You know part of what motivated the militia to maneuver against and actually fire on the King’s soldiers during Lexington and Concord as opposed to merely assembling and observing was when the Regulars began breaking into and ransacking private homes in their search for arms and supplies.
The British were normally very, very careful to seize only items that could positively be identified as militia stores, preferring to err on the side of caution, partly because they could be held personally liable for mistakes until the proclamation that the colonies were in an actual state of insurrection.
How ironic that soldiers of George III had more respect for civil liberties, in the face of enormous provocation, than our jack booted thugs do in the face of none.
Well said.