arms, which was done. Captain Parker then asked me if I would parade with his company. I told him I would. Parker then asked me if the young man with me would parade. I spoke to Douglass, and he said he would follow the captain and me. By this time many of the company had gathered around the captain at the hearing of the drum, where we stood, which was about half way between the meetinghouse and Buckman's tavern. Parker says to his men, 'Every man of you, who is equipped, follow me; and those of you who are not equipped, go into the meeting-house and furnish yourselves from the magazine, and immediately join the company.' Parker led those of us who were equipped to the north end of Lexington Common, near the Bedford Road, and formed us in single file. I was stationed about in the centre of the company. While we were standing, I left my place and went from one end of the company to the other and counted every man who was paraded, and the whole number was thirty-eight, and no more.
Just as I had finished and got back to my place, I perceived the British troops had arrived on the spot between the meeting-house and Buckman's, near where Captain Parker stood when he first led off his men. The British troops immediately wheeled so as to cut off those who had gone into the meeting-house. The British troops approached us rapidly in platoons, with a general officer on horseback at their head. The officer came up to within about two rods of the centre of the company, where I stood, the first platoon being about three rods distant. They there halted. The officer then swung his sword, and said, "Lay down your arms, you damned rebels, or you are all dead men. Fire!" Some guns were fired by the British at us from the first platoon, but no person was killed or hurt, being probably charged only with powder.
Just at this time, Captain Parker ordered every man to take care of himself. The company immediately dispersed; and while the company was dispersing and leaping over the wall, the second platoon of the British fired and killed some of our men. There was not a gun fired by any of Captain Parker's company, within my knowledge. I was so situated that I must have known it, had any thing of the kind taken place before a total dispersion of our company. I have been intimately acquainted with the inhabitants of Lexington, and particularly with those of Captain Parker's company, and, with one exception, I have never heard any of them say or pretend that there was any firing at the British from Parker's company, or any individual in it until within a year or two. One member of the company told me, many years since, that, after Parker's company had dispersed, and he was at some distance, he gave them 'the guts of his gun.'"
Sylvanus Wood
Middlesex, ss., June 17, 1826.-Then the above-named Sylvanus Wood personally appeared, and subscribed and made oath to the foregoing affidavit. Before me,
Nathan Brooks
Justice of the Peace.

Sylvanus Wood was living in what is now the west side of Woburn, Massachusetts in 1775. He rushed to the village green to join the ranks of the militiamen who were responding. After being driven off the green in the initial confrontation, Wood and another man took after the rear guard of the British on the way to Concord. Sylvanus Wood took a British Soldier who had fallen out of ranks for a 'necessary action', by surprise and took him prisoner. This made him the first American to capture an enemy in war. He went on to serve in the Continental Army, reaching the rank of lieutenant. Others tried to take credit for the first capture of an enemy soldier, but his claim was eventually verified by congress, and he was granted a pension for this deed.

It took men of courage and dedication to stand up to the British army. Around our nation this week have been a number of “TEA Parties”. Many people think these are just protesting taxes, but actually the protest goes much deeper – delving down to the wasteful spending, loss of business enterprise to foreign countries, government intrusion and expanding control in the lives of American citizens who have traditionally valued that independent liberty fought for by men like Sylvanus Wood. Even our local county seat will have a Tea party this Saturday, April 18th.

Essential Question: How can protests affect government policy?

Founding Fathers Quote Friday is hosted at Meet the Founders blog.

Photo Resources:
01. Drawing of Minuteman: Concord Magazine
02. Sylvanus Wood Gravesite, Woodbrook Cemetary: Find a grave, photo by William Sweeney