Years of tension between Colonial Americans and the British government erupted into bloodshed at the Battle of Lexington, which ignited America's war for independence. On April 15, 1776, British officials ordered General Thomas Gage, Massachusetts' military governor
Years of tension between Colonial Americans and the British government erupted into bloodshed at the Battle of Lexington, which ignited America's war for independence. On April 15, 1776, British officials ordered General Thomas Gage, Massachusetts' military governor, to destroy stockpiles of weaponry and supplies at Concord and arrest John Hancock and Samuel Adams, who were currently at Lexington. The Battle of Lexington marked the first occasion of American militia responding violently to British incursions. American proponents for independence emphasized British aggression when recounting the events of the battle, inspiring outrage among their fellow colonists and gaining support for revolution.
On the night of April 18, 1775, a pair of lanterns beaming from Boston's Old North Church indicated that the British would advance toward Lexington and Concord by sea. Paul Revere and William Dawes set out toward Concord by separate routes to give warning to the towns along the invasion route. Paul Revere was able to warn the communities along his route of the invasion and reach Lexington to alert Hancock and Adams of the imminent danger, though both men declined to leave Lexington at the time. British troops captured and interrogated Revere on the route to Concord, finally releasing him back in Lexington. Revere immediately sought Hancock and Adams, who fled Lexington after hearing Revere's account.
Engagement at Lexington
Marine Major John Pitcairn commanded the British forces who marched into Lexington, and when his troops reached Lexington Green, they found Captain John Parker of the militia waiting, with his forces spread out across the green. While tensions were high, both sides initially hoped the confrontation could end without bloodshed. When Pitcairn ordered his troops to disarm the militiamen, Parker ordered his forces to disperse peacefully. Before the situation could be defused, a soldier fired a shot, and both sides began exchanging gunfire in earnest. Eyewitness accounts as to who fired the first shot are either contradictory or candid in admitting that nobody knew who started the combat. When the firefight ended, 10 of Parker's men were wounded, and eight lay dead upon the green.
Collapse at Concord
After the skirmish at Lexington, Pitcairn's forces advanced to Concord to destroy the weapons cache. Concord's militiamen were ready to meet Pitcairn's invasion force, though, and routed the British troops during a firefight at Concord's North Bridge. The British began a long and bloody journey back to Boston, perpetually harassed by colonists along the return route; he survived only due to the timely intervention of Lord Percy's arrival, who brought a relief column that held pursuers at bay with artillery fire. By the time Pitcairn's men limped back into Boston, 20 percent of their number had become casualties of the expedition.
Travelers can visit Lexington Battle Green (libertyride.us), where guides in period dress are on hand from spring through autumn offering free tours of the battleground and recounting the day's bloody events. Lexington Battle Green is also the site of the Revolutionary Monument, which Lexington residents erected on July 4, 1799, making it America's oldest Revolutionary War monument. The fighters who died during the Battle of Lexington lay at rest within the monument's grounds. Travelers can also tour Minute Man National Historical Park, (nps.gov), which extends into Lexington, Lincoln and Concord, and park rangers are available to answer questions about the site and its history. Guests can explore sites that incl