The first shots of the American Revolution rang out on Lexington Common in the early morning hours of April 19, 1775. Although years of tension and sporadic violence preceded this event, many consider the fight in Lexington as the beginning of the American Revolution (although loyal citizens of Concord will argue otherwise- an ongoing debate since 1775!). Today, the sacred ground is preserved as the Lexington Battle Green in the quaint town of Lexington, Massachusetts. It serves as a symbol of our nation’s earliest beginnings and as a solemn reminder of the men who were killed on that fateful morning. Whether you only have a few hours or an entire day to explore, historic Lexington is packed with American history!
History
After he learned of British General Gage’s plan to secretly send regulars on the march into the Massachusetts interior to seize provincial cannon and military stores in Concord, Doctor Joseph Warren (a leader of the Sons of Liberty in Boston) dispatched a series of riders to alert the local countryside on the evening of April 18, 1775. Between 8-9PM, William Dawes was dispatched by Dr. Warren and he took the route across the Boston Neck (at this point the British operation had not been completely confirmed). Once Dr. Warren had confirmed his intelligence, he called for Paul Revere and tasked him to carry out his now-famous “midnight” ride.
After meeting with Dr. Warren, Revere ensured that two lanterns would be briefly shone from the steeple of Christ Church (the Old North Church) to alert patriots in Charlestown that the British soldiers would be crossing the Charles River (Back Bay) by boat before marching westward. This lantern signal is now immortalized in the phrase, “one if by land, two if by sea.” It was Robert Newman and Captain John Pulling Jr. who carried out this dangerous task.
From there, Revere was quietly rowed from Hunt’s Wharf on the North End, across the Charles River and past the HMS Somerset, and landed in Charlestown, where he mounted a horse prepared for him by the Charlestown militia- it was just after 11PM. Both Dawes and Revere were initially bound for the town of Lexington, where Provincial Congress members John Hancock and Samuel Adams were lodged at the home of Reverend Clarke. Revere and Dawes planned on warning those two men (both highly sought after for their involvement with the rebel movement), because it was unknown if their capture was part of the mission- no chances would be taken.
As the riders sounded the alarm and word spread throughout the countryside, local militias gathered at their respective meeting places. In the town of Lexington, a 46-year-old man named John Parker, who was elected and served as their militia commander, mustered his men upon receipt of the news. He was an experienced soldier and greatly revered by his fellow townspeople; however, he suffered from pulmonary tuberculosis and was usually in poor health (the night of April 18-19 was no different).
In the early hours of April 19, Captain Parker and the Lexington militia (approximately 70 men by most accounts) mustered on the town common to discuss what to do next. After being warned by Revere and Dawes, the Reverend Jonas Clarke, John Hancock and Samuel Adams soon joined the men on the green- imagine that historic meeting! Many of the men who mustered that morning were related and they ranged in age from the 16-year-old drummer, William Diamond, to the 65-year-old Moses Harrington. Around 2AM, as the men of Lexington continued to stir, a British contingent of around 700 regulars under command of Lieutenant Colonel Francis Smith had begun their march inland after an eventful passage across Boston’s Back Bay to Lechmere Point in Cambridge.
After Revere and Dawes left for Concord, Parker and the militia continued to discuss and decided to send their own couriers to alert the surrounding towns and to determine the accuracy of the alarm. The Lexington riders found that no British soldiers were seen on the march to the east, which led to Captain Parker’s dismissal of the militia; however, he ordered them to remain nearby. Some men returned to their homes while many others retired to the nearby Buckman Tavern for drinks and rest.
The night of confusion and alarm continued- around 3AM, a recently captured then released Paul Revere stumbled his way back towards Lexington to ensure that John Hancock and Samuel Adams had fled to safety. While many of the women and children had fled to the woods, Revere would have been mortified to find Hancock and Adams still at the Clarke parsonage in debate (Hancock wanted to stay and fight). But as the morning sun approached, Hancock and Adams finally came to an agreement and fled to the town of Woburn (today’s Burlington).
While still in Lexington, Revere was approached by a man named John Lowell, a clerk of John Hancock’s. There was a trunk of important documents related to the patriot cause left by Hancock and Adams in the upstairs of Buckman Tavern- these documents were treasonous and would devastate the patriot cause and incriminate it’s leaders if it fell into the hands of the British Army. Revere agreed to help remove the heavy trunk from Buckman Tavern and hide it in the nearby woods. Just as Revere and Lowell arrived at the tavern, one of Lexington’s couriers galloped down the Boston Road to announce that the regulars were, in fact, on the march and very close to Lexington!
Captain Parker immediately mustered his men amidst the sounds of alarm guns and bells that again warned the countryside of the British regular’s approach. The militia began to gather upon the common again as Revere and Lowell headed to the second floor of the tavern to retrieve the important trunk- it was from the upstairs window that Revere had his first glimpse of the redcoats as they approached town down the Boston Road. The two men then carried the hefty trunk down the stairs, out the tavern’s front door and through the ranks of Parker’s men towards the safety of the woods. It is said that they had just stepped off the common with the trunk as the British regulars came into view.
Captain Parker had his 70 or so men lined up on the common facing towards the meetinghouse, which stood on the common near where the Boston Road split into the Concord Road (to their right) and the Bedford Road (to their left). The vanguard of the British column appeared before them and quickly formed on the green to challenge the Lexington militia. British Major Pitcairn, who led this advanced guard of troops, was said to have yelled from his horse, “ye villains, ye rebels, disperse. Damn you, why don’t you disperse.” One of the British officers is said to have heard Major Pitcairn order, “soldiers, don’t fire. Keep your ranks and surround them.” As this intimidating force formed before them, Captain Parker ordered his men to disperse and not to fire. Amidst the chaos, some of the militia did not move and none laid down their weapons.
As the standoff developed (and despite orders on both sides) a shot rang out. The source of the first shot has been debated ever since- many claim it was the excited British troops who fired the first shot, while others claim a militiaman behind a hedge or stone wall (perhaps near Buckman Tavern) had fired first. At any rate, the excitement became too much for the usually disciplined regulars, who began to fire incessantly and charge the militia- blood had been spilled. When the smoke cleared and the British officers finally got their men under control (thanks to the arrival of British Colonel Smith), eight Lexington men laid dead and nine others were wounded (the British sustained no casualties other than a soldier with a superficial leg wound). The call to arms rang out from a British drummer and the regulars fell back into their ranks (with some surprising difficulty) and continued their march towards Concord.
As the British column headed west, the people of Lexington gathered on the common to take stock of what happened- imagine their shock, terror and anger. An infuriated Captain Parker again mustered his men on the common, which was covered in the blood of their slain brethren. They would have their revenge later that day- the regulars had no idea what was in store for them.
Interesting Facts
- Paul Revere never shouted the famous phrase “the British are coming!” In reality, he likely said something to the effect that “the regulars are out!” or “The regulars are on the march!” (most colonists still considered themselves British at the time)
- Although Paul Revere is often mentioned as the only “midnight rider” to alert the countryside on the night of April 18 (in large part due to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s 1861 poem “The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere”), there were actually numerous riders. At least five riders have been historically credited, including William Dawes, Israel Bissell, Samuel Prescott and a woman, Sybil Ludington.
- 30-year-old Jonathan Harrington, who lived in a house adjacent to the common, was mortally wounded during the skirmish. He crawled across the blood-strewn grass to his doorstep only to die at his wife’s feet.
- Captain John Parker and the Lexington men participated in the siege of Boston; however, he would die on September 17, 1775 of tuberculosis at the age of 46. He is buried in Lexington and a memorial to him can be visited at the Old Burying Ground.
Our Visit & Recommendations
The historic town of Lexington has maintained a quaint colonial charm that hearkens back to the days of the American Revolution. Having been so well preserved, there are many historic sites and things to see within walking distance of the Battle Green, including: Buckman Tavern, the Jonathan Harrington House, the Marrett & Nathan Munroe House, the Hancock-Clarke House and Munroe Tavern. Walking down Massachusetts Avenue, there is the Lexington Visitors Center (where I would recommend beginning your trip), numerous shops, restaurants and coffee houses.
When visiting Lexington Battle Green, you can find parking anywhere alongside the streets that surround it (we’ve never had an issue finding street parking, but it can be challenging in the summer months). Depending which direction you approach from, you will see the famed Minuteman Statue located at the southeast corner of the green, facing the direction in which the British approached from Boston. The bronze Minuteman Statue (originally designed as a fountain), by sculptor Henry H. Kitson, was unveiled on April 19, 1900 on the 125th anniversary of the battle. Many view the statue as a representation of Lexington’s militia leader, Captain John Parker. It was near this location that the original meetinghouse once stood.
On nearly every occasion that we have visited Lexington Battle Green, we have been approached by a tour guide dressed in colonial clothing. These tours are complimentary and are available daily from Memorial Day through the end of October (and on the weekends in April and May). I highly recommend allowing the educated guide to take you around the green and explain the history of the events leading up to and on April 19, 1775. The tours are very informative and you will have a greater appreciation for the Battle Green, the disposition of forces and the sacrifice made by the men of Lexington (it is customary and polite to tip the guide at the end of the tour).
Today, the green is a peaceful plot of land (albeit, surrounded by busy roads) that is used for picnics, teenagers tossing a football and families playing with their dogs; however, a few monuments mark important spots from April 19, 1775. Nearby you’ll find a large rock with the inscription “Stand your ground. Don’t fire unless fired upon. But if they mean to have a war, let it begin here.” This stone marks the approximate location of where Captain Parker and the Lexington militia formed up. The quote inscribed, which is often associated with the Battle of Lexington and Captain Parker, is believed to not actually have been said by him (but it does capture the spirit of that day).
Near the middle of the green is a rather large flagpole, which was dedicated on the 200th anniversary of the battle. The American flag is flown on the pole 24 hours a day by an Act of Congress. Interestingly, the location of this flagpole roughly equates to where the British regulars lined up on the green. Standing at either the flag pole or the rock will give you an idea of the disposition of the forces and also an appreciation for the proximity of the two.
As you walk about the battle green and reflect on the events from that day, make sure you see the oldest Revolutionary War memorial in the nation. Completed on the grounds of the Lexington Battle Green on July 4, 1799, this monument was erected to commemorate the great sacrifice made by the men of Lexington and in 1835, the remains of seven of the eight colonists killed were placed under the monument.
While many of the original structures and houses that were on or near Lexington green have long disappeared, there are a few houses and a tavern that were witness to the events on April 19, 1775.
The Jonathan Harrington House, built around 1739, stands on today’s Harrington Road overlooking the green. This was the home of Jonathan Harrington, who was mortally wounded in the battle and soon died near his own doorstep. A second witness house is the Marrett and Nathan Munroe House, built in 1729 and located on Massachusetts Avenue. Nathan Munroe (son of Marrett) saw action during the battle, as did this witness house that also faces the green. Both of these homes are private residences and not available to tour. A third witness structure near the green is the famed Buckman Tavern, which is open for tours (9:30AM – 4PM daily, but closed during the winter season).
After we explored the Lexington Battle Green, we made sure to visit two nearby sites associated with the town and the battle that are within walking distance. One is the Old Belfry (bell tower), which stood on the green during the Battle of Lexington (there is a stone monument marking the original location on the green). This belfry would have been used to mark important events, including to sound the alarm on the night of April 18-19, 1775. The belfry now stands atop a hill near the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Clarke Street (the path up the hill can be difficult to find- I recommend putting it into your phone). This is a rebuilt belfry from 1910, because the original was destroyed by a strong gale in 1909.
The next site we visited was the Old Burying Ground, which is less than a five minute walk from the common. It is the town’s oldest cemetery and the final resting place for many Lexington residents (dating back to 1690). We had a bit of trouble finding the best way to access the cemetery, but its main entrance is near the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Harrington Road (the pathway to the cemetery is shared with a private house’s driveway).
There are many interesting burials here, including: a British soldier who died in Buckman Tavern (after being wounded from that day’s action), the victims of the fighting on Lexington Green (they were later moved to the green itself in 1835) and Captain John Parker. In actuality, most believe that Parker was buried there (there is not an original gravestone); however, there are now two monuments to him within the Old Burying Ground.
Depending on the amount of time you have to explore Lexington, I highly recommend taking tours of Buckman Tavern, the Hancock-Clarke House and Munroe Tavern. You can purchase a three-house tour ticket for $20 (per adult) online or at the gift shop inside Buckman Tavern, which is a great deal for a day filled with early American and Revolutionary War history.
The Lexington Battle Green has long been a sacred site for Americans. Every year on the anniversary of the battle, locals have celebrated and remembered the event. In 1875, President Ulysses S. Grant and thousands of onlookers visited the Battle Green on the 100th anniversary. In 1971, Patriot’s Day came about (to celebrate and reenact the battle) and in 1975, President Gerald Ford visited the green on the 200th anniversary. Needless to say, the green has served as a symbol of American liberty since the morning of April 19. Visiting the Lexington Battle Green is an American pilgrimage and one that you will not soon forget.
Book recommendation: Paul Revere’s Ride by David Hackett Fischer & The Battle Road by Charles H. Bradford
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