“. . . but if they mean to have a war, let it begin here.”
An astute TAH reader (Roger in Republic) reminded me today that today also marks a second important military anniversary.
Two hundred thirty-eight years ago today – at approximately 0500 – the opening shots of the American Revolution were fired at Lexington, MA. Action quickly followed at Concord.
The skirmish at Lexington was a debacle for the American Revolutionary force. At Concord, however, British forces made a serious tactical error at North Bridge, found themselves outnumbered, and broke.
British forces shortly afterwards retreated to Boston, suffering many casualties on the way – particularly at skirmishes at Bloody Angle and Menotomy.
Lexington/Concord is generally accorded a victory for the Colonial forces. The American Revolution would last for nearly a decade (until the 1783 Treaty of Paris), and would ultimately result in our present United States.
Category: Historical
Hondo, I can’t take credit for being that astute. It so happens that the 19th is my birthday. It’s very easy to remember the things that happened on a date I have celebrated for 66 years.
Happy Birthday, amigo. And thanks for the reminder – we all should remember what happened today at Lexington and Concord, but often don’t.
We should definitely remember!
…and happy birthday Roger!
Happy birthday, Roger! And thanks for the valuable post.
Happyie birfday to ewe, Happyie birfday to ewe, Happyie birfday deer Roger in Republic, Happyie birfday to ewe!
I wrote it that way to give you an idea of how I sing. Be glad you only had to read it!
I’ve had Patriot Day on my calendar for several years. Much better to remember than things like the OK City bombing, Columbine, pot day, etc.
Marc Edelheit has a terrific, some what long 5 part podcast on Paul Revere’s ride and the subsequent battle a Lexington.
http://centhistory.libsyn.com/
Really very interesting and well presented.
Any irony in the fact that Boston neighborhood was on lockdown — “Shelter In place! That’s an ORDER!” — and citizens’ homes are subject to warrantless, door-to-door searches on the very date that colonial patriots met the British troops at Lexington and Concord?
Any at all?
Suppose any Watertowners told the authoritahs, “Sorry, no searching my home without a warrant?” Or do you imagine it was more like, “Hey, c’mon in! I got nothin’ to hide!” Or even (to oneself) “(Shit! I don’t like this, but these guys got kevlar and machine guns and armored personnel carriers, so … ) Yeah, come on in, officers”?
Do you really think our forefathers would applaud these images from the search for a violent criminal in the country they bled and died for?
Every time there’s a new “event,” WE give up more liberty and freedom. At the risk of sounding cliche, the “terrists” have already won. And we don’t really seem to care.
That poem we had to memorize in grade school:
By the rude bridge that arched the flood,
Their flag to April’s breeze unfurled,
Here once the embattled farmers stood
And fired the shot heard ’round the world.
Damn straight.
Damn straight?
“I am a Watertown resident, and I have to let you know that today, I do not feel relieved or safe, I feel more uneasy than ever. I am not cheering with the throngs of blood-lusting MA residents that this ‘s%!tbag terrorist a$#hole’ was caught or thanking our ‘selfless’ state and federal agents for risking their lives to save the masses. No, I am left with a terrible feeling because I see this for what it is and am dis-heartened at the ignorant mob-mentality around me.
“I am saddened that no one realizes that what happened on Marathon Monday happens every day in the countries that the US currently occupies and that what descended upon Watertown on Friday is experienced by families abroad at the hands of US forces every single day. I am disgusted by the willingness of those around me to be spoon fed fear and then to truly believe that the only people that can protect and save them is the military force that came out in droves and forced people under house arrest (oh wait, excuse me, ‘Shelter in Place’ is the PC term).
“It is happening before my eyes. Liberty was born here, and this week, Liberty has officially died. It is playing out like a bad predictable movie and the masses are too caught up in the bread & circuses to notice. As a daily LewRockwell.com reader, I see the stories in print every day and have intellectually understood the patterns. But this week, in my backyard, I have seen it first-hand and there is no going back. Welcome to the militarized United States of America.
“Disheartened Watertown, MA, Resident”