half past four o'clock
It was evident that the king was determined to carry out his plans by force of arms . -LSB- Footnote 52 : The powder belonging to the Province was stored in a magazine on Quarry Hill , in Charlestown . During the month of August , 1774 , several of the towns removed their proportion of the ammunition . At half past four o'clock , on the morning of September 1 , Lieutenant-Colonel Madison , with 260 men , embarked in thirteen large boats at Long Wharf , rowed up Mystic River , and landed at Mr. Temple 's farm , seized 250 half barrels of powder and landed it in the Castle , also two cannon from the gun-houses in Cambridge . The news spread , and before evening nearly 5,000 people had assembled in Cambridge with their muskets . They compelled Mr. Danforth , member of the governor 's council , to resign . The high-sheriff promised to serve no warrant under the new act of parliament .