in 1775, on the 19th of april, general gage sent out troops to see about some military stores at concord, but at lexington he met with a company of minute-men gathering on the village green. major pitcairn, who was in command of the tommies, rode up to the minute-men, and, drawing his bright new sheffield sword, exclaimed, "disperse, you rebels! throw down your arms and disperse!" or some such remark as that.