It was a little after midnight on April 19, 1775. In the little village of Lexington, Massachusetts, not far from Boston, all was quiet. The townspeople were sleeping soundly. Suddenly there was the clatter of galloping hoofs, and a horseman, leaping from the saddle before the first house, knocked on its door and shouted, “The British are coming!” That man was Paul Revere, and having roused the village he rode quickly on his way toward Concord.
Lexington, which had been so still a little while before, was now a scene of busy activity. Church bells were ringing, and cannons were booming to warn all the surrounding country. The minutemen were cleaning and loading their muskets; while the women filled powder horns. Soon everything was ready, and the little band of seventy minutemen of Lexington, under command of Captain Jonas Parker, gathered on the village common. There, with grim determination, they formed in line and waited. And there, at daybreak, the force of eight hundred British found them.
“Disperse! Disperse, you rebels!” cried Major Pitcairn, in command of the English. “Down with your arms, and disperse!”
No reply from the minutemen.
“Fire, then!” ordered Pitcairn.
His command was obeyed, and the minutemen answered with “the shot heard round the world.” The Revolution was begun. Eight minutemen were killed, several others were wounded, and the rest were scattered. Then the British advanced toward Concord.
Their object was to capture some arms and ammunition of the Colonists which were stored near Concord. For this reason General Gage had sent them from Boston. Paul Revere had waited until a signal told him that they were crossing the Charles River, and then had made his famous ride to alarm the patriots.
When the British reached Concord they found that the stores had been removed and hidden, and a large force of minutemen waiting for them. The patriots were without uniforms, and were armed with all kinds of weapons, even pitchforks and scythes; but they were determined to protect their homes, and were willing to die if necessary.
Against such brave resistance even the large force of English soldiers could do nothing, and after a few volleys they began a retreat toward Boston. But now the whole country was aroused. The retreating soldiers were fired upon all along the road. Shots came with deadly aim from behind fences, stone walls, and trees.