Disperse You Rebels; Damn You!

On this day in 1775, 75 Lexington militiamen faced a composite force of 900 British "regulars" and fired what has come to be known as the "shot heard 'round the world."

Following the first shots, messengers called for neighboring militias to come out, and within hours over 4,000 minutemen responded from as far away as Salem and Marblehead and inflicted heavy casualties on the "lobsterbacks" as they retreated towards Boston.

At the end of the "Battle Road", the regulars sustained 273 casualties (73 killed; 174 wounded; 26 missing), the various militias suffered 93 casualties (49 killed; 39 wounded; 5 missing), and the British commander, Thomas Gage, awoke to find Boston beseiged by a volunteer army that would in a few days number over 8,000.

Open posted in Mudville and Argghh!