Where is lexington and concord located

However, they were caught by the arrival of more American reinforcements and pressured into a fighting retreat. They now had sufficient numbers to inflict heavy damage on the British. Several officers were killed or wounded as Smith struggled to maintain control. His men lost discipline and hurried onwards in a general retreat. By the time it reached Lexington, the column was near collapse.

After dispersing the pursuing militia with artillery, Percy covered the retreat back to Boston. Many of the British had not slept for two days and had marched 40 miles 64km in 21 hours, much of it under fire. The casualties sustained during the retreat, from an often-unseen enemy, along with the alleged scalping of a redcoat, led them to commit atrocities against the locals. During the retreat the British lost 73 killed, wounded and 26 missing. American losses were 50 killed, 39 wounded and five missing.

Within two days 15, men from across New England had assembled and surrounded the British in Boston. Lexington was not a serious military defeat, but it was politically disastrous for the British. The violence turned a colonial revolt against British policy into a fight for political independence. Lexington and Concord led many Americans to support the 'revolution'. They also showed that American citizen soldiers could stand up to redcoats; something previously doubted by many on both sides.

Newly emboldened, the Americans laid siege to Boston. The British position there was fairly secure once reinforcements arrived at the end of May They were, however, continually menaced by fire from the surrounding hilltops. Here, at a cost of more than 1, casualties, they defeated the revolutionaries at Bunker Hill, the first major battle of the American War of Independence. Lexington and Concord started a war that resulted in Britain losing her American colonies.

Unsurprisingly, these battles were conveniently forgotten in Britain. However, they soon became vital parts of the foundation story of the United States. For years afterwards they were portrayed as British attacks on innocent freedom-loving Americans. Many of the truths about the battles, such as who fired first and the importance of the militia preparations, were ignored. The subsequent conflict divided families and communities across North America.

The British Army performed fairly well in battle against the rebels, but it was unable to prevent the loss of territory following French and Spanish entry into the war. While Pitt was pleased, Thomas Gage was shocked. Such a reaction to his arms raid was highly unexpected and cast Gage in a negative light. While the Patriots celebrated their victories at Lexington and Concord and prepared for a revolution , Gage was later shipped back to England in shame.

Ask about our Virtual Tour programming! Tour Hours: 10am - 4pm. English French German Italian Spanish. Lexington and Concord. Estimated Casualties. American View Full Battle Overview. Minute Men and militias rushed to confront them early on April Though it is uncertain who actually fired the first shot that day, it reverberated throughout history.

British Lt. Francis Smith assembles the regulars under his command to capture and destroy military stores presumably hidden by the Massachusetts militia at Concord. Joseph Warren about their intentions. Warren sends for riders Paul Revere and William Dawes to spread the alarm.

Revere takes the short water route from Boston across the harbor to Charlestown, while Dawes rides out across Boston Neck. Revere and Dawes depart Boston around p.

At the same time, two lanterns briefly flicker from the Old North Church steeple, a prearranged signal designed by Revere to alert the patriot network that the British will row across Boston harbor instead of marching out over the Neck.

On reaching the Charlestown shore, Revere mounts and begins his ride to Lexington. As he passes through the towns of Somerville, Medford, and Menotomy now Arlington , other riders set out, guns fire, and church bells peal—all warning the countryside of the coming threat. Minute Men grab their weapons and head for town greens, followed by the rest of the militia. By the time the British cross the water, word of their imminent arrival has already reached Concord.

April British troops march into the small town of Lexington at about a. John Parker. When the vanguard of the British force rushes toward them across the town green, Parker immediately orders his company to disperse. At some point a shot rings out—historians still debate who fired it—and the nervous British soldiers fire a volley, killing seven and mortally wounding one of the retreating militiamen.

The British column moves on toward Concord, leaving the dead, wounded, and dying in their wake. Arriving in Concord at approximately a. A growing assembly of close to militia from Concord and the surrounding towns gather on the high ground, where they see smoke rising from Concord.

Mistakenly assuming the Redcoats are torching the town, the militia companies advance.