The British are Coming!! The British are Coming!! . . .

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The British are Coming!! The British are Coming!! The British are Coming!!


to Lincoln-Concord, Massachusetts, on Saturday, April 16, 2005

"Saturday, April 16, 2005, Battle Road
"In the vicinity of historic Hartwell Tavern, Rte 2A/The Battle Road, Lincoln, Massachusetts
"10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
"FREE

"Park Rangers of Minute Man National Historical Park, volunteers, and military re-enactors will gather for a portrayal of the eve before opening battle of our country's fight for independence (on April 19, 1775, "the shot heard 'round the world"). A highlight of the day's activities occurs at 2:00 PM (approximately) when Minute Men and British Regulars stage a weapons demonstration representing tactics deployed on April 19, 1775."


Source: The Boston Globe, Calendar, Events, April 14 - 20, 2005, page 30
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Is this political? I doubt it. However, it's one great take-in for a family w/ kids or maybe not w/ kids. Go for it. Get in touch w/ the history of Lexington, of Massachusetts, and of our country. Our rich colonial history. Massachusetts is rich w/ the history of our country!

For more fun historical stuff . . . Lexington, Massachusetts, typically, has a full dress re-enactment of "the shot heard 'round the world" every April 19th. However, as I remember the Redcoats v. the Lexington Minutemen is re-enacted during the wee hours of the morning -- at about 5:00 AM. I used to take my wife and kids, faithfully, every year when we lived in Lexington. It's held on the Lexington Green, where it actually happened, in the middle of town under the shadow of the statue of Captain John Parker, leader of the Lexington Minutemen.

"The first gray wisps of an early spring dawn flashed in the flinty eyes of Captain John Parker as the Lexington Minutemen dozed fitfully in Buckman’s Tavern, across from the Lexington Green, on the epochal morning of April 19, 1775. The alarm had been sounded by Paul Revere but a few hours earlier … 'The Regulars are coming! The Regulars are coming out!'

"Shortly after dawn, the drum call to arms was sounded by William Diamond. Captain Parker and his seventy-six minutemen took a position in two thin rows on the Green to confront the eight hundred Red Coats approaching from Boston. What follows is known: eight brave minutemen, who had pledged their estates and everything dear in life; yea, and life itself in the support of the common cause, lay dead. The first blood shed for young America that cold New England morning made Lexington 'the Birthplace of American Liberty.' "

Source: Lexington Police website http://ci.lexington.ma.us/Police/History.htm
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edited for typo

:wtf:

Maybe somebody should tell the national park service that Patriots Day is APRIL FLIPPIN 19TH!!!!! NOT SATURDAY.

Patriot's Day is April 19th; however, it's celebrated on the third Monday of each April in Massachusetts. This year Patriot's Day holiday is Monday, April 18, 2005. There will be celebrations and parades on Sunday, April 17, 2005, I believe.

As for the above-mentioned celebrations, there are two separate locations, two separate events, two different dates and times . . .

1.a.) April 16, 2005, on the eve of the celebration/parade - Is this event held in Concord-Lincoln on Battle Road, on Saturday, April 16, 2005, starting at 10:00 AM, National "Park Rangers of Minute Man National Historical Park" and others "will gather for a portrayal of the eve before opening battle of our country's fight for independence (on April 19, 1775, 'the shot heard 'round the world')." (my bold-faced type emphasis)

1.b.) April 16, 2005, on the eve of the celebration/parade - And, at 2:00 (approximately) in the afternoon on the same date, re-enactors in Brit redcoats will be jumping through the Concord woods re-enacting "a weapons demonstration representing tactics deployed on April 19, 1775."

2.) Patriot's Day - celebrated on Sunday, April 17, 2005 will be the historically accurate Patriot's Day re-enactment which will start on The Lexington Green, Lexington, Massachusetts at dawn -- typically as memory serves me, at about 5:00 AM, together with Revere/Dawes rides into Lexington from Boston.

Now, YOU try to be available with your wife and kids after packing your car or whatever and arriving at 5:00 o'clock in the morning plus traffic and parking (yes, there's those problems at 5:00 AM) in Lexington, Massachusetts. Or would you rather try it at the National Park in Concord, Massachusetts on a lovely Saturday late morning and afternoon? One is of historical significance and accuracy, while the other is of modern convenience and a grand time jumping through the Concord woods in King George's Redcoat uniforms.

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damn, I got it wrong . . . the Lexington, Massachusetts Patriot's Day parade date, that is . . .

"Patriot's Day is April 19th; however, it's celebrated on the third Monday of each April in Massachusetts. This year Patriot's Day holiday is Monday, April 18, 2005. There will be celebrations and parades on Sunday, April 17, 2005, I believe." (This is from my prior post which is incorrect.)

Yes, Patriot's Day is April 19th; and, yes, it's celebrated on the third Monday of each April in Massachusetts. This year Patriot's Day holiday is Monday, April 18, 2005. Some events will occur on Sunday and some events will occur on Monday, April 18, 2005. The at dawn re-enactment, the parade and other events including the Paul Revere/William Dawes' ride from Boston to Lexington will take place on MONDAY, APRIL 18th, not Sunday April 17th as I stated in my prior post.

Therefore, #1 and #2 are correct, in my prior post above. However, #3 is incorrect as to the date which should be Monday, April 18th . . . here's a schedule of the Monday, April 18th Patriot's Day celebration in Lexington which includes the times of the day of the events in Lexington.

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Is it me? Or are folks including the "news media" . . . forgetting about our rich Massachusetts colonial history? Why there's a Patriot's Day holiday in Massachusetts . . . at all?

Did you see any coverage of historic Patriot's Day this year? Newspapers? Television? Or was it all about The Boston Marathon?

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Some re-enactment photographs of the "shot heard 'round the world" from the "Battle Green" in Lexington, Massachusetts:



Dawn on April 19, 1775, several hundred British ("Redcoats") regular army arrive
at Lexington, Massachusetts from British occupied Boston to capture rebel leaders in Lexington
(re-enactment, Patriot's Day Celebration, April 18, 2005).



King George's Redcoats are met by approximately 70 militiamen (Minutemen)
assembled on "Lexington Battle Green" led by Captain John Parker.
British Major John Pitcairn ordered the outnumbered Minutemen to disperse,
and after a moment's hesitation the Minutemen began to drift off the Green.
Suddenly, the "shot heard 'round the world" was fired from an undetermined gun,
and a cloud of musket smoke soon covered the Green.
When the brief Battle of Lexington ended, eight Minutemen lay dead or dying and ten others were wounded.
Only one British soldier was injured, but the War of Independence had begun
(re-enactment, Patriot's Day Celebration, April 18, 2005).




The Redcoats re-assembled in formation to march
to Concord to capture the suspected armament caches in Concord.
When the Redcoats reached Concord at about 07:00, they found themselves encircled
by thousands of armed Minutemen. The British managed to destroy the military supplies
that Massachusetts had collected, but were soon advanced against by a gang of Minutemen,
who inflicted numerous casualties. On their return march to Boston through villages and towns,
Massachusetts Minutemen fired upon the Redcoats Indian-style from behind stone-walls, trees, and rocks.
At Lexington, Captain Parker's militia had its revenge, killing several British soldiers
as the Redcoats hastily marched through his town. By the time King George's Regular Army of Redcoats
had finally reached the safety of British-occupied-Boston,
nearly three hundred British soldiers had been killed, wounded, or were missing in action.
The Massachusetts militias (Minutemen) suffered less than one hundred casualties
(re-enactment, Patriot's Day Celebration, April 18, 2005).