The Lexington dramatization is a little misleading - the original engagement was on the town green, in the middle of town. One man - Jonathan Harrington - crawled mortally wounded to his own front door, a few dozen yards behind the colonial line.
The roads are paved over now, but you can still stand on Lexington Green and look right down the same road the British column marched into town on.
...it'll send a chill down your spine to do it to.
(As a sidenote - one I'm sure you know - the video is also a little misleading when it says "weapons paid for by local citizens" - a man purchased his milita arm from his own pocket unless he was too destitute to do so. Most of those were personal property , although I have seen a reference to the town gov't commissioning a blacksmith to make bayonets as the tensions started to rise.)
Thank you for posting this!
ReplyDeleteThe Lexington dramatization is a little misleading - the original engagement was on the town green, in the middle of town. One man - Jonathan Harrington - crawled mortally wounded to his own front door, a few dozen yards behind the colonial line.
The roads are paved over now, but you can still stand on Lexington Green and look right down the same road the British column marched into town on.
...it'll send a chill down your spine to do it to.
(As a sidenote - one I'm sure you know - the video is also a little misleading when it says "weapons paid for by local citizens" - a man purchased his milita arm from his own pocket unless he was too destitute to do so. Most of those were personal property , although I have seen a reference to the town gov't commissioning a blacksmith to make bayonets as the tensions started to rise.)
All that said, neat video! (David Hackett Fischer's Paul Revere's Ride very highly recommended)
Thank you Jenny, as always your comments & information are very much appreciated.
ReplyDeleteRegards, Keith.