Israel Bissell
The Lexington Alarm message was carried by Bissell through eastern Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York City, New Jersey, and ultimately to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
[2][b] On April 19, 1775, Joseph Palmer of the Committee of Safety sent Israel Bissell on a ride through Connecticut[12] to warn colonists that the war with Britain had begun.
The New York copy of the dispatch stated:[12] To all the friends of American liberty be it known that this morning before break of day, a brigade, consisting of about 1,000 to 1,200 men landed at Phip's Farm, at Cambridge, and marched to Lexington, where they found a company of our colony militia in arms, upon whom they fired without any provocation, killed six men and wounded four others.
The Bearer, Israel Bissell, is charged to alarm the country quite to Connecticut, and all persons are desired to furnish him with fresh horses, as they may be needed.
— I have spoken with several persons who have seen the dead and wounded; pray let the delegates from this colony to Connecticut see this, they know Col. Foster of Brookfield one of the delegates.Bissell left Palmer and traveled to Worcester, passing many people walking towards Lexington.
[3] Bissell said to have made the trip within two hours, crossing a distance of 36 miles (58 km) that was generally one[8][15] or two days travel for a post rider.
[10][d] Scheide states that Bissell may have arrived in Worcester in the late afternoon or evening and rested overnight to get to Brooklyn by 11 a.m. on April 20, 1775.
"[17][e] As stated in the notice, Bissell was to ride throughout Connecticut,[12] and yet he delivered the message to New York and ultimately to Philadelphia,[12][18] where the Continental Congress convened.
[1] After his arrival, colonists and people in neighboring towns were alerted by the firing muskets and ringing of church bells that the war had begun.
[3] Samuel Parsons of New London added a note, "You will see, by a Letter to your Committee of Correspondence, the necessity of rallying all your forces immediately... We shall march before noon tomorrow.
"[28] Answering the call, Benedict Arnold of New Haven, Israel Putnam of Pomfret, and others mustered soldiers and headed for Massachusetts.
"[10] Isadore Goodman of Pittsfield donated the former Israel Bissell homestead to the Conservation Commission of Hinsdale to be used as a historical memorial.
[44] Hinsdale historian Marion Ransford reported that the Daughters of the American Revolution installed a special marker at Bissell's grave.
[42] In the late 1990s, David Roth artists made paintings for the Union Oyster House of Boston of historical figures including Israel Bissell.
[46] Gerard Chapman wrote the poem, "Listen my children and you shall hear of Israel Bissell of yesteryear, a poet-less patriot whose fame, I fear, was eclipsed by that of Paul Revere.
"[10] Bissell was portrayed by David Bluvband on the cult public access program, The Chris Gethard Show in the episode "18th Century American Gladiators", which aired in August 2014.
