Posted on 02/18/2003 8:08:29 PM PST by Mulder
Many Americans recognize Lexington as the place where “the shot fired around the world” ignited the American Revolution, but few Americans are knowledgeable of the details. For instance, what would compel the residents of a small Massachusetts town to stand against a considerably larger group of British soldiers? Just who were these 77 patriots who made the decision to line up on the Lexington Green on the morning of April 19, 1775? Arthur B. Tourtellot answers these and other questions in his 300-page book “Lexington and Concord”. I have summarized some of his salient points into a brief narrative describing the battle of Lexington.
Lexington was a small town about 10 miles northwest of Boston, consisting of about 750 residents. Like many small towns in the colonies at that time, religion was an integral part of their lives. In Lexington that centered around the Reverend Jonas Clarke. Clarke, who composed some 3000 plus hour-long sermons, was no stranger to politics either. As the British enacted legislation dealing with the colonies, Clarke studied them and wrote detailed responses [1].
After the Stamp Act was passed in 1765, Clarke objected to it, not out of concerns for the economic well-being of Lexington, but on constitutional grounds. The Act was directed at the commercial classes in large cities, not small town farmers. But Clarke nonetheless argued against it, as it was a violation of the Rights of the colonists and it would create a precedent for the erosion of more of their Freedoms. Clarke, as part of a committee from Lexington, also vigorously opposed other British measures, such as a standing army of Redcoats in Boston [1].
Clarke, like many other colonists, believed that things would eventually come to a head with the British. The men of Lexington, like most colonists, were prepared for such an occasion since they were armed. The author points out that “in the colonies…. all able bodied men were required to bear arms.” They even had annual musters, where they “lined up with their muskets and powder horns, executed some awkward drills, listened to the pastor preach a sermon, and spent the rest of the day eating and drinking”. Most of the men provided their own weapons and ammunition [1].
In March of 1775, Clarke had two visitors: John Hancock and Samuel Adams. They stayed with Clarke while the Provincial Congress was meeting in Concord, only a few miles away. On the night of April 18, 1775 patriots in Boston saw that General Gage was preparing to move British troops in the general direction of Lexington. William Dawes and Paul Revere were able to sneak out of Boston to alert the Patriot leaders in Lexington. While Adams and Hancock escaped, about 70 minutemen under Captain John Parker, a farmer by trade, assembled on the Lexington Green, a 2-acre triangle in the center of the town, and waited for the British. Parker believed that the British force consisted of about 1,500 men, which was twice its actual size [1].
But Lexington was not the objective of the British. Their primary objective was to march to Concord and “seize and destroy all the artillery, ammunition…. [and] small arms”. (It is also interesting to note that General Thomas Gage, the commanding British officer in Boston, made it very clear that the soldiers were not to plunder the colonists, nor harm private property except for weapons). This march took them right through the middle of Lexington [1].
The colonial minutemen who stood on the Lexington Green constituted about a tenth of the population of Lexington. Most were farmers. The rest practiced trades common to that day. Many were young men (12 were in their teens). Others were old men. The oldest was Moses Harrington, a 65-year old grandfather who took the field with his son. He was not the only man who stood with his son on the Green-- there were 8 father-son combinations. There was even one slave, Prince Estabrook, who stood with the colonial patriots. The militia bore more resemblance to a family reunion or church picnic than an army, except for their “old hunting muskets”[1].
When the two forces met, Major John Pitcairn ordered the patriots to lay down their arms. Not one of the minutemen followed his orders. The British infantry then began marching forward while shouting. Shortly thereafter, a shot rang out, and the British opened fire [1].
The engagement resembled more of a "massacre at the hands of British soldiers” than an actual battle. Only eight minutemen were known to have actually fired at the British, but the British inflicted heavy casualties on Parker’s men. Eight patriots died (most were shot in the back by the British), and nine more were wounded. Five of the father-son combinations were broken by death [1].
One minuteman, John Harrington, was shot near his position on the line. With his wife and eight-year old son watching, he crawled 100 yards to his doorstep where he died. Another patriot, Jonas Parker (John Parker’s cousin), took to the field and filled his hat full of musket balls. He had no intention of leaving the Green. Before he could fire his musket, a British bayonet killed him [1].
After the engagement, the British troops fired a victory volley and gave three cheers before marching onwards to Concord. The Lexington minutemen, including the wounded, reassembled and also marched towards Concord to face the British and nearly impossible odds once again [1]. Neither side realized that over a thousand patriots would soon join the battle, after they heard the news of the day. These men simply cast aside the tools of their trade and picked up their muskets to oppose the tyrannical army marching through their country.
[1] Tourtellot, Arthur B., “Lexington and Concord”. 1959.
1) Most of the men during the Revolutionary War WERE armed with their own weapons
2) The milita really was all able-bodied men who wanted to be there, not a "National Guard", as some have suggested.
3) The patriots of Lexington demonstrated extraordinary courage to not only stand against a British army 10 times their size, but also to pursue them after the fact.
4) The 18th century equivalent of 70 "deer rifles" DID make a difference.
My brief review doesn't really do the book justice, but I learned a lot of new things and thought I'd post a short summary here.
teeman8r
Neither myself nor the author makes that claim. The militia did have a big impact on the war, however. Just look at Lexington or Bunker Hill (I know, Bunker Hill led the Congress to become overconfident in the militia, which made putting together an army more difficult). Anyway, where do think the volunteers for the regular army came from? Many were militia.
We have sort of an overly-romantic attachment to Militia in this country. In both the Revolution and the War of 1812, they routinely ran away instantly under fire in a manner that would outdo a WWII Frenchman.
You obviously have such a grudge against the Milita, that you are unable or unwilling to recognize their contribution. Taking a stand against the most powerful army on earth, while being outnumbered 10:1 is not something associated with a "WWII Frenchman".
I pray we have men of such stature ready to stand against long odds for what is right and just today, should we need them. Perhaps Free Republic is the new "Lexington Green" where such men and women will assemble when needed.
Thanks for posting this.
You said it much better than I could have. Thanks!
Today, you truly crossed the line by insulting the many brave men and boys who sacrificed life, limb, and property in the difficult process that was the birth of our Nation. You insinuate that the many hundreds of Militiamen who paid the ultimate price for your freedom to admire yourself in the mirror...were shot in the back!
That said, it is always good to know that you are here in case I need a good strong dose of condescension and pomposity.
Excellent points; excellent post. Thank you.
Thanks. I'll add that one to my "to read" list.
No doubt, thanks to the so-called "anti-terror" laws, but with the technology age, the problem the tyrants face is instead of one Sam Adams, there are hundreds, and thousands more waiting in the wings.
How this plays out is anyone's guess, but my money is on your 20-million deer rifle army. We certainly live in interesting times, that's for sure.
Not likely !
When the Stamp Act was passed, the Constitution was still 22 years in the future.
Or do the Brits have a Constitution that they've been hiding from us all these years?
I'll second that - it's a great book. I liked it so much I took it on our trip to Lexington & forced my kids to sit on the green while I read to them Fischer's account of the 'battle'.
Being very young they might not have been that impressed by I sure was.
WITH the book...
Don't you think the book would make a great movie? The screenplay would practically write itself!
when commanders employed the militias as regular line troops trying to stand up to the British infantry in set piece battles they tended to lose an unnecissarily large portions of thier militias. When used properly as was done at the above mentioned battles the militias were indespensible.
I've always wondered why no one has attempted such a movie - at least recently. The years in Boston leading up to 4/19/75 was so full of drama & strong, interesting characters. I was disappointed The Patriot wasn't set in New England.
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