Today 243 years ago on April 19th, 1775 was the REAL day America was born.
In the early morning hours, some 1500 Red-coated soldiers of King George III marched out of Boston under the orders of the Royal martial law governor General Gage with orders to arrest Samuel Addams and John Hancock who were known to be in the town of Lexington and move then to seize the arms and munitions being collected in the town of Concord.
Remember the "One if by land, two if by sea" quote in the Midnight ride of Paul Revere? That happened to let the irregular forces (Patriot minuteman militia and Sam Addams and John Hancock know when the British moved. Although Paul was captured other patriot horsemen got the word out spreading the alert.
As the long British column marched inland Sam Addams and John Hancock were hurriedly awakened and prepared to flee into the interior away from the British Martial law forces and Captain John Parker a veteran of the French and Indian wars 1 13 years before gathered his company of 77 men to block and delay the advance guard of the British force of gun grabbers.
The British commander spread out his 280 some men on seeing the Minuteman quietly standing in their path. Captain Parker told his company of militia. " Hold your ground men, Don't fire unless we are fired upon, but if they want war, let it begin here."
The British commander Ordered the Militia to put down their Arms saying "Damn ye Rebels put down your arms. And the Americans did nothing of the sort quietly standing in their serried ranks blocking the red coated army of the King from their mission of tyranny.
Someone fired. 8 Americans were killed, 17 wounded and 1 British soldier was lightly wounded, Captain John Parker's company was dispersed and building were burned in Concord.
Husbands and fathers were bayoneted in front of their wives and children. Seemingly the British had Won. In fact this was the Famous "shot that was heard round the World," and the beginning of the War of American Independence.
Once more the long columns of red coated soldiers marched towards the critical stores of black powder at Concord, not knowing that most of it had already been dispersed and issued to the thousands of American militia now gathering above Concord.
The British moved into Concord finding only the empty store places, already emptied by the patriot issuing full loads of ammo and powder to the gathering swarms of militia. and the hills black with American militia companies.
The stage was set for a real battle for the gun grabbing British soldiers of General Gage. A company of Militia moved to assemble on the Bridges leading out of Concord and the British sent a force to push the American "farmer's" off the bridge. Shots were fired. The Americans as had been their way during the long war with the French and Indians in the 1750's fell back, took cover and began to aim and fire at British officers from cover
Gasp they "cheated". British officers and men began to fall wounded and dead and the British force know knowing a swarm of militia were attempting to block their path back to Boston, the sea and safety began to retreat on the long march back.
Along the stone walls and hillocks and tree covered copses of that long ago New England spring day small groups of homespun clad farmers and tradesmen using their personal arms from cover shot at and gradually whittled down the strength of the 900 some British that had been sent that early morning to put down their "unruly" attempt to be free.
![lex[1]militia versus redcoats.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmY7XioaUNQBKEL72XBru1arfqajeCcCoUF2SyvMszVUD6/lex%5B1%5Dmilitia%20versus%20redcoats.jpg)
Heavy lead bullets whistled in striking flesh with the nose of a mallet on wet putty or missed, men fell in the red-coated ranks and gradually as had happened to a British Army in the woods of fart off Pennsylvania in 1754 the British force unable to force back their swarms of firing and running to fire again militia attackers began to loose discipline and fall apart.
Luckily for the British a force of 600 some grenadiers with artillery came up the road and were able to force the militia companies back far enough that the British force was able by early nightfall to flee into Boston under the protection of the Royal Navy warships anchored in Boston Harbor.
This the first battle of the American War of Independence was not won by regulars. The only politicians present were Sam Adams and John Hancock and the militia was covering their flight to safety. No it was common farmers and tradesmen who battle some 1500 troops of the Royal Army and Marines into flight that day.
