Who fired the first shot?
Taking a tour of Lexington our tour guide started his presentation by saying, “when a group of tired, wet soldiers meet a bunch of men who has been drinking and waiting in a tavern you know that encounter will not end well.” So began the Battle of Lexington and Concord and the War for Independence.
“One if by land and two if by sea,” a phrase every schoolchild knows. Paul Revere’ words were a signal to the patriotic men that the enemy was coming. Those gentlemen would gather at Buckman’s Tavern, across from Lexington green to wait for the antagonists to arrive.
Meanwhile, the red coats getting their orders for Thomas Gage, crossed the Charles River and arrived from Boston at 2am. When they finally got to Lexington the British were tired and wet, for the river was at low tide and their boat got stuck forcing the troops to walk through sludge.
Since December 1773 tensions between the British Empire and her colonies had begun to escalate. After the Boston Tea Party, the King and the English Parliament passed the Coercive Act, which said the Americans must pay for the dumped tea they had destroyed in Boston and submit to whatever England wanted. King George assigned General Thomas Gage as the commander-In-chief of North America. He had a impressive reputation— living in the American colonies for many years and marrying a woman from New Jersey. Arriving with high hopes he thought the task at hand would be easy.
In September 1774 however the First Continental Congress met in Philadelphia. While in November of that year King George declared “the American colonies in open rebellion.” The situation between the mother country and its colonies reached a critical point and it was left to Gage to control it. Men in the colonies were organized into militias, stores of ammunition were collected and and civilians still loyal to the crown were terrorized.
So when your in the vicinity next time, please stop by and learn how a bunch of drunk patriots confronted the greatest military power of the time. Walk the same floors as you step back into the world about to explode. Contemplate with your friends as you await the approaching storm; the tempest heard around the world
Imagine stranding face-to-face with the greatest army ever assembled. Picture yourself scared, nervous and trembling at the thought of fighting. That first sight must have brought terrible fear to the men of Lexington as the wait for the enemy’s arrival too must have added to their anxiety. At Buckman’s Tavern the men gathered and rested until the English militia arrived. Imagine now finally being told the redcoat were coming and get prepared. While this fear overwhelms your thoughts and the nervousness grows inside you, what would we do?
At Lexington relive those moments. Feel the terror and the thoughts of the men as they stand their ground while holding their fire. Experience the same emotions as those patriots on that April day in 1775. Come learn about it as you tour the Buckman’s Tavern and its vicinity. Present the coupon below and receive a free copy of “The Day the American Revolution Started.” An excellent read!
