History of Concord, Massachusetts, USA

First battle of American Revolution fought at Lexington and Concord

The Battles of Lexington and Concord signaled the start of the American Revolutionary war on April 19, 1775. The British Army set out from Boston to capture rebel leaders Samuel Adams and John Hancock in Lexington as well as to destroy the Americans store of weapons and ammunition in Concord. The colonists were warned however, by riders including Paul Revere, that the British Army was approaching. Sam Adams and John Hancock were able to escape and the local militia was able to hide much of their ammunition and weapons.

The Battle of Lexington was a very small fight... Neither side expected to actually fight, but in the midst of the confusion a gunshot went off forcing the British to attack. Some of the colonists were killed and the rest fled.

The gunshot was the first shot of the American Revolution and the start of the war. It was called the "shot heard around the world" by Ralph Waldo Emerson in his poem ...

Concord, Massachusetts
One of the chief towns of Middlesex county. This town is situated on the river of the same name, 17 miles W.N.W. from Boston, 14 S.S.W. from Lowell, and 30 E.N.E. from Worcester. Incorporated, 1635. Population, 1820, 1,788; 1837, 2,023. This town was the first inland settlement in the colony of Massachusetts Bay. The township was originally six miles square, and derives its name from the harmony with which it was purchased of the natives. Its Indian title was Musketaquid. It took an active part in the prosecution of the war against king Philip, in 1675-6, and in April of the latter year, 10 or 12 of its citizens were killed, in the attack made by the Indians on the neighboring town of Sudbury. The general court has frequently held its sessions in this town, and in the year 1774 the provincial congress selected it as their place of meeting. On the 19th of April, 1775, a detachment of British troops, sent out by Gen. Gage for the purpose of seizing a quantity of...

The Indian tract called Musketaquid was peacefully purchased of the Indians, and, from this circumstance, called Concord.

Concord originally included the towns of Acton, Carlisle, and part of Bedford.

The county courts meeting alternately at Concord and Cambridge, these are generally called Half-Shire-Towns.

Assabeth and Sudbury rivers unite in this town, and form Concord River, which flows northwardly into the Merrimack.

As the British forces and the Royal Governor were stationed at Boston, just before the Revolution, the Provincial Congress, as the Representatives of the people were called, sometimes held its sessions in Concord, and the public military stores and provisions were deposited here.

To destroy the stores the British went in boats from Boston to Cambridge, and thence marched through Lexington to Concord, April 19, 1775 ; but their object was in a great measure defeated.

A monument is erected on the spot where the first...

In the year 1635, Musketaquid was purchased of the Indians, and called Concord, on account of the peaceable manner in which it was obtained, as appears by the testimony of two settlers, William Buttrick and Richard Rice, and two Christian Indians of Natick, Jehojakin and Jethro. They unitedly testify and say, "That they were present at the making of the bargain for the town of Concord; that at the house of the Rev. Peter Bulkley, Mr. Simon Willard, Mr. John Jones, Mr. Spencer, and others, did purchase of squaw sachem, Tahattawan and Nimrod, a tract of land six miles square, the center being the place (or near) where the bargain was made. That said Willard and others did pay for said land in wampanpeague, hatchets, hoes, knives, cotton cloth, and chintz, to said Indians. And that Wappacowet, husband to squaw sachem, received a suit of cotton cloth, a hat, a white linen band, shoes, stockings, and a great coat on account of said bargain. That in the conclusion, the Indians declared they ...