On April 19, 1775, British soldiers, known as Regulars or Redcoats, marched into Lexington, Massachusetts to seize colonial military supplies. The force of approximately 700 soldiers had left Boston the previous night. Their movements were detected by colonial scouts, prompting patriot leaders like Paul Revere and William Dawes to warn local militias.
About 77 colonial militiamen, led by Captain John Parker, had assembled on the town green.
At dawn in Lexington, the advance British army unit under command of Marine Major John Pitcairn abruptly arrived on the roadway, marching directly toward the green and the militia assembled there.
The British ordered the militiamen to disperse, but a shot — later called “the shot heard ’round the world” — was fired from an unknown source.
This triggered a brief skirmish in which eight militiamen were killed and several others wounded. This battle was the start of the American Revolution.
Each year, the towns of Arlington, Lexington, Concord, and Lincoln work with a dedicated corps of reenactors to recreate these events and honor the patriots who fought for liberty and equality.