This is too good not to pass along:
BOSTON – National guard units seeking to confiscate a cache of recently
banned assault weapons were ambushed on April 19th by elements of a
para-military extremist faction. Military and law enforcement sources
estimate that 72 were killed and more than 200 injured before government
forces were compelled to withdraw.
Speaking after the clash Massachusetts Governor Thomas Gage declared that the
extremist faction, which was made up of local citizens, has links to the
radical right-wing tax protest movement.
Gage blamed the extremists for recent incidents of vandalism directed against
internal revenue offices. The governor, who described the group’s organizers
a “criminals,” issued an executive order authorizing the summary arrest of
any individual who has interfered with the government’s efforts to secure law
and order.
The military raid on the extremist arsenal followed wide-spread refusal by
the local citizenry to turn over recently outlawed assault weapons. Gage
issued a ban on military style assault weapons and ammunition earlier in the
week. This decision followed a meeting in early this month between government
and military leaders at which the governor authorized the forcible
confiscation of illegal arms.
One government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, pointed out that
“none of these people would have been killed had the extremists obeyed the
law and turned over their weapons voluntarily.” Government troops initially
succeeded in confiscating a large supply of outlawed weapons and ammunition.
However, troops attempting to seize arms and ammunition in Lexington met with
resistance from heavily armed extremists who had been tipped off regarding
the government’s plans.
During a tense standoff in Lexington’s town park, National Guard Colonel
Francis Smith, commander of the government operation, ordered the armed group
to surrender and return to their homes. The impasse was broken by a single
shot, which was reportedly fired by one of the right-wing extremists.
Eight civilians were killed in the ensuing exchange. Ironically, the local
citizenry blamed government forces rather than the extremists for the
civilian deaths. Before order could be restored, armed citizens from
surrounding areas had descended upon the guard units. Colonel Smith, finding
his forces overmatched by the armed mob, ordered a retreat.
Governor Gage has called upon citizens to support the state/national joint
task force in its effort to restore law and order. The governor also demanded
the surrender of those responsible for planning and leading the attack
against the government troops. Samuel Adams, Paul Revere, and John Hancock,
who have been identified as “ringleaders” of the extremist faction, remain at
large.
April 20, 1775