General Thomas Gage sent British troops to confiscate weapons stored in Concord and capture Samuel Adams and John Hancock in Lexington on the night of April 18, 1775; Paul Revere signaled that the British were coming and rode into Lexington to warn the Minutemen gathered there. On April 19, the British marched into Lexington and fired upon the Minutemen waiting there, killing 8 and wounding 10, before battling the patriots and eventually retreating to Boston with 269 casualties due to being surrounded by additional Minutemen from other colonies who had 49 killed and 39 wounded.

1. Lexington Green “The Shot Heard Round the World” April 18-19, 1775

2. Gage’s Plan General Thomas Gage, military governor of Massachusetts, sends a force out of Boston to confiscate weapons stored in the village of Concord to capture Samuel Adams and John Hancock (reported to be staying in Lexington)

3. One If By Land, Two If By Sea On the night of April 18, 1775, Paul Revere sends out a signal from the steeple of the North Church in Lexington that a British column is marching into town Revere rides into town and a group of 75 men gathered at the edge of town anticipating the British

4. April 19, 1775 As the British soldiers marched into town in the early morning light, there is a group of “Minutemen” waiting for them The British fired and killed 8 Minutemen and wounded 10 others

5. The British Retreat The two sides battle and 269 British soldiers are killed or wounded The British end up retreating to Boston due to the amount of Minutemen surrounding them from other colonies 49 patriots were killed and 39 more were wounded