ON THIS DAY IN UNITED STATES HISTORY
April 19, 1775
British Troops enter Lexington, Massachusetts and
Fire the First Shots of the American Revolutionary War
On this day in 1775, 700 British Troops commanded by Lieutenant General Thomas Gage entered Lexington,
Massachusetts on their way to Concord to seize and destroy munitions stored there by the Massachusetts militia.
This is the march that prompted the famous Midnight Ride
of Paul Revere.
Initially the British troops were able to fight their way to Concord but they were outnumbered and met heavy
resistance at what was known as the the North Bridge forcing them to retreat back to Boston.
|