Battle of Lexington Reenactment
- April 25th 2025
- History
British reenactors marching from the battle
Photo: Bradley Morin
By Andrew Morin
This past Saturday, the town of Lexington, Massachusetts celebrated the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Lexington and Concord with a historic reenactment and parade. The reenactment saw the militia minutemen facing British forces, and the subsequent conflict that took place. The story of the Battle of Lexington is an integral part of American history that marks the start of our nation’s struggle for independence.
When Paul Revere saw the two lit lanterns of The Old North Church, he knew that the British regulars would arrive by sea on their way to Concord. Their mission was to find and destroy the munitions and armaments of the colonial militia, hindering any future attempts of resistance against the crown. Revere, himself a member of The Sons of Liberty, knew that if the British succeeded it would be detrimental to the liberties and freedoms of him and everyone else within the colonies. With bravery and determination, Paul Revere set out to warn the members of the militia as to the plans of the British. Accompanied by the likes of William Dawes and Samuel Prescott, Revere made his way through the Massachusetts wilderness and countryside to arrive in the small town of Lexington. It was there where he met the leaders of the colonial resistance, Samuel Adams and John Hancock. Before he continued his journey, Revere warned them of the impending British forces and their plan to arrest Adams and Hancock.
Having learned of the British plans, Adams, Hancock and other members of the militia decided that they would need to stop or delay the British from reaching Concord at all costs. Members of the militia lined up in formation at Lexington Battle Green to face the British. In total, there were 77 of them; 77 versus a force of 700 British regulars. The militiamen heard the drums of the approaching British getting louder and louder as they approached. Soon the blood-red coats of the regulars appeared before them and came to face them head on.
A heated exchange of words took place between the two forces with the militia yelling for the British to leave, and the British yelling for the militia to lay down their arms. The verbal exchange continued until a single shot was heard. It is unknown who shot first, but the single shot triggered the start of a battle, and ultimately the start of a war. When the smoke cleared, eight militiamen and one British regular lay dead. The remaining militiamen retreated to regroup with others and the British continued their advance to Concord.
The men who fought in this battle are remembered for their bravery and dedication to the ideas of liberty. Today the battle of Lexington is not only remembered as the start of the revolution, but as an example of American strength and sacrifice. The reenactment of this battle is a way to commemorate and honor their actions, as well as to teach and remind Americans of the sacrifices they made. With there being only eyewitness recounts of this event, the reenactment gives modern Americans an opportunity to see the bravery and fortitude of the men, as well as how the fight for an independent nation began.
