# Lexington & Concord



## Xenophon (Apr 20, 2009)

_Since my previous thread was fairly well recived, here is another from my files, in honor of the birth of the United States_


*The Shot Heard Round the World*

During the early 1770's, after years of frustration and growing resentment, the American colonists in and around Boston, Massachusetts, decided to act boldly against England's heavy taxation on tea, sugar, and other goods. The Boston Tea Party (December 16, 1773) was one of several such acts of retaliation against England's "unjust treatment." The British countered by closing Boston Harbor and imposing the Intolerable Acts (March-June, 1774), which effectively placed Boston under martial law and brought hundreds of troops into the city.

In fear of the British army, a group of Patriots, who called themselves "Minutemen," began to collect arms and munitions. Their main storehouse of arms was at Concord, a small town about 20 miles (32 km.) northwest of Boston. On April 18, 1775, Dr. Joseph Warren, a revolutionary leader from Boston, learned that British General Thomas Gage planned to send 700 men to Concord, where he intended to seize the colonists' weapons and arrest Patriot leaders Samuel Adams and John Hancock in neighboring Lexington. Warren sent a local silversmith, Paul Revere, to spread the alarm that the British were coming.

At dawn, April 19, 40 to 50 Minutemen gathered to face Gage's troops,
under the command of Major John Pitcairn, as they approached Lexington's village green. According to one report, Pitcairn shouted at the Patriots: "Lay down your arms, you damned rebels!" In reply, Captain John Parker, the American commander, reportedly said to his men, "Stand your ground. Don't fire unless fired upon. But if they mean to have a war, let it begin here."

Suddenly a shot rang out, then others, followed by a fusillade of British musketry. Eight Minutemen fell dead, and ten others were wounded. Although the Minutemen were driven back from Lexington by superior forces, they immediately regrouped at nearby Concord's North Bridge. By now, the news about Lexington had spread, and Minutemen raced to the scene to do battle with the Redcoats. Hiding behind rocks, trees and hills, they sniped at the British troops as they marched 16 miles (26 km.) back toward Boston. By the time the British troops reached the city, they had lost 70 dead and 173 wounded. Colonial losses were 49 killed and 46 wounded.

What Poet Ralph Waldo Emerson later referred to as "the shot heard round the world" had signaled the beginning of the Revolutionary War. The war of words had turned into a fullscale shooting war.


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## Old Rocks (Apr 21, 2009)

A bunch of revolutionary liberals, insurgents all.


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## Xenophon (Jul 2, 2009)

As Independance day is nearly here, time to bring this one back to the front page.


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## Xenophon (Jul 2, 2009)

Minute men and British regulars clash


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## Xenophon (Jul 2, 2009)

A map of the British and Continental movements and clashes


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## Xenophon (Jul 2, 2009)

Open fighting breaks out at lexington


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## Xenophon (Jul 2, 2009)

Major John Pitcarin, killed during the fighting


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## Xenophon (Jul 2, 2009)

General Thomas Gage, who would soon be relieved of command after the costly battle of Bunker Hill


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## Xenophon (Jul 2, 2009)

Sam Adams made good his escape from the British


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## elvis (Jul 2, 2009)

Where's Bennadict Arnold?


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## DamnYankee (Jul 2, 2009)

One of the battles took place in the town I now live in (not going to say how long now is....)

The Battle of Fort Lee


Revisit Revolutionary War History at Fort Lee Historic Park in NJ - your New Jersey Travel Guide


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## Xenophon (Jul 2, 2009)

elvis3577 said:


> Where's Bennadict Arnold?


Arnold was in upper NY at the time, trying to command Ethan Allan's Green Mountain Boys, but they reguarded him as a curiosity.


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## Xenophon (Jul 2, 2009)

ALLBizFR0M925 said:


> One of the battles took place in the town I now live in (not going to say how long now is....)
> 
> The Battle of Fort Lee
> 
> ...


NJ had several key battles fought in it, the famous Trenton & princeton, and the 1778 battle of Monmouth (also called Freehold).


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## Ravi (Jul 2, 2009)

Ah, the old _fight them over here instead of over there_ strategy.

What benefit did we get from the Revolution? Just a bunch of dead Americans. Come to think of it, the civil war wouldn't have happened if we'd remained under the Brits because they outlawed slavery.

Wouldn't it have been better to just wait until the Empire crumbled like the Canadians did?


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## DamnYankee (Jul 2, 2009)

Xenophon said:


> ALLBizFR0M925 said:
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> 
> > One of the battles took place in the town I now live in (not going to say how long now is....)
> ...



Freehold now has a race track. LOL


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## elvis (Jul 2, 2009)

Xenophon said:


> elvis3577 said:
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> > Where's Bennadict Arnold?
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was he at Fort Ticonderoga?


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## Xenophon (Jul 2, 2009)

elvis3577 said:


> Xenophon said:
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Not yet, that fort fell in May of 1775.

The rebellion began at Lexington and Concord, once that happened it became open warfare all over the colonies.


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## DamnYankee (Jul 2, 2009)

Ravi said:


> Ah, the old _fight them over here instead of over there_ strategy.
> 
> What benefit did we get from the Revolution? Just a bunch of dead Americans. Come to think of it, the civil war wouldn't have happened if we'd remained under the Brits because they outlawed slavery.
> 
> Wouldn't it have been better to just wait until the Empire crumbled like the Canadians did?




Why don't you summon H. G. Wells? Maybe you can screw with the future.


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## Xenophon (Jul 2, 2009)

ALLBizFR0M925 said:


> Xenophon said:
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> > ALLBizFR0M925 said:
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I know, raceway park.

There is amuseum dedicated to the battle, and a very important document, the transcript of the court martial of General Charles Lee for his conduct at Monmouth. From it we learn that Washington was a firey commander who cussed a blue streak when his orders were not obeyed as he intended.


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## DamnYankee (Jul 2, 2009)

Xenophon said:


> ALLBizFR0M925 said:
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> > Xenophon said:
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Apparently his orders weren't very effective here....


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## Xenophon (Jul 2, 2009)

ALLBizFR0M925 said:


> Xenophon said:
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Washington was not yet C-in-C yet.

His selection comes after Bunker hill, Congress wanted a southern commander (Virginia) to ensure greater support for the rebellion from the south.

It was just luck that washington turned out to be such a clever and able leader.


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## DamnYankee (Jul 2, 2009)

Xenophon said:


> ALLBizFR0M925 said:
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> > Xenophon said:
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Was only referring to his command as a General.


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## Xenophon (Jul 2, 2009)

GW was not in the field as a general either.

He was a member of Congress.


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