The Probert Encyclopaedia of Warfare

BATTLE OF LEXINGTON

The Battle of Lexington, Massachusetts occurred on April the 19th, 1775 during the American War of Independence. On the night of April the18th, 1775, 8000 British regulars were secretly despatched from Boston to arrest Samuel Adams and John Hancock at Lexington, and to seize the military stores collected at Concord. News of their approach was spread through the intervening towns by Paul Revere, and at daybreak, when the British arrived at Lexington, they found fifty minute-men drawn up on the village green.

The advance guard, under Major Pitcairn, fired upon them, but they held their ground until the main body of the British, under Lieutenant-Colonel Smith, appeared. They then gave way, and the regulars pushed forward to Concord. Here they were unable to discover any military stores, and while they were committing some depredations affairs took a sudden turn. 200 regulars, who guarded Concord bridge, were routed by some 400 minute-men who had hastily collected from neighbouring towns. The position of the British thus became perilous. About noon they started for Boston, subjected to a galling fire from all sides.

Exhausted by their march of eighteen miles and their fast of fourteen hours, they fell into a disorderly flight, and were saved only by the timely assistance of Lord Percy, who came from Boston with 1200 reinforcements and two cannon. Seven miles from Boston their passage was for a while disputed by a force of militia. The whole countryside was out against them; once more their retreat became a rout, and at sunset they entered Charlestown under the welcome protection of the fleet, on the full run, just in time to avoid an encounter with Colonel Pickering and 700 Essex militia.

According to insurgent sources, the loss of the British was 273 and that of the insurgents ninety-three. In the first place the battle showed that the insurgents could not be frightened into submission. It also showed the efficiency and promptness of the town militia. Twenty-three towns were represented among the wounded and slain, and by the end of the week 16,000 men were besieging Gage in Boston.
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