Thread by @USAS_WW1

Lexington and Concord WED 4/19/1775

1/ 700 British regulars, marching all night from Boston, arrive shortly after dawn at Lexington Commons in Lexington, Massachusetts to seize Colonial arms, John Hancock, Samuel Adams, etc. #OTD #History

2/ 77 Colonial patriots under Capt. John Parker face 400 British Redcoats led by Major John Pitcairn. Colonials are mixed irregulars w/ a mix of ages and training. The British are highly trained well-equipped light infantry. Pitcairn orders dispersal. But one of his men fires.

3/ Firing on both sides. Black powder smoke, sparks and flashes fill the air. Colonials fire from behind a wall, but with a massive advantage in firepower, the British wound ten and kill eight Americans. The rest melt away. British wounded are one man and Pitcairn’s horse.

4/ Pitcairn’s superior Lt. Col. Francis Smith and his troops arrive minutes later. The new arrivals include elite Grenadiers. The unimpeded combined force of 700 Redcoats now flows west from Lexington to march on nearby Concord.

5/ Smith split his forces to search for Colonial weapons stockpiles in multiple places. The bulk of his men he keeps in Concord while he sends six companies of about 180 men north of town to cross the aptly named North Bridge over the Concord River.

6/ Lexington and Concord: Unexpectedly for the British, several Minuteman companies totaling 400 men materialized from the west as well. The 90 Redcoats withdrew across the bridge, and now awaited on the bridge’s east side. At around 10:30 am, smoke arose from Concord.

7/ Captain Isaac Davis, a gunsmith, had personally made bayonets and cartridge boxes, trained his men repeatedly with target training behind his home and more. He and his company of the Acton Minutemen were chosen to lead the attack.

8/ Davis’ men advanced in two columns w/ other companies behind. Shots cracked from the British. Davis was killed instantly. He's the first officer to die for the American Revolution. A private was KIA and 4 were wounded. The Americans killed 3 British troops and wounded 9.

Clarification: 3 British Army companies proceed to search a farm that's past the bridge while 3 companies remain to guard the bridge.

9/ The British spend day retreating to Boston. Other Minutemen arrive along the road and snipe at British from forest cover. Final American casualties: 49 KIA, 39 WIA, 5 MIA. British: 73 KIA, 174 WIA, 53 MIA. This is the Shot Heard ‘Round The World. The #AmericanRevolution is on.