Lexington and Concord, Battles of, were the first armed clashes between the Americans and the British in the American Revolution (1775-1783). The battles took place at the towns of Lexington and Concord, in what was then the British colony of Massachusetts, on April 19, 1775. In 1836, the American author Ralph Waldo Emerson referred to the first shot fired by the patriots at Concord as “the shot heard round the world.”
Background.
In the months leading up to the revolution, Massachusetts became the site of much protest. As tensions grew, the American patriots gathered military supplies in case of war. In February 1775, the British Parliament declared Massachusetts in open rebellion. In April, the British government ordered military action against the Massachusetts patriots. Late on April 18, 700 British troops left Boston under Lieutenant Colonel Francis Smith to capture or destroy the supplies at Concord. But patriot riders—including Paul Revere, William Dawes, and Samuel Prescott—warned the countryside that the British were coming.
Lexington.
The British reached the town of Lexington, about 10 miles (16 kilometers) northwest of Boston, near dawn on April 19. The soldiers were known as redcoats because of the color of their uniforms. Revere’s ride had alerted American volunteer soldiers, who were called minutemen because they were prepared to take up arms on a minute’s notice. About 70 minutemen led by Captain John Parker gathered on the Lexington village green to watch the redcoats pass. Suddenly, shots were fired. No one knows who fired first. But 8 minutemen fell dead, and 10 more were wounded. One British soldier was hurt. The American Revolution had begun.
Concord.
The British continued on to Concord, 6 miles (10 kilometers) beyond Lexington. The Americans retreated across the North Bridge, which spans the Concord River north of town. There, they reinforced their ranks with militia from nearby towns. The main force of British troops searched, with little success, for the patriots’ supplies. Other British troops guarded the bridge. Several hundred colonists advanced toward the bridge and exchanged shots with the British. Three British soldiers and two Americans were killed. A few hours later, Smith’s redcoats headed back toward Boston. Along the way, militia fired at them from behind trees and stone fences. British dead and wounded for the day numbered about 250. The Americans lost about 90.
Results.
News of the fighting spread rapidly, and militias throughout New England took up arms and gathered outside Boston. Within two months, the Second Continental Congress, a meeting of delegates from the colonies, set up the Continental Army. George Washington became its commander in chief.
