As we approach the 250th anniversary of the founding of our great nation, it is important to remember the events in 1775 that led to its birth. Studying these events help us understand the reasons colonists revolted.
Last month, as we commemorated the anniversary of the first battles of the American Revolution at Lexington and Concord, we learned that colonists did not start out fighting for our independence, but, in fact, the war actually started to guarantee colonists were treated properly as British subjects.
Colonists in 1775 were not looking for independence from the British; they were proud to be British. They were simply asking for their rights as British subjects be respected.
While the British had a king, he was not an absolute monarch like in France. Since the 1688 Glorious Revolution, England had what was called King-in-Parliament. In that year, Parliament invited William and Mary to rule over England with certain restrictions, one of which was only Parliament could tax, hence the saying, “No taxation without representation.”
While colonists had issues with Parliament and some of popular King George III’s ministers, abandoning the monarchy was not even remotely considered. King George was still considered appointed by God by most colonists. Parliament, on the other hand, was not so popular. With the new Sugar Tax, Stamp Tax, Tea Tax etc., restrictions on movement (Proclamation Line of 1763), when soldiers left colonial cities after the French and Indian War, it felt as if colonists were not treated as British citizens.
When the First Continental Congress met in 1774, no one was calling for independence; they were demanding their rights. Delegates, who pledged their support to the king, reinforced boycotts against British goods until colonists’ rights were respected. Congress recognized Parliament’s authority over matters of empire like wars or international trade, but because colonists were not represented in Parliament, issues such as taxation were left to colonial legislatures. Delegates also encouraged the colonies to better organize their militias and stockpile muskets and shot in case they had to stand up for their rights. This last issue led to the first fight.
(Just an aside, when I teach about Lexington and Concord, I say “while it’s your right to buy as many guns as you want, if you buy enough, at some point, expect a knock on your door from the ATF.”) Militias were colonists’ first line of defense, and colonists had the right to keep weapons, but when Thomas Gage, the military governor of Massachusetts, saw what colonists were doing, he became concerned. His colony had the most hotheads and he was probably right to worry about them. To stop any problem before it began, Gage decided to confiscate the weapon caches in different cities. He began with Charlestown and Cambridge but later, when he moved on Portsmouth, New Hampshire, his troops found the guns had been moved. It turned out Boston colonists had a spy network warning towns before soldiers could arrive. The network was led by Paul Revere and, while there is not solid proof, their source was likely Gage’s wife, a colonial sympathizer.
The big move came in April 1775 when Gage was given orders to move on Concord. Not only did Concord have a large stockpile of weapons, but Gage learned that was where John Hancock, Samuel Adams and other leaders of the Sons of Liberty were hiding. Knowing they were being watched, Gage put his own agents along the road to Concord to catch anyone from warning them. On the night of April 18 Gage put his men in boats and had them rowed across the bay to start their march to Concord in the dark. The colonists were prepared, however, as they had a signal in place.
When two lanterns were placed in the steeple of North Church, Revere and William Dawes knew it was time to act. Revere made it to Lexington, warning people along the way that the “regulars or redcoats” were coming. (Revere never would have said “the British” as everyone saw themselves as British at the time. “The British are coming,” saying comes from an 1861 poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.) Revere warned the leaders at Lexington but was captured by British spies on his way to Concord. It was others who made the entire “Midnight Ride,” but they did not make the Longfellow poem and so are not as revered as Revere.
The next morning, April 19, British troops arrived at Lexington. In their way stood Captain John Parker and about 70 brave minutemen who were prepared to stop their advance. However, these men rightfully began to lose courage as some 400 British troops showed up marching in perfect formation. The army ordered the minutemen to drop their weapons and disperse. Realizing they had little choice, colonists began to file away until a shot came from the woods, probably from a not-so-brave colonist. At that point, the army opened fire killing eight and wounding 10.
After Lexington, the army continued on to Concord. By then word had spread and the colonial numbers had reached more about 400. Colonists set up outside town to wait for reinforcements as the army marched in only to find the weapons had been moved. While the army was ordered to not damage property, they started a building on fire which prompted colonists to move into town. As the army prepared to leave, the two forces met.
To the army’s surprise, they encountered a growing well-trained militia they could not break. Realizing their situation, the army broke first and began the 20-mile march back to Boston. The march was much more difficult than the night before. Now lined up along the road behind stone walls and trees were colonial militia who took shots at the soldiers then ducked and ran to get ahead of then and take another shot. As more than 2,000 colonists had now shown up, it was hit-and-run tactics all the way back to Boston. In the end, more than 70 soldiers were killed and more than 170 wounded. Approximately 50 colonists were also killed.
The most interesting aspect about this battle was that we were not officially at war. It would be another 13 months until July 1776 when America declared its independence.
Most in the Continental Congress had no interest in independence. They had not even created the Continental Army nor had they appointed Washington to take command. This was all done organically. Colonists were still hoping the Parliament would treat them like the British subjects they wanted to be. Lexington, Concord and the death of British troops made it difficult to reconcile. However, it would still be many months and a few bigger battles before the congressional delegates decided it was time colonists tried it on their own.
James Finck is a professor of American history at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma. He can be reached at HistoricallySpeak-ing1776@ gmail.com.
