Revolutionary War: The Battles of Lexington and Concord :: American America History

Revolutionary War: The Battles of Lexington and Concord The battles of Lexington and Concord were neccessary battles to the American Revolutionary War because they started the very thing that made our country free. Many people have always wondered how the historic American Revolutionary War got started. Sure, they have heard the stories of Paul Revere and the Midnight Ride: There was even a poem written about his ride, but Paul Revere didn’t start the war. It was a much bigger deal than just that. The Battles of Lexington and Concord were the very first battles of the Revolutionary War. The battle of Lexington was a brief fight that marked the first war-like conflict. It took place on the morning of April 19, 1775, when about 70 colonial minutemen, commanded by Captain John Parker, collided with about 800 British soldiers marching their way to Concord, Massachusetts, to steal some equipment from the colonial militia. The British soldiers were under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Francis Smith (Lexington, Battle of). The first shot fired at this battle was the famous "Shot heard around the world." It was called that because it affected the history of the world greatly. Although when this battle happened, it wasn’t an official battle. It was mainly just like David and Goliath. It wasn’t fair: 800 seasoned soldiers against 70 colonial men. The men who were involved were called "embattled farmers" by the well-known New England poet, Ralph Waldo Emerson. These "embattled farmers" faced many long years of war. When the war ended, however, the 13 colonies would stand as a free country (Davidson). The Battle of Concord was the first serious conflict of the Revolutionary War. It again was fought on the same day as the battle of Lexington, April 19, 1775. The colonists had failed to stop the British, but they got reinforcements. when the British got to Concord, there was no equipment to be taken. It was a decoy and the British had been tricked. When they turned around to head back, they were faced with the Colonial army to fight. The colonial army won and the American Revolutionary War had begun. At the battle of Concord, Captain John Parker said, "Stand your ground; don’t fire unless fired upon, but if they mean to have a war, let it begin here." Many famous people were involved in these battles. Paul Revere was a patriot who is well-known for his famous midnight ride.