Road to Liberty: Lexington and Concord

It was chaos on the green smoke, shouts, bayonets edging forward. And it all started with a single unexpected and unforgettable shot. Blessed be the lord, my strength, which teacheth my hands to war and my fingers to fight. My shield and he. We were remembered as minutemen due to our duty to answer when called upon at a moment's notice. But not all of us were trained. Many more were simple farmers, shopkeepers, and neighbors who came to defend our homes. We were the first line of defense against the greatest military power in the world. What looked like 200 trained soldiers marched toward us, but they were only the tip of the spear, the first from a force of about 700 redcoats marching toward concord to seize weapons, munitions and supplies and to capture any rebel leaders they found. Captain Parker was ill that morning, his voice thin in the cold. Some of us wondered if he was too frail to lead, and if he could not stand, how could we? Disperse ye rebels. Lay down your arms. Stand your ground. Don't fire unless fired upon. But if they mean to have a war, let it begin here. Oh, my lord. No one knows who fired first, but it was clear to all who the victor was. We lost eight men, ten wounded. The British only suffered a single wound and continued on to concord. They look destined to take what they came for. Drilled ranks, steel at the ready. Hours ahead of us. Parties spread through konkador, breaking open barrels, setting fire to carts. Then the word ran along our lines form on the river. If they crossed, the town was lost. At the bridge. They expect a difference. What they met was a wall. They fired as one, and for the first time, the king's line bent, and everywhere along the road, minutemen stood and would not move. I was with captain Parker as we struck back. Load and be ready. We'll give them a remembrance. The British staggered, and their long retreat began. At northbridge, the minutemen did not break. They stood, fired, and watched the empire turn. Here, ordinary men conducted their lives so that in Philadelphia, the founders could commit their names to liberty.