Under pressure from London, British Maj. Gen. Thomas Gage put quill to paper 250 years ago last Saturday in issuing the disastrous order for a raid on Concord in the Province of Massachusetts Bay that would ignite a revolution, lose Britain a colony, and bring forth a loosely united new nation called America.
"Sir, you will march with the corps of grenadiers and light infantry put under your command with the utmost expedition and secrecy to Concord, and where you will seize and destroy all the artillery and ammunition, provisions, tents and all other military stores you can find," Gage wrote to Lt. Col. Francis Smith, commander of the 10th Regiment of Foot, who would lead the "Concord Expedition."
Gage would later add to the initial draft of the order an admonition to "take care that the soldiers do not plunder the inhabitants or hurt private property."
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The anniversary of the outbreak of the Revolutionary War precedes a slew of planned celebrations when the United States marks its 250th year of independence in 2026.
Then as now, those living in what would become the 13 states of the new nation were bitterly divided. But at the outset of the war, colonialists were split between those loyal to the crown and those who were ready to fight for independence. Gage thought the loyalists had given him excellent intelligence on where the colonial militias had stored arms and what types of arms, down to the names of the owners of houses who were hiding ball and powder.
But the colonials also had great intel that sent Paul Revere, well-mounted on a fast horse, and two other riders to spread the alarm that Smith's force of about 700 had crossed the Charles River in long boats and was on the march toward Concord. Gage's plan to snuff out a budding revolution with a quick raid to seize and destroy arms on April 19, 1775, was about to fall apart.
The Gage order is part of the Thomas Gage Papers collection of more than 23,000 items, including letters, documents, journals, financial records, and military orders now housed at the University of Michigan's William L. Clements Library. To mark the 250th anniversary of the first battles of what would become a revolution, the library has put on an exhibit focusing on the Gage papers called "Bloody Work: Lexington and Concord 1775."
In a phone interview, Cheney Schopieray, curator of manuscripts at the Clements Library, said the collection shows that the British Parliament "was very unhappy with Gage" in his role as commander in chief of British forces in North America and governor of Massachusetts Bay, "but he managed to keep the kettle from boiling over until 1775."
In Massachusetts last Saturday, thousands turned out to view ceremonies and demonstrations by re-enactors to mark the 250th anniversary at Concord and Lexington, and also at Minute Men National Historical Park, run by the National Park Service. The Park Service also gave a running account of the battles that led to the British retreat back to Boston in a rout.
At about 5 a.m., the British column encountered Capt. John Parker and his company of 77 Minutemen who had been ordered to "stand your ground and don't fire unless fired upon." Then "someone, somewhere fired a shot," which would become "the shot heard round the world," the Park Service said.
The British infantry rushed onto the green and fired upon Parker's retreating troops. Eight militiamen were killed on the Lexington town common and 10 were wounded. The fight had been joined. There would be no turning back.
By noon, the British had wrapped up their mostly unsuccessful search for arms and began the 18-mile march back to Boston, as colonial militiamen swarmed to the area to confront and harass the retreating British until they were met by a relief party just outside Boston.
In total, the casualties for the British were 73 killed, 174 wounded, and 26 missing; the colonials suffered 49 killed, 41 wounded, and 5 missing, the Park Service said.
Gage later gave an account of the battles to the Earl of Dartmouth, William Legge, who was secretary of state for the Colonies, to describe the unorthodox tactics of the colonials, and possibly save his job.
Gage wrote that, "on the return of the troops, they were attacked from all quarters where any cover was to be found, from whence it was practicable to annoy them, and they were so fatigued with their march that it was with difficulty they could keep out their flanking parties to remove the enemy to a distance, so that they were at length a good deal pressed."
He also noted that Boston itself was being threatened. "The whole country was assembled in arms with surprising expedition, and several thousand are now assembled about this town threatening an attack, and getting up artillery. And we are very busy in making preparations to oppose them," he wrote.
The letter didn't work. Gage was recalled to London and replaced by Gen. William Howe.
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