Battle of Concord - April 19 1775
Rude Awakening - British Troops First Shot Down at Old North Bridge
Redcoats leave Battle of Lexington and Concord is next. A shocked world heard that embattled farmers and Minutemen fired several rounds, killed 3 and stood for liberty!
Samuel Prescott Alarms Concord
About 2 AM, Dr. Samuel Prescott galloped into Concord after barely escaping the Redcoat Patrol that had captured Paul Revere. Along the way, he awakened Lincoln, whose Minutemen arrived in Concord shortly with Capt. William Smith. More riders were dispatched and during the night and early morning Minute Companies from the surrounding towns of Bedford, and Acton arrived. Unattached Minutemen from Carlisle, Chelmsford, Groton, Littleton, Stow and Westford brought the number of men to about 500 by 9 AM. For the time being they satisfied themselves with being an army of observation, respectfully retreating rather than challenging the Redcoats. They knew already that most of the important military stores the British sought were safely hidden.
“Will You Let Them Burn the Town Down?” - Abner Homer (1754 - 1775)
Sometime between 9 and 10 AM, they noticed a column of smoke coming from the town itself in the distance. They decided it was time to protect their town, regardless of the cost of life. They formed into two lines and advanced to the bridge. The outnumbered company of redcoats backed across the bridge and a few tried to pull up planks. When Captain John Buttrick yelled for them to leave the bridge in tact, they panicked and began to fire. The Minutemen had been told not to fire unless fired upon and for just a second they took pause. Then Captain Timothy Brown yelled, “God damn it! They’re firing ball!” As two of their own fell dead, Buttrick ordered, “Fire fellow soldiers, for God’s sake fire!” They did and as three privates fell dead and four officers were wounded, those once formidable King’s soldiers executed a panicked and disorderly retreat.
Leaving Concord Behind
Amazingly well disciplined and now two regiments strong, this band of Minutemen did not press their advantage. They were still outnumbered and found that the smoke was from an accidental fire that was extinguished. During this time several more minute companies began pouring in. By the time Col. Francis Smith rounded up is troops from their discouraging search for guns and powder, it was noon. He was hoping that the reinforcements he had sent for the night before were going to meet with them in Concord. Finally, as his Lieutenant’s nervously suggested that they should be on their way. Anyone could see the 100’s of men streaming in. Many of the soldiers wrote in their diaries later that they wondered who though it would be a good idea to be 17 miles into the countryside with only 7-800 men. They were about to find out just how bad it was.
Between a Rock Wall and a Hard Pace
Col. Smith’s delay gave the rebels plenty of time to plan for the redcoats return. Along the way, they prepared several ambushes from behind rock walls and trees. At Meriam’s Corner, Minute Companies from Chelmsford, Billerica and Tewksbury brought the troop strength to over 1000 and shocked the British Column with withering fire that caused many casualties. Another 500 soldiers led by companies from Framingham and Sudbury waited for the regulars at Brooks Hill. Their fire was ineffective but it kept them headed for the Bloody Angle. This was two ninety degree turns through heavily forested area where companies from Woburn and Reading were waiting to inflict the heaviest casualties, especially of officers, so far. There was a bit of a reprieve for a half mile or so until they came to a place where the road wound around a hill on the Lexington-Lincoln town line. Here the remainder of Captain Parker’s Lexington Company waited and executed so well that the place is still called Parker’s Revenge. Then, at Fisk’s Hill a company from Cambridge took their turn. Finally the Redcoats straggled into Lexington where to their great relief, Brigadier General Earl Percy and the 1st Brigade with 1000 fresh troops and two cannon had come to their rescue.
Sources
The War of the Revolution by Christopher Ward, 1952, MacMillan Company
Paul Revere’s Ride by David Hackett Fischer, 1994, Oxford University Press
How England Lost the American Colonies by Don Cook, 1995, Atlantic Monthly Press
