On April 19, 1775, the British marched to Lexington and Concord to stamp out rebellion by attempting to capture Sam Adams and John Hancock and sieze munitions there. Militia met them and were fired upon at Lexington Common, but fell back to North Bridge in Concord where they gained in strength and fired the shot heard round the world, starting the Revolutionary War, and then drove the British back to Boston along Battle Road, picking them off from hidden positions along the way.
A British soldier recalls:
The country was an amazing strong one full of hills, woods, stonewalls, etc., which the Rebels did not fail to take advantage of; for they were all lined with people who kept an incessant fire upon us, as we did too upon them; but not with the same advantage, for they were so concealed there was hardly any seeing them: In this way we marched nine or ten miles, their numbers increasing from all points, while ours were reducing by deaths, wounds and fatigue, and we were totally surrounded with such an incessant fire as it is impossible to conceive; our ammunition was likewise near expended. In this critical situation we perceived the First Brigade coming to our assistance (4th, 23rd and 47th Regiments, and a battalion of marines, with two field pieces, six pounders). As soon as the Rebels saw this reinforcement and tasted the field pieces they retired. We formed on a rising ground and rested ourselves; in about half an hour we marched again, and some of the Brigade taking the flanking parties we marched pretty quiet for about two miles; they then began to pepper us again from the same sort of places, but at an attack a greater distance. We were now obliged to force almost every house in the road, for the Rebels had taken possession of them and galled us exceedingly; but they suffered for their temerity, for all that were found in the houses were put to death. When we got to Menotomy there was a very heavy fire; after that we look the short cut into the Charlestown road, and we went into Charlestown without any great interruption. We got there between 7 and 8 at night, took possession of the hill above the town and waited for boats to carry us over. We got home very late in the night. Thus ended this expedition, which from beginning to end was as ill planned and ill executed as it was possible to be. Even the people of Salem and Marblehead, above twenty miles off, had intelligence and time enough to march, and met us on our return; they met us somewhere about Menotomy, but they lost a good many for their pains. Thus for a few trifling stores the Grenadiers and Light Infantry had a march of about fifty miles (going and returning) through an Enemy's country; and in all human probability must every man have been cut off, if the Brigade had not fortunately come to their assistance; for when the Brigade joined us there were very few men had any ammunition left, and so fatigued that we could not keep flanking parties out - so that we must soon have laid down our arms, or been picked off by the Rebels at their pleasure.
We parked at Meriam's Corner in Concord
Folly Pond in the park is so named because the water level is very low in the summer. It is near where Paul Revere was captured.
After warning the countryside, including Sam Adams and John Hancock in Lexington, Paul Revere was captured on the way to Concord, where munitions were stored, to warn the militia and specially trained Minute Men. The site of his capture is along the Battle Road Trail.
The William Smith House, the oldest house in Lincoln, was built in 1692
Hartwell Tavern, circa 1732
Flintlock musket
Minute Man Park map
Custom map for GPS units
