The Shot Heard Round the World

We are coming up on the celebration of Patriot Day, commemorating the British attempt to confiscate weapons stashed by the colonials in Concord MA.  On that day, April 19 1775 the first armed encounter occurred between the British redcoats and the American colonists who would have their freedom.

The British left Boston on the night of April 18 in force, but Paul Revere was sent to warn the towns on the way to Concord.  After receiving the signal in the Old North Church steeple - "one if by land, two if by water (not "by sea")" - he rode off to the west.  All along the way minutemen were alerted that the regulars were coming and they should arm themselves, and be ready.

When the Brits arrived at Lexington, a small group of minutemen resisted but, vastly outnumbered, were swept aside.  The Brits then marched on 5 more miles to Concord, where they encountered a large force of colonials arrayed on the slope above the North Bridge.  Driven back redcoats marched back toward Boston taking heavy casualties all along the way.

Thus the American revolutionary war was on, and the colonials would fight for 7 more long years, until they prevailed and earned their freedom.  Emerson wrote of this first fight that April and called the gunfire exchanged "the shot heard around the world."