The Battle of Lexington and Concord

The Battle of Lexington and Concord in 1775 was the first military engagement of the Revolutionary War. The battle was the result of prolonged tension between the British troops and the colonists of Boston, Massachusetts. America was on the brink of revolution at the time and Boston was the home of many of the revolution's leaders. It was also the scene of many incidents that lead to the revolution. So, it was no surprise to anyone when on April 19, 1775, the situation came to a head in Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts.

The trouble began in Boston on the night of April 18, when leaders of an underground movement called the "Sons of Liberty" got the signal that the British troops were moving into the area by sea. At the time, it was presumed that they were headed for Lexington to arrest Samuel Adams and John Hancock, so three riders were dispatched to warn the men of the danger. The riders were also told to warn everyone that they could on their way to Lexington. The plan worked and the militia was ready in Lexington when the British troops arrived, but it wasn't John Hancock and Samuel Adams they were after.

The British had noticed that the Boston Colonists were training militiamen. This made the British troops anxious, for obvious reasons. So, British General and Governor of Massachusetts, Thomas Gage, decided to send some troops to the armory in Concord to destroy the ammunition and weapons that were stored there, in an attempt to take away the millitia's arms. He sent Lieutenant Colonel Smith and a group of soldiers to to the armory, under cover of night. Smith sent a group of men ahead of him to guard the bridges of Concord. When he arrived in Lexington (near Concord), he was to find the Massachusetts militia on Lexington Green, prepared for battle.

It was early morning when the two forces faced each other on Lexington Green, with the British side greatly outnumbering the militia. The first shot fired that morning would come to be known as "The shot heard round the world" and it effectively started the American Revolution. The militia put up a fight, but were forced to retreat as they could not match the size of the British force. After the militia retreated, the British marched on to Concord and the remaining ammunition and weapons at the armory were destroyed.

While the main British force was destroying the supplies in the armory, another force was fighting the Boston militia on a bridge nearby. This time, the Bostonians were successful and the British troops were forced to retreat. When the fighting in Concord was done, the British soldiers moved back toward Boston and were shot at by hidden militiamen. They met up with another group of British soldiers that were sent to relieve them. They then proceeded into Boston, looting and burning down houses as they went.

Thus the American Revolution or the Revolutionary War began The British suffered roughly 150 casualties that day and the militia less than 90. The British fighting force was roughly 1,800 men. The total number of militiamen involved is still unknown, though the number is thought to be much less than the British. These militiamen were the beginnings of a Continental Army that would go on to suffer grave losses and celebrate unbelievable victories. In the end, they would have their freedom from England and a country of their own.

Sources

The Battle of Concord and Lexington, 1775, retrieved 9/4/09, britishbattles.com/concord-lexington.htm

Battle of Lexington, War for Independence, April 19,1775, retrieved 9/4/09, u-s-history.com/pages/h654.html