Happy Patriots' Day (April 19, 1775)

The Library of Congress, Today in History ^ | April 19, 2007 | NonValueAdded

[hedgetrimmer]

Happy Patriots Day to all.

[from occupied ga]

It was celebrated on Monday with a nice Red Sox win over the Angels.

Well it makes a change anyway. Are they still threatening to arrest the re-enactors for carrying around muskets, or did they get over that?

[Hemingway's Ghost]

Are they still threatening to arrest the re-enactors for carrying around muskets, or did they get over that?

I'm fairly sure that was only a theoretical risk, at best. Re-enactors are certainly allowed to carry muskets.

[Paul Ross]

Thanks for remembering!

[Gondring]

The Powder Alarm was a response to an actual gun grab that had occurred, IIRC.

[Gondring]

And it wasn’t just GUNS...but the people also had CANNONS (GASP! Could it be that the Second Amendment covers more than single shot target rifles and shotguns?! :-) ...and General Gage’s troops had already confiscated American cannons elsewhere in MA before this. But these brave colonists didn’t let it go unopposed at Lexington & Concord.

[CJ Wolf]

BTTT!

[texastoo]

Thanks for the post. Happy Patriots Day to you and all.

[Hemingway's Ghost]

The incident that precipitated the Alarm was a British raid on the colonial powder stored at the Powder House on the Somerville/Medford line. It was one of several "alarms," including ones in Marblehead and Portsmouth, NH, that let the Provincials know the British were clamping down on them, militarily, before Lexington and Concord.

Ironically, not twenty years before, New Englanders had been instrumental in driving the Acadians from l'Acadie through sheer terror---and---grabbing their guns. In other words, they knew very well what could go down, because they'd been on the other side.

[Gondring]

I'll add a couple of answers...

2) Capt. Isaac Davis made the famous statement "No, I am not and I haven't a man that is!" in response to what question?

"Are you afraid to go?"

3) What was special about Davis' Acton Minutemen?

They were well equipped for irregulars, even having bayonets, and had trained extensively (paid for it, too).

[Veloxherc]

I remember watching a show on TV about the battle. The lefty history professor they had on said that the red coats were just going to reclaim the cannons that the militia had stolen. Let’s see the militia had stolen their own canons?

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Same to you. Lexington and Concorde. Wooooo-hooooo!

[Dr. Scarpetta]

Bump

[GretchenM]

Thank you for the faithful pings.
What a gorgeous photo.

[Vigilanteman]

Excellent point. Insofar as we can tell through family research, there are at least three of our ancestors who fought in the American Revolution.

One of them, Job Pratt, farmed near Westborough and was among several of the town mustered into service in time for the action at Concord Bridge.

[Pharmboy]

It is my distinct pleasure, m’dame.

[Paige]

6. Percy, later to be Duke of Northumberland

[Paige]

5. Mother Batherick was working in the field had her gun ..saw the battle and took British Redcoats prisoner...then delivered her prisoners to a minute man captain and told them, “If you ever live to get back, you tell King George that an old woman took six of his grenadiers prisoners.”

We women ROCK!!

[NonValueAdded]

Pencils down, everyone. I’d display your grades but Federal law prevents that. 1975 or so, wasn’t it? A change whose aftershock only now made it to Virginia a few days ago.