Placard I
Lexington and Concord (1775)
Reconstruction of the Old North Bridge at Concord
The city of Boston had been occupied by the British army since 1774. Early
on April 19, 1775, a detachment of 700 British soldiers was secretly sent to
destroy the military supplies colonists had collected at Concord, 21 miles from
Boston. They also hoped to capture Samuel Adams and John Hancock who were
rumored to be hiding near the town.
Learning of the plan through their spy network, the Sons of Liberty took
action. The organization sent Paul Revere, William Dawes, and others to alert
minutemen in the towns and villages along the way. When the British reached
the town of Lexington, about 70 armed minutemen awaited them. A shot was
fired and a short battle followed. This is known as “the shot heard ‘round the
world.” In the skirmish, 8 colonists were killed.
The British force then pushed on to the neighboring town of Concord. The
Colonists, warned of the advance, had hidden away their supplies as well as
Adams and Hancock. A large force of minutemen arrived and soundly defeated
the British at Concord Bridge. The British then faced a long, difficult march back
to Boston.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Old_North_Bridge,_Concord,_Massachusetts,_July_2005.JPG