The Battles of Lexington and Concord by Jim D. '02

On April 18, 1775, Paul Revere and William Dawes raced off to warn the Patriots and Minutemen of Concord, Massachusetts, that "the Regulars" were coming. In case these two brave Patriots didn't make the journey or got caught, a second plan was in place. Lanterns were also hung from the Old North Church as a warning. Word spread through the colony and the Minutemen began to assemble in groups. Minutemen came from all over the colony to fight off the Redcoats, lead by General Gage. The Redcoats hoped to destroy the Patriots' supply of guns and weapons, and the Patriots knew how important it was for them to protect their small supply of ammunition. It was illegal for the colonists to stock these items and the Redcoats had orders to find and burn the supply.

It was a long, tiresome hike for the British Redcoats as they walked from Boston to Lexington with full packs and heavy clothes. They were tired, hot and in need of water. The Redcoats walked blindly through the dark streets, passing homes, trees, churches, and pubs. At dawn, the soldiers were startled by armed men, lined up at the town green in Lexington. News of the British troops had reached the Minutemen and they had gathered in Lexington to halt the British approach to Concord. As the British troops moved into formation, a musket accidentally discharged. It wasn't clear from which, if either, side the shot was fired. Instinctively, the British fired in response. About fifteen Minutemen were killed, while the British troops lost no men.

Meanwhile, Paul Revere was stopped one mile outside of Concord. He was intercepted by British troops and lost his horse. He was made to walk back to Lexington, so the warning message never got to Concord by a rider. William Dawes was behind Paul Revere on the ride. The Redcoats marched on to Concord to seize and burn weapons and gunpowder. At Concord, they split into three groups. One headed to the North Bridge, another went to the South Bridge, and the final group went to look for the weapons. They searched every house thoroughly, looking for hidden munitions, and destroyed all they found. The Minutemen around Concord saw the thick black smoke and thought the British were burning homes. The black smoke, however, was from the burning of the weapons and gunpowder. The outcome of this battle was shocking. Twenty-five Redcoats deserted by running off into the woods. Fifty Minutemen and eighty British solders died.
As the British retreated back to Boston. the Minutemen hid along the way and sniped off the soldiers. There were eleven more fights before the Redcoats arrived back in Boston. While the British were surprised by how well the farmers fought, they viewed the Minutemen as cowardly because of their guerrilla warfare tactics.

This one day battle infuriated King George III and excited the Patriots, leading to a full revolution. Unfortunately, the war lasted seven long years. After the war the people could make their own constitution and their own laws. Americans need to remember this important battle of the Revolutionary War because it is considered the beginning of the end of tyranny.