Minuteman -The Harbinger of American War of Independence
After driving a distance of 35 miles from Oak Street, Foxboro, residence of my daughter, following the exit to I-91N (Interstate Highway) route by car, we arrived at the historic Lexington state park by 11 AM on a bright September Sunday, enjoying the brilliant russet and gold fall foliage, against crisp blue sky en-route. As it was a Sunday the number of visitors were more to enjoy a live display by performing actors in historic Minutemen costumes enacting the Lexington - Concord skirmish. The visitors were asked to participate along with the masquerading minutemen to enact the skirmish that happened on the eventful day of 19th April, 1775. Then we were taken on a guided tour, walking the historic battle road passing through Lexington greens, the warehouse (armory) up to Concord. The light and sound show exhibiting the skirmish began by 12.30 and ended by 13.00, enthralled the spellbound viewers. After watching the show, we got a clear picture of the series of events of that fateful, epoch making day of Lexington- Concord battle which launched the first military engagement of American Revolutionary War which continued up to 1789.
A host of events – Boston massacre(5.3.1770),Boston Tea Party(16.12.1773),First Continental Congress(1774) ,declaration of Massachusetts as a rebellion state(1775) by British King George III, the imposition of regressive stamp act to fill the coffer which was drained due to the seven years war (1756-1763) and the war cry by the colonists" no taxation without representation " were events, with much historic significance, were prelude to the battle of Lexington –Concord fought on 19th and 20th of April 1775.Members of sons of Liberty were very vigilant and the fiercely patriotic, ever alert Paul Revere could gathered an intelligence that the governor of Massachusetts ,general Thomas Gage had ordered his troops to seize the colonist military stores stock piled by the militia at concord. Paul Revere who has earned the sobriquet as an express rider, made his midnight adventure on horseback to rouse the minutemen and to alert the surrounding countryside up to Lexington - Concord on that fateful night of 18.4.1775 and could warned the citizens of an impending attack. Incidentally, John Hancock and Samuel Adams, who had halted at Concord en route to Philadelphia, to attend the second continental congress, were fore warned of the raid to leave the city for their safety as they faced possible arrest by the approaching British troop and the elusive duo fled to Philadelphia on that very fateful night of 18.4.1775. The Minutemen assembled at the Lexington green, fully prepared with their rifles on a formation to challenge the advancing British soldiers on 19.4.1775. It is unclear who fired the shot first. But the shot was heard round the world and the famous shot heralded the beginning of American Revolutionary War. The resistance ,after a skirmish with one British casualty and some injury to the militia, melted away into the approaching darkness of that crucial evening at Lexington, and the British troop moved on to Concord. Most of the American military supplies had been hidden or destroyed before the British force could lay its hand on the firearms. On the next morning of 20.4.1775 the skirmish ensued with a stiff resistance to the British covering party consisting of 700 redcoats, on Concord North Bridge, finally confronted by 320 to 400 American patriots and forced to withdraw. The 62 miles march, back to Boston was a genuine ordeal for the British, with Americans constantly firing on them from behind roadside houses, barns, trees and stone walls. The experience established “guerilla warfare as colonists” best defense strategy against the superior British troop. Total losses were British 273, American 95. The battle of Lexington and Concord, confirmed the alienation between the majority of colonies, spread over 13 colonies and the Mother Country and it roused 16000 New Englanders to join forces and to be trained by General George Washington who commanded the militia from his camp at Cambridge, Harvard on the river bank of river Charles. George Washington was appointed commander in chief of the continental Army on 15.6.1775 ,selected over candidate such as John Hancock based on his previous military experience in French and Indian war and with a hope, a leader from Virginia could help unite the colonies as effectively argued by most active and experienced Massachusetts delegate John Adams .On March,1776, General Washington moved his newly raised army to Dorchester heights and placed his artillery in position to menace Boston. Bad weather and American privateers prevented supplies from reaching the city. The siege of Boston was completed successful. Resultantly, the British commander General William ordered for evacuation in ships to regroup his forces at Halifax, Nova Scotia, one of eastern Canada’s Maritime Provinces on the Atlantic.
Heroics of Paul Revere was immortalized by H.W. Longfellow ,in a ballad-Paul Revere’s Ride- to commemorate the adventure of the celebrated patriot , in 1860 and was an all time hit folklore, popular with the children.
The sons of Liberty –John Hancock, Samuel Adams, Benedict Arnold, James Otis, Paul Revere, Benjamin Rush, John Lamb, Thomas Young, Oliver Wolcott and Henry Knox took the lead initially. John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, and so many patriotic colonists Americans plunged in to the revolutionary war. Significantly enough one pamphlet, which had stirred, stimulated, and ignited the American perception for freedom - "Common Sense" by Thomas Paine was published on 10.1.1776 .Tom Paine a British born American political activist, philosopher and revolutionary had marshaled moral and political arguments to encourage common people in the colonies to fight for egalitarian government justifying Revolution against the British crown .The pamphlet vastly impacted the public psychic and succeeded in mobilizing colonists to achieve total freedom from the British bondage. About Thomas Paine John Adams had aptly said that “without the pen of the author of Common Sense, the sword of Washington would have been raised in vain”.
Though the declaration of American Independence was made on 4th July,1776 in the 2nd Continental Congress, presided by John Hancock, at Philadelphia in the historic carpenters’ hall, the war of independence reached its climax in the decisive 1781 battle of Yorktown, in the state of Virginia ,when Charles Cornwallis ,considered one of the best British generals in the American war of Independence , surrendered to the combined forces of George Washington and French general Marquis de Lafayette .Although the war persisted on high seas and other theaters, the patriotic victory at Yorktown ended fighting in American colonies. Peace negotiations began in 1782 at Paris, and on 3rd day of September 1783, the Treaty of Paris was signed between the representatives of United State of America- John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, John Jay and representatives of king George III, formally recognizing the United States as a free and Independent nation after 8 years of war. Despite his defeat and ignominy, Charles Cornwallis was rewarded for his bravery and appointed as Commander –in-Chief of British India and Governor General of the Bengal Presidency .Lord Cornwallis died in Ghazipur in Uttar Pradesh in October 1805 and entombed there.
George Washington, most respected general, statesman and most tallest leader amongst founding fathers, was appointed President of the constitution drafting convention in 1787 and after 2 years, inaugurated as first president of America after the constitution was signed and adopted in 1789 and John Adams as vice-president on the basis of number votes cast by the delegates of constitutional convention. After declaration of independence in 1776 up to adoption of constitution in 1789 there were 8 ad hoc presidents of America.
Gouranga Charan Roul (gcroul.roul@gmail.com)
The author, after completing post graduate studies in political science from Utkal University, Odisha in 1975, worked as a senior intelligence sleuth in the department of Customs, Central Excise & Service Tax and retired as senior superintendent. As a staunch association activist, he used to hold chief executive posts either as General Secretary or President of All India Central Excise Gazetted Executive Officer's Association, Odisha for 20 years. Presently in the capacity of President of Retired Central Excise Gazetted Executive Officer's Association, Odisha, coordinating the social welfare schemes of the Association. Being a voracious reader, taking keen interest in the history of India, Africa, Europe and America. In his globe tottering spree, widely travelled America and Africa. At times contributing articles to various magazines.
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