Freedom Trail Bits. Lexington

1. This is the Minuteman statue. It is looking in the direction of Massachusetts Ave, the road Paul Revere comes in toward the Lexington Green, the same route British soldiers will arrive later that morning at 5 AM. 

 

Revere will pass between the statue and Buckman tavern, (on the right), where the colonists are waiting for the soldiers, and take the road to the right to where Samuel Adams and John Hancock are staying. They have been in conference these last few days and have no idea of what is happening a short distance away. 

 

2. The Minutemen formed because of an incident that happened in Somerville. On a September morning British soldiers walked up to where the colonists were storing their munitions, confiscated them and off they went. All the people could do was watch. No warning, no alarm, no one had any idea of British soldiers intentions that morning. As a result, six month later, in Worcester, Massachusetts, the Minutemen came to be. They were ready on this April morning, weren't they?

 

3. Buckman Tavern

 

4. Follow this road and take the right, where those cars are passing in front of that white house, then follow a short distance where you will reach 

 

5. Clark-Hancock parsonage. 

Revere arrives Lexington, rides past the Buckman Tavern and is at the Clark parsonage at midnight. It is closed for the night. Everyone is in bed.

 

Picture Revere banging on that front door and Hancock’s guard telling him stop making so much noise.

Outside guards stand with militiaman Sergeant William Monroe who is in charge. Revere sees him and loudly demands to be let into the house. Monroe, who does not know Revere, stands in his way and tells him quiet down, that everyone is in bed, and do not wish to be disturbed by any noise. Revere reacts loudly, “Noise, you’ll have enough noise before long. The Regulars are out.” He pushes past Monroe and loudly bangs on the door.

Hearing the noise, reverend Clark sticks his head out a second floor window and tells Revere he cannot allow strangers in at this time of night.

Adams and Hancock are downstairs, they recognize Revere’s voice. “Come in, Revere,” Hancock tells him, “we are not afraid of you.

Revere warns that there is not just a British patrol out, but more like a thousand light troops, and they are coming not only for the weapon stores in Concord, but for two of them as well.

While this is going on, Hancock is reaching for his gun and sword, he wants to join the Minutemen at Lexington Green. This is so consistent with Hancock’s reputation in that he is given to making lots of senseless noise, and doing any number of things to draw that attention to himself.

Adams tells him to quiet down and stop acting the fool, that the two of them had just been elected Massachusetts delegates to the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia. No doubt thinking elected officer or not, their dead bodies would do nothing to help the cause.

After food and drink, Revere and Dawes set out to warn the men at Buckman Tavern and Lexington Green. It is a quarter of a mile from the parsonage. It is 1 AM.

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