BLOODY NEWS.

Early this Morning, we were alarmed, with an Express from Newbury-Port, with the following Letter, to the Chairman of the Committee of Correspondence in this Town.

SIR, Newbury Port, April 19, 1775.
THIS Town has been in a continual Alarm since Mid-day, with Reports of the TROOPS having marched out of Boston to make some Attack in the Country. The Reports in general concur, in part, in having been at Lexington. And it is very generally said they have been at Concord. We sent off an Express this Afternoon, who went as far as Simons’s at Danvers before he could get Information that he thought might be depended upon– he there met two or three Gentlemen who affirmed, the Regular Troops and our Men had been engaged chief of the Morning, and that it is supposed we had Twenty-five Thousand Men engaged against Four Thousand Regulars; that the Regulars had begun a Retreat. Our Men here are setting off immediately And as the Sword is now drawn, and first drawn on the Side of the Troops, we scruple not, you will give the readiest and fullest Assistance, in your Power And send this Information further on In Behalf of the Committee for this Town,

Your humble Servant, / JAMES HUDSON, Chairman.

By the Express who brought the above Letter, we hear the Attack began at Lexington, (about 12 Miles from Boston) by the Regular Troops, the 18th Inst. before Sunrise, when there was but twelve Hundred Regulars, who fired on the Watch or Guard that was placed at the House where Col. LEE & Major ELBRIDGE GARY kept, and killed Eight. From thence they proceeded to Concord, where they made a general Attack, and burnt the Meeting House, and other Buildings. The Provincial Forces that had assembled,  obliged the Regulars to retreat, after Numbers had been slain on both Sides. A Reinforcement of Regulars came out of Boston, & made up in the whole about Four Thousand, leaving one Thousand only to guard the Town.

Thursday One o’Clock. Another Express from Newbury Port informs, That there was Sixteen Hundred Regulars in the first Body that marched out of Boston, but for what particular Purpose do not learn. At Concord it is said they took 500 Barrels of Flour from the Provincials, knocked out the Heads, and destroyed it on the Spot–30 Regulars and 40 Provincials were kill’d. the Regular Army has retreated back to Winter Hill in Charlestown, and are surrounded by the Provincials.

Our Committee immediately on receiving the above Intelligence, sent off Expresses to all Quarters.

The foregoing is the different Accounts we have receiv’d, but how far and what Part is authentic, Presume not to determine.

Thursday Evening 6 o’Clock, another Express, who came to Rally the whole Country informs, that General Haldiman, was sent out of Boston, with the first Party, in order  to take some Gentlemen Prisoners, & if they met with any Difficulty, Lord Piercy, with  the main Body was to follow after, which he did, when a general Engagement ensued, and the Provincials obliged them to retreat to the Place mentioned in a Paragraph above, where they are almost surrounded by 30,000 of the Provincials ; that there had been and was a  constant firing on both Sides.

Great Numbers are gone and going from all our Towns above, and no doubt 50,000 are now assembled.