Battles of Lexington and Concord

Arrowhead Ridge/Meriam’s Corner, Concord

Militia Snare Drum (National Museum of the U.S. Army)

Militia Snare Drum (National Museum of the U.S. Army)

Fife and Drum Team at the Bicentennial (National Archives)

Fife and Drum Team at the Bicentennial (National Archives)

John Hancock, Just Escaped Capture in Lexington (Library of Congress)

John Hancock, Just Escaped Capture in Lexington (Library of Congress)

As the column of British Regulars approached Concord at around 6:15 a.m., the town’s Minute company shadowed them on the road.

Two of the Militia companies were holding the high ground on Arrowhead Ridge, both sides eyeing each other warily. The two sides were so close that the drums and fifes picked up the same cadence.

The tension of that morning must have been unbearable. The Regulars were surely shocked because of the events of Lexington but Smith pressed on to Concord. The militia and minute companies of that town knew very little of what had happened in Lexington. An uneasy peace reigned over the region.

"[we marched] before them with our drums and fifes agoing and also [those of] the British. We had grand musick. We marched into town and then over the North Bridge a little more than half a mile and then on a hill not far from the bridge where we could see and hear what was agoing on."

Amos Barrett, Capt. David Brown’s Company of Concord Minutemen