Historic musket balls fired at British in 1770s found in Concord, Massachusetts, park

WCVB ABC Channel 5, Boston ^ | July 10, 2024 | Shaun Ganley, Shaun Chaiyabhat

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

CONCORD, Mass. — Five musket balls that were fired during the event known as "The Shot Heard Round the World" on April 19, 1775, were recently discovered at Minute Man National Historical Park in Concord, Massachusetts.

National Park Service archeologists discovered the musket balls while conducting compliance activities in preparation for the park’s Great American Outdoors Act project.

According to the National Park Service, early analysis of the 18th-century musket balls indicates they were fired by colonial militia members at British forces during the North Bridge fight.

The North Bridge battle site is a key location within the National Historical Park and marks the moment when provincial militia leaders ordered members to fire upon their own government’s soldiers for the first time.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Thought this might be interesting. When I worked at the ROTHR Transmitter site in New Kent, Virginia, the site was thick with Civil War rounds from the Peninsula Campaign.

[11th_VA]

Those rounds are worth a lot of money

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Which ones, the Civil War or Revolutionary War? I am surprised no one found them with a metal detector. I have been to that site literally dozens of times, and never saw anyone with a metal detector. I wouldn't expect to. I might sally over to the Old North Bridge visitors' center on Saturday and have a look.

The town of Acton, just west of Concord, has Isaac Davis's plow, and bloody shirt. Isaac Davis was captain of the Acton Minutemen, and died in the first volley at the Old North Bridge. It is his plow that is depicted in the Daniel Chester French Minuteman Statue by the Old North Bridge. The face is his great nephew, who was said to be his 'spit and image'.

[mairdie]

Museum collectibles now.

[The_Media_never_lie]

Certainly worth lots of money since they were heard around the world!

[ClearCase_guy]

Can they be re-used?

Asking for a friend.

[Tennessee Nana]

PING

[Scrambler Bob]

Assualt Rifle (of the day) ammo.

EEK EEK

And nasty Lead, to boot.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Any specific targets in mind? I have a friend.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

The Old North Bridge Visitors Center is a museum on the grounds of the Minute National Historic Park. It’s free and open most normal hours. Well worth the visit if you’re in the area.

[kawhill]

I would assume the caliber was this, but if they were fired from an American Longrifle they pretty much could have been anything from .32 to .58, maybe even .62 Any Historians out there, I would much appreciate any info you could give me.

What caliber was a Brown Bess musket?
.75
Brown Bess
British Land Pattern Musket a.k.a. Brown Bess
Length 58.5 in (1,490 mm)
Barrel length 42.0–46.0 in (1,070–1,170 mm)
Cartridge paper cartridge, buck and ball/roundball undersized (.69/17.5 mm) to reduce the effects of powder fouling
Calibre .75–.80 (19–20mm)

[mairdie]

Been there. Done that. Loved it.

Peaceful and gentle place where you read about violence but the atmosphere makes it intellectual rather than emotional. Used to drive past the area when working in Cambridge. There are so many great tourist activities in the Boston area. And we found a small, Republican town to make it all worth while.

Town Concert - Great Balls of Fire (1995) - Rennaisances
https://youtu.be/pUPOYVkMf8g

Town Center Shops - Deck the Halls, The Trail Band
https://youtu.be/7Y_A2jLfj8o

[sauropod]

.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks TN and LiM!

[shotgun]

“Great American Outdoors Act project.”

is this a reenactment with the Minutemen dressed in drag or to honor those Minutemen who were gay?

[Verginius Rufus]

I've been there--should have been more observant and maybe I could have found the musket balls.

The Old North Bridge is famous for being rude, but it didn't give me any trouble.

[Starboard]

“And we found a small, Republican town to make it all worth while.”

************

A town rarer than the musket balls.

[1Old Pro]

“And we found a small, Republican town to make it all worth while.” ************ A town rarer than the musket balls.

I still can't believe it :)

[kawhill]

lol. Maybe that was Lord Cornwallis’ problem, him and his men were leaning the wrong way.

What was Lord Cornwallis famous for?
Charles Cornwallis (U.S. National Park Service)
Best known for his surrender at the Siege of Yorktown in 1781, which effectively ended hostilities and led to peace negotiations between Great Britain and the United States, Lord Cornwallis’s postwar career demonstrated the resilience and power of the British Empire

[mairdie]

We commuted 3 1/2 hours each way to work in New York at IBM Research because the town was SO rare I refused to move. I commuted for 10 years, husband for 20. When we took early retirement and combined the house and apt, husband knelt on the floor and kissed the carpet. We’ve lived here for 48 years and expect to stay for the remainder. Excellent people with caring attitudes.

When mother died, the mortician showed up at our house. It was my first time being in charge of death administration and I was extremely nervous. He stopped me talking and said we’d get to the needed info after I told him about who mother was as a person. Before he laid hands on her to pick her up at Mass General, he needed to know her. We buried her a block and a half from the house and we’re set here for eternity.

Amazing Grace (local cemetery) - Judy Collins
https://youtu.be/uDwtsm6FrDo

The local hardware store owner was our postman. His daughter was raised in a playpen in the store. Later, we created her wedding invitations. His grandson mows our lawn. I was raised in the midwest, where people interact with each other constantly. This town is the closest to the world in which I was raised that I can possibly imagine. The liberals haven’t taken over EVERYTHING, thank goodness. We still have our Sunday town concerts and we still have our Christmas creche in the town square.