[137] or cabinet a topic of conversation. He was remarkably fond of society, and loved to see the old and young together. In the street, he never passed any acquaintance without a friendly recognition; and he has taken me up a hundred times, when a schoolboy, to give me a ride in his chaise. He liked to work on his land; and, as many of his horticultural experiments were suggested by books, he often found them of small pecuniary profit. In the army, he played chess with his friend Kosciusko, and occasionally in Medford enjoyed a social game. He said that the most fatiguing day he ever spent was the 19th of April, 1775. That, we apprehend, was the auroral hour of his life. He was greater than his means. How many men are less! Rev. Mr. Foster says:--
On the morning of the 19th of April, just at sunrise, alarmguns were fired. The regulars had gone to Concord. I ran directly to Major Brooks, and asked if he were going to Concord, and when? “Immediately” was the answer.With his minute-men, he pursued the enemy to their boats at Charlestown. Dr. Ripley says:--
As the enemy passed the road from Bedford, they met a body of minute-men, commanded by Major John Brooks. A little below Bedford Road there was a sharp action, and several of the British were killed.Rev. Mr. Foster says:--
The enemy faced about suddenly, and fired a volley of musketry upon us. They overshot. The fire was immediately returned, and two British soldiers fell dead in the road near the brook.Col. Phinney says:--
A little to the eastward of the village, they received a heavy fire from the Reading minute-men, under Capt John Brooks.An instance of his sturdy Spartan-like directness of purpose and warm zeal was seen in his volunteering to march for the relief of Fort Stanwix (now Rome), at the head of the Mohawk:--
It was besieged, August, 1777, by one thousand seven hundred British and Indians, under Col. St. Leger. Gen. Herkemer,
