Minute Man National Historical Park

Continuing on our day trip tour of Concord, Massachusetts, Mike and I headed over to Minute Man National Historic Park to see where history was made. It was on this bridge in the middle of farmland where "the shot heard round the world" was fired and officially ignited America's Revolutionary War.

tl;dr history

Tensions between the colonies and Great Britain were at a boiling point. The Boston Tea Party had just gone down and shit was getting real over here. Colonial leaders started forming local militias and training them up in expectation of a coming fight. Britain saw the writing on the wall and officially declared Massachusetts to be in a state of rebellion.

The British side were on a mission to disarm the rebels and to imprison the rebellion's leaders (Samuel Adams and John Hancock) who were hiding out in Concord. The rebellion was trying to make sure that didn't happen, so they sent two guys (William Dawes and Paul Revere) to warn Adams and Hancock ahead of time. They also were instructed to raise the alarm and round up the local militia to head for Concord. Dawes fell off his horse at some point trying to escape British forces but Paul finished his route so that's why he got famous and no one wrote about The Midnight Misadventures of William Dawes. Shitty luck, man.

A portion of militia forces arrived at Lexington, prepared to to make a show of force but not engage. Captain John Parker who led them there was quoted as having said, "Stand your ground; don't fire unless fired upon, but if they mean to have a war, let it begin here." They were numbered around 77. The British troops met them with numbers around 700. A shot was fired from somewhere between and a brief skirmish ensued before the militia called a retreat.

A portion of the British then marched on to Concord where the rest of the Minute Men were waiting for them. The two sides converged once again outside Barrett's Farm in the early morning hours of April 19, 1775, on opposite sides of a small wooden bridge.

On the British side, an infantry of around 100 soldiers collected. On the Massachusetts militia side, 400 men poured in from four surrounding counties, armed and ready. The British realized they were outnumbered and scrambled to form a plan. A single shot rang out once again, from where we don't know, but bayonets were lowered and everyone fired away.

The rebel militia overtook the British infantry and sent them packing this time. It was the first victory for the colonists and a clear signal to Great Britain that America was well equipped for a revolution.

A memorial to the fallen British has been erected on their of the Old North Bridge.

And a memorial for the men who fought for American independence and fell on the other side of the bridge.

The Concord River, which runs below the bridge. It probably ran red with blood in early hours of April 1775 but today it's breathtakingly serene. We watched a group of friends picnicking on the bank and a couple paddling kayaks down river. Strange to think this quaint spot was a turning point for the formation of a nation.

Memorial statue dedicated to the Minute Men who fought here and won the first victory.

Old Concord Hymn, by Ralph Waldo Emerson

By the rude bridge that arched the flood,
Their flag to April’s breeze unfurled,
Here once the embattled farmers stood,
And fired the shot heard round the world.

The foe long since in silence slept;
Alike the conqueror silent sleeps;
And Time the ruined bridge has swept
Down the dark stream which seaward creeps.

On this green bank, by this soft stream,
We set to-day a votive stone;
That memory may their deed redeem,
When, like our sires, our sons are gone.

Spirit, that made those heroes dare,
To die, and leave their children free,
Bid Time and Nature gently spare
The shaft we raise to them and thee.

This is most certainly a witness tree, alive and present at the time of the pivotal battle. It still stands here today, silent and watching the progress of our nation.