Shot Heard ‘Round the World — Entries and Articles
The Battles of Lexington and Concord
A comprehensive Timeline of the Battles of Lexington and Concord, including the causes of the battles and events that unfolded on April 18–19, 1775. The battles were fought between the Massachusetts Militia and British forces on April 19, 1775. The battles followed the Midnight Rides and the Lexington Alarm, which alerted the countryside to British troops marching to Concord. The situation escalated when the British fired on the Lexington Militia, starting the American Revolutionary War.
The Lexington Alarm — The Midnight Riders
On the night of April 18, Joseph Warren sent two Express Riders, Paul Revere and William Dawes, to spread the news that the British were marching to Lexington and Concord. They took separate routes out of Boston and raised the alarm along the way. They reached Lexington safely and were joined by Samuel Prescott as they made their way to Concord. They were apprehended by British troops. Revere was seized while Dawes and Prescott escaped. Prescott was the only rider who reached Concord.
Paul Revere’s Midnight Ride is one of the most famous events in American History. Ralph Waldo Emerson memorialized it in his 1861 poem, “Paul Revere’s Ride.” The poem is partially based on Revere’s testimony regarding the events of the night of April 18–19, 1775.
In 1798, Revere wrote a letter to Jeremy Belknap in which he recalled the Lexington Alarm and his Midnight Ride and laid out his suspicions regarding the traitor, Dr. Benjamin Church.
The Lexington Alarm — Massachusetts Towns
- Acton Militia
- Arlington Militia
- Bedford Militia
- Beverly Militia
- Billerica Militia
- Brookline Militia
- Cambridge, Militia
- Chelmsford Militia
- Concord Militia
- Danvers Militia
- Dedham Militia
- Framingham Militia
- Lexington Militia
- Lincoln Militia
- Lynn Militia
- Malden Militia
- Medford Militia
- Needham Militia
- Newton Militia
- Reading Militia
- Roxbury Militia
- Stow Militia
- Sudbury Militia
- Watertown Militia
- Westford Militia
- Wilmington Militia
- Woburn Militia
The following militia companies mustered but did not engage the British.
Battle of Lexington
The Battle of Lexington occurred on the morning of April 19, 1775, in Lexington, Massachusetts. During the incident, British troops intentionally fired on the colonial militia that had assembled on Lexington Common.
Battle of Concord
The Battle of Concord was fought between the Massachusetts Militia and Great Britain on April 19, 1775, the first day of the American Revolutionary War. Following the Battle of Lexington, a British expedition marched to Concord and destroyed military supplies. After a fire started in the town, the Massachusetts Militia engaged the British at the North Bridge and fired the “Shot Heard ‘Round the World.” The British were forced to withdraw and marched back to Boston with American forces in pursuit.
Parker’s Revenge
Parker’s Revenge occurred on April 19, 1775, near Lexington, Massachusetts, west of Boston. It was one of the opening battles of the American Revolution, the second at Lexington that day. The Lexington Militia attacked the British as they marched by and followed them back to Boston, where the Lexington men joined in the Siege of Boston.
Siege of Boston
The Siege of Boston was conducted by American militia forces against the British, who were trapped in the city following the Battles of Lexington and Concord. It lasted for 11 months and included the Battle of Bunker Hill and the formation of the Continental Army. The siege ended when Americans occupied Dorchester Heights, forcing the British to evacuate. This also ended the British occupation of Boston, which had started in 1768.
American Participants and Eyewitnesses
Patriots of Color
At least 21 of the estimated 4,000 Americans who fought the British during the Battles of Lexington and Concord are identified by the National Park Service as “Patriots of Color.” Afterward, many of them continued to serve, joining the New England Army for the Siege of Boston.
British Participants and Eyewitnesses
British Military Orders and Maps
- Gage’s Order to British Spies
- British Map of the Roads to Lexington
- Lord Dartmouth’s Orders to General Thomas Gage
- Thomas Gage’s Orders to Francis Smith
Official American Reports, Journals, and Letters
- Massachusetts Provincial Congress — Narrative of the Battles of April 19, 1775
- Salem, Massachusetts Report on the Battles of Lexington and Concord
- James Thacher’s Journal
- George Washington’s Letter to George William Fairfax
Official British Reports
- Hugh Percy’s Report to General Thomas Gage
- John Pitcairn’s Report to General Thomas Gage
- Francis Smith’s Report to General Thomas Gage
Eyewitness Depositions
Following the Battles of Lexington and Concord, the Massachusetts Provincial Congress interviewed eyewitnesses to compile a report, which was sent to the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia and to officials in London.
- 1 — Solomon Brown, Jonathan Loring, Elijah Sanderson
- 2 — Thomas Price Willard
- 3 — Simon Winship
- 4 — John Parker
- 5 — John Robins
- 6 — John Benjamin Tidd and Joseph Abbot
- 7 — Nathaniel Mullikin, Philip Russell, et al
- 8 — Nathanael Parkhurst, et al
- 9 — Timothy Smith
- 10 — Levi Mead and Levi Harrington
- 11 — William Draper
- 12 — Thomas Fessenden
- 13 — John Bateman (British Soldier)
- 14 — John Hoar, et al
- 15 — Nathan Barrett
- 16 — Timothy Minot Jr.
- 17 — James Barrett
- 18 — Bradbury Robinson, et al
- 19 — James Marr (British Soldier)
- 20 — Edward Thoronton Gould (British Soldier)
- 21 — Zachariah Brown and Thomas Davis Jr.
- 22 — Hannah Adams
- 23 — Benjamin and Rachel Cooper
Additional Narratives
Doolittle Engravings
Amos Doolittle was a soldier and artist from Connecticut. In 1775, he produced a series of plates documenting the Battles of Lexington and Concord based on eyewitness accounts. They are the only known contemporary illustrations of the battles.
- Doolittle Engravings
- Plate 1 — The Battle of Lexington, April 19th, 1775
- Plate 2 — A View of the Town of Concord
- Plate 3 — The Engagement at the North Bridge in Concord
- Plate 4 — A View of the South Part of Lexington
Museums and Organizations
- Arlington Historical Society
- Concord Museum
- Freedom’s Way, National Heritage Area
- Friends of Minute Man Park
- Lexington History Museums
- Lexington Minute Men
AP US History Alignment
Shot Heard ‘Round the World is part of the following units, topics, and chapters in the AP US History curriculum:
Unit 3: 1754–1800
- Topic 3.5 — The American Revolution
American Pageant Notes
- Chapter 7 — The Road to Revolution (1763–1775)
- Chapter 8 — America Secedes from the Empire (1775–1783)
