What happened at Lexington Green on April 19, 1775?

On April 19, 1775, the Battle of Lexington, also known as the Battle of Lexington Green, took place and marked the beginning of the American Revolutionary War. This confrontation occurred between colonial militia of Massachusetts and British forces. According to historical accounts, British troops were dispatched from Boston to search for military supplies that were reportedly stored by the colonial militia in Concord, Massachusetts.

As the British troops, led by Lieutenant Colonel Francis Smith, approached Lexington, they encountered a small group of colonial militia, known as Minutemen, gathered on the Lexington Green. The Minutemen were there after being alerted to the British movement by riders including Paul Revere and William Dawes, who had set out the night before to spread the warning.

The situation was tense, as the outnumbered Minutemen were faced with a decision—should they stand their ground or disperse in the face of overwhelming British forces. At some point, a shot was fired—historians still debate which side fired first, calling it the “shot heard 'round the world”. This resulted in the British soldiers firing upon the assembled Minutemen. By the end of the brief skirmish, eight Minutemen were killed, and several more were injured, while the British only had one soldier slightly wounded. The British troops continued their march toward Concord, which would lead to further engagements that same day.