On April 19, 1775, colonial militia and British troops faced each other in battle in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. The battles, occurring at multiple towns in the colony including Lexington and Concord, were sparked by a British move to weaken the militias. Deploying from the British Loyalist stronghold in Boston, British regulars moved to seize and/or destroy cannons, ammunition, and other supplies that were under the control of the Patriot militias. Patriot intelligence and an effective alarm system, including riders such as Paul Revere and Samuel Prescott, quickly rallied the local militias in defense. Early in the morning of April 19, a small group of Lexington militia gathered in formation on Lexington Common, acting more as a show of force as their commander knew the bulk of Patriot supplies in nearby Concord had been hidden and that previous similar British expeditions had searched and peacefully returned to Boston empty-handed. However, part of the British force moved to confront and disarm the militia and in the confusion a shot was fired. While it remains unclear exactly which side fired the first shot, it would mark the beginning of the American Revolution. Outmatched and outnumbered, the Lexington militia force retreated.
Meanwhile, a smaller force of British troops had moved into Concord and began their search for Patriot supplies. They found little as most had been moved or hidden, though three artillery pieces were recovered and destroyed as well as a significant quantity of shot and food. However, only the destruction of the cannons was significant as the shot and most of the food would later be recovered. At the same time, a large militia force had assembled nearby and intercepted the British forces near the North Bridge. Outnumbered, the British troops were ordered to retreat from the bridge; however, a shot rang out in the middle of the retreat and soon both sides began firing. The British regulars were then driven back and forced to regroup with the main force.
The British expedition had failed to undermine the colonial militias. Instead, the militias had successfully rallied together and forced the British troops back into Boston. The Siege of Boston immediately followed as the gathered Patriot forces quickly cut off land access to Charlestown and Boston. The siege would last until March 17 of the following year when heavy cannons captured at Fort Ticonderoga were brought in and forced the British to abandon the city, ending the siege with an American victory. The battles fought at Lexington and Concord marked the beginning of the American Revolution and ultimately the formation of the United States of America.
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20 Apr 2019 04:26 CEST
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