So You Say You Want a Revolution?
Lexington Green. Dawn. April 19, 1775. Captain John Parker, commander of the Lexington militia, stood among seventy-some men, many of them kin, all of them neither rich nor poor, awaiting the arrival of the British Regulars.
Facing overwhelming odds, Captain Parker turned to his men and said, "The first man who offers to run shall be shot down. Stand your ground! Don't fire until fired upon! But if they want to have a war, let it begin here!"
Later that morning, on the training field just across the Concord River from the town of Concord, members of the colonial militia watched as smoke began to rise from the town. Lieutenant Joseph Hosmer turned to Colonel James Barrett, overall commander of the Concord militia, and said, "Will you let them burn the town down?" Upon hearing this, Captain Isaac Davis drew his sword and replied, "I haven't a man who is afraid to go."
The day's events unfolded, and eight long, bloody years of war followed. Although in hindsight we know the outcome of this conflict, to these men, the future was uncertain. "Give me liberty or give me death" was more than just a saying.
No comments:
Post a Comment