The Battle of Lexington

Lexington, Ma. – April 7, 2008

On Patriots Day 2008, the Lexington Green will once again roar with musket fire sounding the cry of American freedom. Colonial re-enactors will take the field to pay homage to those who fought and died for our freedom.
Representing the colonial militia that fought the Battle of Lexington on April 19, 1775, will be members of the Lexington Minutemen, formerly known as the Lexington Training Band. These modern day minute men gather every year in full colonial regalia, including hand tailored clothing and working black powder muskets. Their homespun outfits combined with their passion for history help to create a very convincing re-enactment of the late 18th century.
Not to be out done, hundreds of men and women dress up in a variety of British military uniforms. The sharpest of the red coat units may be the 16th Company of Light Dragoons. Fierce and dashing, the Dragoons were mounted soldiers, wearing the classic red coat and very impressive bear skin hats. In addition to the Dragoons and the Regulars, were a company of 10th Regiment of Grenadiers, a company of the 1st Regiment of Guards and a 10 person fife and drum corps.

The action begins with the mustering of the militia on the village green. Soon, Major Pitcairn, a British officer, orders the minutemen to, “Disperse, I tell you. Disperse!” When the American commander Captain Parker refuses to leave the field, the British officer arrogantly stares at him and shouts, “Sir, you have been warned.” As the British soldiers are preparing their bayonets, a shot is fired from the window of a nearby home and the mayhem begins. After the brief skirmish many Americans lie wounded on the ground. They are tended to by their family and the village pastor. Americans and British alike are shocked by the events that occurred. Soon the “shot heard round the world” would be fired in retaliation at the Old North Bridge in Concord, beginning America’s historic march to freedom.
There will be numerous events around the Boston area commemorating the beginning of the Revolutionary War. According to the website Battleroad.org, some of the highlights will include the Sudbury March to Concord where you can join a colonial militia on their trek to join their comrades in Concord Center. This event is for early risers only as it begins on April 19, at 3:45 AM! The Dawn Salute at the North Bridge will feature a musket and canon demonstration at 6:00 AM, on April 19, in Concord. For the first time ever, the Parkers’s Revenge re-enactment will be performed on the 19th at 8:30AM in Lexington Center.

On Sunday, April 20th there will be two worthwhile events. “In Their Own Words” will feature re-enactors reading first hand accounts of the battle by candle light at the Lexington Depot Building in Lexington. Also on the 20th will be The Lincoln Salute, an afternoon of fife and drum corps music at Pierce Park in Lincoln from 1:45-3:30.
Monday April 21, will feature the Battle of Lexington re-enactment starting at 5:30 AM on the Lexington Green. More information on these events and others can be found at Battleroad.org.