Lexington 1775: “Let It Begin Here”

On this date in 1775, 240 redcoats, part of the 700 troops headed for Concord, diverted to Lexington Green. They confronted less than 80 Lexington militiamen, led by Captain John Parker, who had been alerted to the invasion by British regulars by Paul Revere. Revere, having roused every town and hamlet in his ride from Charlestown, had arrived after midnight.  They all met at the Buckman Tavern with Sam Adams and John Hancock, who had been staying at Reverend Clark’s manse, just up the road. This is where the shot heard round the world was heard first. Sit back with a pint of dark ale to enjoy this excerpt from my fifth novel, Uprising: Let it Begin Here.

Lexington

5:05 AM – April 19, 1775

            Lt. Adair smiled as he saw Capt. Parsons and Lt. Gould leading the 10^th and 4^th Light Infantry units to join him on the green in front of the meetinghouse.  The only sound in Lexington was the steady beat of redcoat boots rushing into battle formation to a drummer’s cadence.

            Capt. Parker, commanding his militiamen, watched in awe the precise maneuvering of redcoat light infantry. The glare of sunrise gleaming off their burnished bayonets conveyed a strong message of their intent. The incessant clanging of the village alarm bell in the small belfry was a mere memory, and his young militia drummer’s call to arms had abruptly stopped. A menacing silence gripped the green expanse, abruptly broken by an unexpected burst of guttural “Huzzah! Huzzah! Huzzah!” from the redcoat ranks.

            One man standing close to Parker blurted out to no one in particular, “There are so few of us. It is folly to stand here.”

            Suffering from consumption, Parker spat a bloody gob of sputum into the grass. He gritted his teeth, measuring the redcoat ranks, three lines deep. He stepped forward, gazing down his line of Lexington militiamen. The danger he now shared with neighbors and friends somehow felt like an anvil around his neck. He dreaded his next words. “The first man who offers to run shall be shot down.” As he stepped back into line, he yelled, “Stand your ground! Don’t fire unless fired upon! But if they want to have a war, let it begin here!”