Timeline of Events
April 18, 1775
9:30 pm- At this time Paul Revere received an urgent message to visit Dr. Joseph who assigned him to warn Samuel Adams and John Hancock in Lexington and the towns people on his way that the British were coming.
10:00 pm- Revere stops by a friends house on his way to Lexington and informs him to hang two lanterns to warn the nearby patriots that the British were coming by boat.
April 19, 1775
12:00 am- Revere reaches Lexington and successfully warns Adams and Hancock that the British were coming. Adams and Hancock then fled deep into the countryside during the battle.
1:00 am- Revere heads for concord and along the way he meets Dr. Samuel Prescott who offers to help spread word around Concord. On their way to Concord, Paul gets blocked by some redcoat, British, soldiers who leave Revere deciding that they would move faster without a prisoner. Revere never makes it to Concord but Prescott was able to jump his horse over a fence and got away. He entered Concord later that morning at 2:00 am.
About 5:00 am- The men of Lexington have waited four hours by the time the lookout, traveling by horse, comes into Lexington shouting, "The lobsterbacks are down the road!" Approximately seventy men were gathered within minutes. Many were fathers and sons, others were 19 years of age, like drummer William Diamond. Some were 62 years of age, such as Robert Munroe. One of the soldiers was even a slave promised with freedom if he fought the British. His name was Prince Estabrook.
Captain John Parker encouraged his men with what is now a very famous quote, "Don't fire unless fired upon. But if they mean to have war, let it began here!"
About 5:20 am- Being led by Major John Pitcairn, the British troops approached Lexington.
"Disperse, ye rebels," Major Pitcairn yelled. "Disperse in the name of the king! Lay down your arms!"
At that Captain Parker decided to back down. There were just to many to face. "Go home but remain armed," he demanded of his small militia.
Most of the men began to walk away but some did stay--Captain Parker's cousin, Jonas Parker, a grandfather who vowed to never flee from the British, and Robert Munroe. The first shot rang out. Robert Munroe was shot to death where he stood and Jonas Parker became wounded but continued to fight till he was killed by a bayonet. Jonathan Harrington, who was walking home, got shot only yards away from his doorstep and craws a few yards before dyeing in front of his horrified wife and son.
The full battle only lasted a total of ten minutes. In the end eight Americans lay dead and ten wounded. Following the battle the British forces head to Concord, five miles west, where they expect the same thing.
7:00 am- ninety minutes had passed since the Battle of Lexington and Lieutenant Colonel Francis Smith leads his force of 700 redcoats into Concord. As they marched into town the several hundred person troop led by 65-year-old Colonel James Barret became just as terrified as the Lexington men and run.
Three hours pass and the Americans only stand and watch the British troops take over their town, seizing weapons and gunpowder.
About 10:00 am- A man overlooking the town covered in a smoke cloud asked Colonel Barret, "Will you let them burn the town down?"
On that note Colonel Barret orders his troops to advance toward the 100 redcoats guarding Concords north bridge. When the Americans had about 200 feet between them and the British the redcoats fired at them. Two Americans were killed and several were wounded but they did not run.
"Fire, fellow soldiers, for God's sake, fire!" An American officer called.
The American soldiers began to chant, "Fire! Fire! Fire!"
Fifteen redcoats were killed or wounded by the time they began retreating toward Boston. The American troops pursed the redcoats, shooting at them from behind trees and stone walls. About 3,600 patriots from forty different towns joined the fight. The Americans fought the British down a twenty-mile-long road. The fiercest fighting occurred in Menotomy. In the end, the British retreat to Boston. Nearly 300 redcoats were wounded or killed.
9:30 pm- At this time Paul Revere received an urgent message to visit Dr. Joseph who assigned him to warn Samuel Adams and John Hancock in Lexington and the towns people on his way that the British were coming.
10:00 pm- Revere stops by a friends house on his way to Lexington and informs him to hang two lanterns to warn the nearby patriots that the British were coming by boat.
April 19, 1775
12:00 am- Revere reaches Lexington and successfully warns Adams and Hancock that the British were coming. Adams and Hancock then fled deep into the countryside during the battle.
1:00 am- Revere heads for concord and along the way he meets Dr. Samuel Prescott who offers to help spread word around Concord. On their way to Concord, Paul gets blocked by some redcoat, British, soldiers who leave Revere deciding that they would move faster without a prisoner. Revere never makes it to Concord but Prescott was able to jump his horse over a fence and got away. He entered Concord later that morning at 2:00 am.
About 5:00 am- The men of Lexington have waited four hours by the time the lookout, traveling by horse, comes into Lexington shouting, "The lobsterbacks are down the road!" Approximately seventy men were gathered within minutes. Many were fathers and sons, others were 19 years of age, like drummer William Diamond. Some were 62 years of age, such as Robert Munroe. One of the soldiers was even a slave promised with freedom if he fought the British. His name was Prince Estabrook.
Captain John Parker encouraged his men with what is now a very famous quote, "Don't fire unless fired upon. But if they mean to have war, let it began here!"
About 5:20 am- Being led by Major John Pitcairn, the British troops approached Lexington.
"Disperse, ye rebels," Major Pitcairn yelled. "Disperse in the name of the king! Lay down your arms!"
At that Captain Parker decided to back down. There were just to many to face. "Go home but remain armed," he demanded of his small militia.
Most of the men began to walk away but some did stay--Captain Parker's cousin, Jonas Parker, a grandfather who vowed to never flee from the British, and Robert Munroe. The first shot rang out. Robert Munroe was shot to death where he stood and Jonas Parker became wounded but continued to fight till he was killed by a bayonet. Jonathan Harrington, who was walking home, got shot only yards away from his doorstep and craws a few yards before dyeing in front of his horrified wife and son.
The full battle only lasted a total of ten minutes. In the end eight Americans lay dead and ten wounded. Following the battle the British forces head to Concord, five miles west, where they expect the same thing.
7:00 am- ninety minutes had passed since the Battle of Lexington and Lieutenant Colonel Francis Smith leads his force of 700 redcoats into Concord. As they marched into town the several hundred person troop led by 65-year-old Colonel James Barret became just as terrified as the Lexington men and run.
Three hours pass and the Americans only stand and watch the British troops take over their town, seizing weapons and gunpowder.
About 10:00 am- A man overlooking the town covered in a smoke cloud asked Colonel Barret, "Will you let them burn the town down?"
On that note Colonel Barret orders his troops to advance toward the 100 redcoats guarding Concords north bridge. When the Americans had about 200 feet between them and the British the redcoats fired at them. Two Americans were killed and several were wounded but they did not run.
"Fire, fellow soldiers, for God's sake, fire!" An American officer called.
The American soldiers began to chant, "Fire! Fire! Fire!"
Fifteen redcoats were killed or wounded by the time they began retreating toward Boston. The American troops pursed the redcoats, shooting at them from behind trees and stone walls. About 3,600 patriots from forty different towns joined the fight. The Americans fought the British down a twenty-mile-long road. The fiercest fighting occurred in Menotomy. In the end, the British retreat to Boston. Nearly 300 redcoats were wounded or killed.