Source A: Adapted Excerpt from Bloody Butchery, by the British Troops: or, The Runaway Fight of the Regulars, a broadside by Ezekiel Russell, 1775.
Editor's note: A broadside is a single sheet of paper, printed on one side, used to spread news, announce laws, recruit soldiers, or influence public opinion. They were often made quickly and meant to be thrown away after use.
This is a report about the important battle fought at and near Concord, a town about twenty miles from Boston, in Massachusetts, on April 19, 1775. The battle was between about 2,000 British soldiers, sent by the King of England, and a few hundred colonial soldiers from Massachusetts. The fighting began at sunrise and continued until sunset. In the end, the colonists won a great victory.
We are sharing this story in a simple and affordable way because the friends and families of the brave men who died fighting for liberty want everyone to remember their sacrifice. These men gave their lives for freedom and their country.
It is the hope of their families that every household in America who loves freedom will own a copy of this account. People may wish to frame it or keep it in their homes as a way to honor the memory of the forty men who died. This battle could be one of the most important events in our history, possibly deciding the future freedom and greatness of America.
Source B: Adapted excerpt from a letter from Colonel of the militia, Issac Merril, to Captain John Currier
Today, I have received news that British troops, under General Gage, marched out of Boston last night. They went to Lexington and killed several of our American soldiers, then continued to Concord, killing more men and destroying property. Because of this, I am ordering you to quickly gather as many of your officers and soldiers as you can. Meet at a good location and then march immediately to Concord or wherever else you think is best to help our friends and protect our country.
Also, send word to any soldiers who are not with you now so they can follow and join you as soon as they hear the alarm. Once you have joined with other forces, if you need to return home yourself, appoint another officer to lead your men until further orders are given.
Source C: Adapted excerpt from the account of Captain John Parker on April 25, 1775.
I, John Parker, am the Commander of the Militia in Lexington. I want to tell what happened on the morning of April 19th. Around one o’clock in the morning, I was told that British officers were riding up and down the road, stopping and bothering people as they passed. I also heard that a large number of British soldiers were marching from Boston to take the military supplies stored in Concord.
Because of this, I ordered our militia to meet on the Lexington Common to decide what we should do. We agreed not to show ourselves or cause any trouble with the British soldiers, unless they insulted or attacked us.
When the British soldiers suddenly approached us, I immediately told our men to leave the field and not to fire their weapons. However, the British soldiers charged at us, fired their guns, and killed eight of our men, even though we did nothing to provoke them.
Source D: Adapted excerpt from British Lieutenant Colonel Francis Smith’s ’s Official Report on Lexington and Concord, April 22, 1775.
As we marched from Boston, I sent six light infantry companies ahead to take control of two bridges near Concord. When they reached Lexington, they found a group of armed colonists lined up on the village green. Some colonists were also hiding in houses and a meeting house. Our troops approached without any intention to harm them, but the colonists suddenly began to leave. One colonist fired as he left, and a few others fired from behind a wall. Our soldiers returned fire, killing several of them.
At Concord, we tried to explain to the townspeople that we did not want to harm them, only to search for weapons. However, they were angry and did not believe us. As we left Concord, the colonists fired at us from behind trees, walls, and ditches. The firing continued for over eighteen miles. It seemed like they had planned this attack ahead of time, as they gathered so quickly and attacked from so many places.
Source E: Adapted excerpt from the Diary of British Lieutenant John Barker.
As we retreated from Concord, the country people attacked us from all sides. They hid in houses, behind trees, and behind stone walls, firing at us when we passed by. We could barely see them, but their shots never stopped. The men were exhausted. Many had not slept for two days, and we were running out of ammunition. The farther we marched, the more colonists joined the fight.
At Menotomy, the fighting became even more intense. The rebels had taken over houses and fired down on us from the windows. It felt like the entire countryside had turned against us. We had no choice but to keep moving forward. By the time we reached Charlestown, near Boston, we had been marching for nearly 50 miles. We were tired, wounded, and nearly out of supplies. If our reinforcements had not arrived when they did, we would not have made it back.