April 19, 1775 - Happy Independence Day
Minute Man National Historical Park in Lexington, Lincoln, and Concord, Massachusetts, preserves and interprets the sites, structures, and landscapes that became the field of battle during the first armed conflict of the American Revolution on April 19, 1775. It was here that British colonists risked their lives and property, defending their ideals of liberty and self-determination. The events of that day have been popularized by succeeding generations as the "shot heard 'round the world." Often referred to as the "Battles of Lexington, and Concord," the fighting on April 19, 1775 raged over 16 miles along the Bay Road from Boston to Concord, and included some 1,700 British regulars and over 4,000 Colonial militia.
British Casualties totaled 273; 73 Killed, 174 wounded, 26 missing.
Colonial casualties totaled 95; 49 killed, 41 wounded, and 5 missing.
This National Park Service website is very well done.
There is basically an hour by hour record of what we know of the evening of the 18th and almost 24hours of the 19th.
Some of the names of the participants and victims may surprise you.
I recommend using the website for full effect; each hour or half hour is further broken down to the action and participants with a switch I could not duplicate here.
SP
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Prelude to War~ April 18, 1775
In the days, weeks, and months leading to April 19, 1775, tensions across the colony of Massachusetts reached a boiling point. The previous summer British warships closed Boston Harbor, Royal Governor, General Thomas Gage, tasked with implementing the wildly unpopular Massachusetts Government Act, also dismissed the elected Massachusetts legislature, the Great and General Court. In October Patriot leaders called for a Provincial Congress in Massachusetts. Towns across Massachusetts chose to send representatives to this essentially illegal body which immediately proceeded to assume political power. They took control of the colony's militia forces, and began stockpiling arms, ammunition and provisions. Their goal was to raise and equip an army of 15,000 men.
Isolated in Boston, General Gage was running out of options. At last, following the advice he received from his superiors in England, Gage decided to send a force of around 700 soldiers on a secret expedition into the countryside to seize and destroy arms and supplies and disrupt the colonists' warlike preparations. His target was the town of Concord, 18 miles northwest of Boston, where a considerable quantity of these arms and supplies were stockpiled. The expedition consisted of 21 companies of Grenadiers and Light Infantry, the elite soldiers of the army. Grenadiers were chosen for their height and courage. They wore distinctive bear-fur caps which adds to their height and frightening appearance. Light Infantry were soldiers chosen for their physical speed, stamina and intelligence. They were trained to spread out, take advantage of cover, and skirmish with the enemy. Their uniforms were adapted to this service with short coats and leather caps instead of brimmed hats which helped them move more easily through woods.
6:30 pm~ British patrols are spotted along the Bay Road leading to Lexington, Ma
8:00 pm~ The British patrol passes through Lexington and continues into Lincoln
9:00 pm~ Lexington Militia scouts ride to observe the British patrol
10:00 pm~ British Light Infantry and Grenadiers assemble on Boston Common
10:30 pm~ Paul Revere crosses the Charles River
11:00 pm~ The British Regulars begin crossing the Charles River
12:30 am~ Paul Revere and William Dawes arrive in Lexington
1:00 am~ Paul Revere is captured by the British patrol in Lincoln
1:30 am~ Samuel Prescott carries the alarm to Concord. The Lexington Militia awaits the Regulars.
2:00 am~ British Troops begin their march to Concord
2:30 am~ Paul Revere is set free and walks back to Lexington
3:00 am~ The British column marches through Menotomy
4:30 am~ Word reaches Lexington the British column is approaching. Militia gather on the green.
Lexington & Concord
5:00 am~ The first shots on Lexington Green
6:00 am~ Minute men and militia continue gathering in Concord
7:00 am~ The British arrive in Concord
7:30 am~ British Light Infantry secure the North Bridge and march to Col. Barrett’s farm.
8:00 am~ The British search the Barrett Farm
9:00 am~ Colonial officers make the decision to advance to North Bridge
9:30 am~ Battle at the North Bridge
11:00 am~ The British troops return from the Barrett Farm
12:00 pm~ The British begin the return march to Boston
Retreat Along The Battle Road
12:30 pm~ Fighting at Meriam’s Corner
1:00 pm Framingham and Sudbury join the fight near Brooks Hill
1:30 pm~ An ambush at Elm Brook Hill
1:30 pm~ Militia led by David Lamson attacks a British supply wagon in Menotomy
1:45 pm~ Parker’s Revenge
2:00 pm~ The “Bloody” Bluff
2:15 pm~ Fiske Hill
3:00 pm~ British Reinforcements arrive in Lexington
Lexington Back to Boston
3:00 pm General William Heath and Dr. Joseph Warren join the fight
3:30 pm~ Percy’s Brigade resumes the march to Boston
4:30 pm~ Fighting at the “Foot of Rocks” in Menotomy
5:30 pm~ Slaughter at the Jason Russell House
6:00 pm~ Ambush at Watson’s Corner in Cambridge
6:30 pm~ Percy takes the road to Charlestown
7:00 pm~ Narrow escapes at Prospect Hill and Winter Hill
7:30 pm~ The Battle Ends
April 20, 1775~ The Siege of Boston Begins
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History is always something to be debated no matter how meticulous the records.
Many contend that the first shot heard round the world was fired by the British at Lexington when a British Regular stumbled and the formation, not quite ready, charges Captain Parker's Militia as he was dismissing them from the green. Many were shot in the back.
Other's insist that after Barretts farm yielded no weapons and the British withdrew to the North Bridge, as hundreds of militiamen came out of the woods and started to form up on the road, that the British fired several shots that fell into the water, possibly as warning shots.
Historian's point out that this was the first time that armed Americans fired upon the British and this was the first "shot heard round the world".
Both at Lexington and the North Bridge the British regulars fired without orders to do so.
April 19, 2026 Reenactments in Lexington and Concord
On April 19, 2026 , the towns of Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts will host major reenactments marking the 251st anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord — the opening shots of the American Revolution.
Lexington – Battle of Lexington Reenactment
The Lexington Minute Men will stage the historic reenactment on the Lexington Battle Green at 5:15 a.m. The event begins with the ringing of the alarm and a civilian evacuation, followed by the arrival of British regulars and Captain John Parker’s “Parker’s Revenge” rallying speech Boston.com +2 . This recreates the 15‑minute skirmish in which about 77 American militiamen faced 700 British troops, resulting in eight American deaths and ten wounded Boston.com +1 . The reenactment is part of the nation’s America 250 celebrations and is free and open to the public.
John Russell, was Jason Russell related to you?
it would be a real longshot
No pun intended.......
and not to make light of the situation:
interestingly. the first person to lose his life was an 11 year old protester in 1770.
Christopher Seider - Wikipedia
The deaths of theses 6 persons festered for almost 5 years before the ill fated British "excursion" to look for "war material" and "contraband" at Col Barrett's farm.
The rest, as they say, is history