One of these following facts about the Battle of Lexington and Concord might give you more information about the battle to broaden up your historical knowledge. The Battle of Lexington and Concord were the first military engagement of the American Revolutionary War. They were fought on April 19, 1775, in Middlesex County, Province of Massachusetts Bay, within the towns of Lexington, Concord, Lincoln, Menotomy and Cambridge, near Boston. The battles marked the outbreak of open armed conflict between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen of its colonies on the mainland of British America. For further information, to get you to know more about this battle, here are some other facts about the Battle of Lexington and Concord you might like.
Facts about the Battle of Lexington and Concord 1: Battle of Lexington
The Battle of Lexington was a very small fight, but it’s important because it’s where the Revolutionary War started. When the British arrived, there were only around 80 American militiamen in the town. They were led by Captain John Parker. They were up against a much larger British force led by Major John Pitcairn. Neither side expected to actually fight, but in the midst of the confusion a gunshot went off forcing the British to attack. Some of the colonists were killed and the rest fled.
Facts about the Battle of Lexington and Concord 2: First Gunshot
The gunshot was the first shot of the American Revolution and the start of the war. It was called the “shot heard around the world” by Ralph Waldo Emerson in his poem Concord Hymn. No one is actually sure who fired the first shot or if it was an American or British soldier.
Facts about the Battle of Lexington and Concord – Battle of Lexington and Concord
Facts about the Battle of Lexington and Concord 3: Battle of Concord
After the Americans fled from Lexington, the British marched to the city of Concord. When they first got to Concord, they met little resistance and began to search the town for the militia’s hidden stash of weapons and munitions. The Americans had retreated to the outskirts of Concord and observed the British from other side of the North Bridge. As the Americans waited, more and more local militiamen arrived making their forces stronger and stronger.
Facts about the Battle of Lexington and Concord 4: North Bridge
The Americans decided to cross the North Bridge back into Concord. They defeated the British troops at the North Bridge, giving the Americans renewed confidence. Soon the British commander, Colonel Francis Smith, realized that the American militia resistance was rapidly growing and it was time to retreat.
Facts about the Battle of Lexington and Concord – First engraving
Facts about the Battle of Lexington and Concord 5: The British Retreat
Once the British decided to retreat, they began the long march back to the city of Boston. The Americans continued to gain forces and continued to attack and harass the British during their retreat. By the time the British reached Boston they had lost 73 men and 174 were wounded. The Americans lost 49 men and 41 were wounded.
Facts about the Battle of Lexington and Concord 6: American Revolution
With these battles, the American Revolution had officially begun. Shots had been fired, thousands of militiamen surrounded Boston, and the Americans felt they had pushed back the British giving them the courage to continue to unite and fight. To get to know more about the beginning of American Revolution, you may want to check out facts about the American Revolution.
Facts about the Battle of Lexington and Concord – North Bridge
Facts about the Battle of Lexington and Concord 7: After the Fighte
The colonists were stunned by their success. No one had actually believed either side would shoot to kill the other. Some advanced; many more retreated; and some went home to see to the safety of their homes and families. Colonel Barrett eventually began to recover control.
Facts about the Battle of Lexington and Concord 8: Aftermath
In the morning, Boston was surrounded by a huge militia army, numbering over 15,000, which had marched from throughout New England. Unlike the Powder Alarm, the rumors of spilled blood were true, and the Revolutionary War had begun. The militia army continued to grow as surrounding colonies sent men and supplies. The Second Continental Congress adopted these men into the beginnings of the Continental Army.
Facts about the Battle of Lexington and Concord – Second engraving
Facts about the Battle of Lexington and Concord 9: Image
It was important to the early American government that an image of British fault and American innocence be maintained for this first battle of the war. The history of Patriot preparations, intelligence, warning signals, and uncertainty about the first shot was rarely discussed in the public sphere for decades.
Facts about the Battle of Lexington and Concord 10: Commemoration
Patriots’ Day is celebrated annually in honor of the battle in Massachusetts, Maine, and by the Wisconsin public schools, on the third Monday in April. Re-enactments of Paul Revere’s ride are staged, as are the battle on the Lexington Green, and ceremonies and firings are held at the North Bridge.
Facts about the Battle of Lexington and Concord – Statue in North Bridge
Hope you would find those Battle of Lexington and Concord facts really interesting, useful, and helpful for your additional reading.
