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What Happened at Lexington
Just prior to the revolution 1973-74 Boston was buzzing with speculation of war. Revolutionary groups lead by Sam Adams, Paul Revere, John Hancock and Joseph Warren were holding secret meetings in clubs and taverns all around the colony discussing what to do about the British Acts and Parliamentary rules that were being set from far away England and enforced in America. In one retort a group of radical colonist, known as the “Son’s of Liberty” lead by Sam Adams, dressed up as Indians and dumped a cargo of tea into Boston Harbor in defiance of a tea tax. After the Boston Tea Party Parliament ordered the port closed and enacted several laws labeled the “Intolerable Acts” one of which restricted the activities of the Massachusetts legislature and gave added powers to the governor which General Cage the Commander of British forces in America was appointed. Outraged by these acts several committees called for a convention of delegates from each of the colonies that would meet in Philadelphia Sept 5th, 1774. At the first meeting of, what was later called the Continental Congress, delegates voted to cut off colonial trade with Great Britain unless Parliament reseeded the acts and also passed resolutions advising the colonies to start training their citizens for war.
During that winter preparations for the coming war were underway. The colonist began producing arms and munitions, training militia, and establishing defenses. In April of 1975 General Cage, given intelligence that a large quantity of military supplies were being stored in Concord, tried to secretly send a force under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Smith and Major Pitcairn to Concord in order to confiscate the weapons. But the Americans had watchful eyes everywhere and sounded the alarm. The message spread like wild fire throughout the countryside as riders Paul Revere and William Dawes cried out those famous words, “The British are coming!” Soon church bells were ringing and guns shooting from town to town calling the militia to arms.
At Lexington Captain John Parker had assembled his militiamen between 50 and 70 on the Green in effort to stop the British Advance. When the British arrived Maj Pitcairn order the militia to put down their arms and disperse. The Minutemen did not obey the order and Maj Pitcairn gave the command to surround and disarm the men. At that moment shots were fired. Unknown who shot first, the British responded without order killing 8 and wounding some others. The Minutemen returned fire as they took cover but Captain Parker seeing his men out numbered gave the order for them to disperse fearing they would be massacred if captured. The battle at Lexington was the start of the Revolutionary War and the spark for the spirit of the colonist who looked forward to independence.
In the accounts of the Battle at Lexington I find [next page]