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| Date: April 19th, 1775 | ||
| Location: Lexington and Concord Massachusetts | ||
| Weather: ~55-65`F, winds calm | ||
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| Casualties: | 95 | 273 |
| Leaders: | Capt. Parker/Col. Barrett | Col. Smith / Maj. Pitcairn |
Lexington:
As a response to hearing the hearsay of possible revolts from the rebels in
the areas surrounding Boston, Major General Thomas Gage, the commander of all
British forces in North America, who is stationed at Boston, orders a column of
seven hundred men to demolish the weaponry depot at Concord. The column is under
the command of Lt. Colonel Francis Smith, and his second, Major John Pitcairn.
It is Pitcairn, who we well see, is in command of the front forces in Lexington.
Back in Boston, before seeing the total advance, Paul Revere makes his famous
ride, which stops at Lexington to warn the patriots of the oncoming British
regulars. Captain John Parker, who is in command of the minutemen and militia at
Lexington, watches as a scout, Thaddeus Bowman, gallops with his horse over the
rise and reports the situation. Bowman reports that not only are the British
regulars coming, but Bowman recounts that there are almost a thousand of them,
and that the redcoats are over an hour away, and quickly approaching. Parker
does not believe that there will be much of a fight at all. He thought that
there would be a "small brush" and then the regulars would continue
onto Concord. Knowing that the regulars will soon be upon them, Parker orders
him men to disperse and hide in the underbrush.
With the arrival of the full British column, reports differ. Pitcairn writes
that the minutemen were in a line formation, waiting out in the middle of the
green pastures of Lexington for the regulars. Pitcairn recounts that he rode out
to the middle of the field and yells "Disperse, ye rebels, disperse!"
Parker’s version, with the minutemen still in the underbrush, are found out by
the regulars, and instead of a formal parley, the regulars, about thirty of
them, come running out to the underbrush and yell "damn them, we will have
them!"
Either way, a single and evoked shot rang out from behind a stone wall.
"The shot that was heard ‘round the world", is still unknown from
which musket, or which side the shot came from. Responding, the British fire without orders. Next, they get into line formation
and begin pouring volley upon volley into the minutemen. Finally, the regulars
turn the firing into a full-fledged charge. Lt. Colonel Smith himself must then
ride out into the field and stop the charge. The British killed eight minutemen,
and wounded nine others. The war has begun.
Concord:
Colonel James Barrett, commander of the local militia of Middlesex,
acknowledges false reports on a British assault on Lexington ten days earlier
then it actually happened, hides twenty thousand pounds of musket balls and
cartridges, fifty reams of cartridge paper, thirty-one barrels of flour,
seventeen thousand pounds of fish and thirty-five thousand pounds of rice
throughout the community. Massachusetts is defiantly ready for war. Samuel Prescott, the famous “other rider” and Son of Liberty, rides into
Concord at 2:30 AM on April 19 to warn the population of the oncoming British
presence.
By 8:00 that same morning, Smith and Pitcairn have already entered Concord. The
city is to be found devoid of men, but the women and children are still there.
Smith orders his Grenadiers to search houses and barns for powder. He decides
not to attack when none of his men find any powder, and has a feeling that the
militia could have possibly surrounded the town. Smith did not know it, but he
was right. Over six thousand militia surrounded the town on the hills and ridges
above. Smith stations men to secure bridges and roads. Grenadiers find a small
cannon brace, and burn that.
Seeing this on the hills above, the curses start flying, and the men get
restless. Rallies start to come up, including the main one, “Will you let them
burn the town down?” by Lt. Joseph Homer. The militia rally around the yell,
and Barrett gives out the orders: Concord's two minuteman companies and two
militia companies were mustered in front of Wright's Tavern. From nearby
Lincoln, another company of minutemen who brought rumor of gunfire at Lexington,
joined in as well. A horseman by the name of Reuben Brown (a Concord saddle
maker) returned from Lexington with an eyewitness account of the first British
volley, which had sent him galloping back to Concord. He reported to Barrett
that the regulars were probably firing ball, although he was not really sure. It
was a momentous report. Powder would have frightened, but ball was intended to
kill.
Barrett decided to seize the high ground and sent most of his men onto a long
ridge that commanded the road leading into Concord. Hoping to give the
approaching British a show of force, he sent another company down the road
toward Lexington, hoping this might persuade the British to turn back to Boston.
However, Colonel Smith was in no mood to be intimidated. He had his orders
from General Gage, and he meant to carry them out.
The move would require them to cross the North Bridge, which at the time was
being guarded by three companies of regulars totaling 120 men. Barrett had 400
militia behind him and thought that by advancing on the bridge, the regulars,
facing such an overwhelming force, would turn and fall back to allow the
Americans to proceed on into Concord. Under the current rules of engagement, the
British would not fire unless the Americans fired first.
Barrett ordered the Acton militia, under the command of Captain Isaac Davis and
along with Major Buttrick, to advance his company to the bridge in a long,
snaking column, two men abreast. Barrett cautioned them to be sure not to fire
first. As the Americans approached the bridge, the stunned British at first did
nothing. When their commanding officer, Captain Walter Laurie, realized the
situation, he had his men retreat to the opposite side of the river and massed
them around a narrow span. They had to hold the bridge or the four companies
that had marched to Barrett's farm would be cut off.
The Americans advanced. The British raised their muskets. The Americans marched onto the bridge.
With their guns pointed down and toward the river, several British soldiers
fired warning shots. The Americans kept coming. Suddenly, an instant later, a
full volley was fired at the head of the American column. Captain Isaac Davis
was killed instantly with a bullet in his heart. Beside him, Abner Hosmer went
down with a bullet to the head. Four other men were wounded. The Americans
stared in disbelief. "Goddamn it," one man shouted, "they're firing ball!"
Major Buttrick shouted, "Fire fellow soldiers, for God's sake fire!"
With the ability to know the land, and the obvious manpower advantage, the
minutemen are able to fend off the British regulars, and they inflict two
hundred and seventy-three casualties.
Conclusion:
The British then retire to Boston to lick their wounds. A new-found respect is
now found for the minutemen, and the militia, who will soon turn into the
Continental Army.
Recommended readings: (Click on link to purchase)
 |
Author: David Hackett Fischer || ISBN: 0-195-09831-5 || Released: April 1994 |
| The title here is a bit misleading. I remember little about the biography of Paul Revere, but the recollection of the events which occurred on April 19th, 1775 are permanent. Now one of the foremost American historians offers the first full-scale history of this monumental event. In Paul Revere's Ride, David Hackett Fischer fashions an exciting narrative that offers deep insight into the outbreak of revolution and the emergence of the American republic. Beginning in the years before the war, Fischer illuminates the figure of Paul Revere, a man far more complex than the simple artisan and messenger of tradition. Drawing on intensive new research, Fischer guides readers through the world of Boston's revolutionary movement, recreates the fateful events on the eve of battle, and provides a fresh interpretation of the battle that began the war at Lexington and Concord. |
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