Lexington and concord collection 1775 university of michigan. The combined force, now of about 1,700 men, marched back to boston under heavy fire in a tactical withdrawal and eventually reached the safety of charlestown. She was born in new brunswick, province of new jersey and resided in east brunswick township. The order was issues to british lieutenant colonel francis smith on the afternoon of april 18, 1775, just few hours before the midnight ride began. American revolution accelerated evolution vs cataclysmic. Smiths request, members of his artillery, to march down the neck and out to concord. Francis smith to concord, massachusettes, 16 miles northwest of boston, to seize munitions that the patriots had been stockpiling. New orders from general thomas gage to march to concord below is the transcript of the very order given by general cage gave to his troops that revere became aware of and rode to concord to prevent. Get an answer for why did general gage send british troops to lexington and concord in 1775.
To effect surprise, the troops set off on a night march. Then as they moved to concord troops under general gage plundered houses, abused men, embaressed women, and children and shot and killed elders. So it came to be that general prescott did not actually fortify bunkers hill, but breeds hill instead. The battles were fought on april 19, 1775 in middlesex county, province of massachusetts bay, within the towns of lexington, concord, lincoln, menotomy presentday arlington, and cambridge. General thomas gage, the british governor of massachusetts, received instructions from great britain to seize all stores of weapons and gunpowder. Orders from general thomas gage to march to concord. Journal of the american revolution is the leading source of knowledge about the american revolution and founding era. General gage sent out troops to lexington to capture colonial leaders john hancock and samuel adams why did general gage send troops to concord.
General thomas gage 10 march 171819 2 april 1787 was a british army general officer. Gage was a gateway ancestor to centuries of english nobility who. When dawn broke, the british were stunned to see breeds hill fortified overnight with a 160by30foot earthen structure. Instructions from london called for the arrest of rebel leaders samuel adams and john hancock. General gage sent troops to capture hancock and adams in lexington and to seize patriot weapons stockpiled in concord. The troops were intercepted at the lexington town green by local militia. General thomas gage 10 march 171819 2 april 1787 was a british army general officer and colonial official best known for his many years of service in north america, including his role as british commanderinchief in the early days of the american revolution. General thomas gage commanded the british forces that occupied boston. A british attempt to seize military stores in lexington and concord led to the outbreak of.
Margaret kemble gage 17341824 was the wife of general thomas gage, who led the british army in massachusetts early in the american revolutionary war. Lieutenantcolonel smith was dispatched with the grenadier and light infantry. Battle of bunker hill united states history britannica. When the british left concord following their search which was largely. Facing an impending rebellion, british general thomas gage decided to seize. Gage received orders to arrest sam adams and john hancock, rumored to be near lexington. The british had heard that the colonists were storing. On august 19, 1775, lieutenant colonel francis smith, under the orders of british general thomas gage, secretly led a large group of british troops to the town of concord, massachusetts, with the purpose of destroying the massachusetts militias store of arms and military supplies. The british force was extracted through the initiative of lord percy, who, on finding the bridge at cambridge blocked by the american colonial militia, took the british force east to charlestown on boston harbour, from where they were. British general thomas gage, the military governor and commanderinchief, received instructions on april 14, 1775, from secretary of state william legge, to disarm the rebels and imprison the rebellions leaders.
But before he could do it, the americans took strategic control of two surrounding hillsides, breeds hill and bunker hill, and built fortifications on them. This declaration permitted soldiers to shoot suspected rebels on sight. The nervous british soldiers fired a volley, killing seven and mortally. Apr 12, 2019 this page provides a brief overview of the battles of lexington and concord, the first military engagements of the revolutionary war. The general dispatched hms sukeydescribed as a frigate, perhaps meaning an armed transport displacing 200 tonswith orders to deliver his account to lord dartmouth, secretary of state for the colonies. At the same time, however, gage dispatched another 500 troops, at col. Concurrent us history chapter 5 american revolution study. Fortunately, paul revere and other riders were able to warn the patriots of the attack and at dawn militiamen confronted the british troops first at lexington and. The siege of boston occurred after the battles of lexington and concord. On the night of april 18, 1775, he dispatched nearly 1,000 troops from boston. On this expedition gages regiment was in the vanguard of the troops when they. The first serious encounter in the american conflict occurred when general gage, surveying the drift towards war, dispatched on 18 april a force of 700 men from boston to concord, some 20 miles, to recover arms and ammunition.
Militia companies continued to arrive in the days following, and the british troops were besieged in boston. The siege of boston was part opening stages of the american revolutionary war. Tipping point of the revolution a close reading guide from america in class 5. In lexington the british fired on regulars killing eight and wounding servral others while the british troops led by general gage made it out unharmed. General thomas gage was the commanderinchief of north america for the british army in the revolutionary war as the military governor of the province of massachusetts bay, in april of 1775, gage and his troops inadvertently started the revolutionary war when they attempted to arrest samuel adams and john hancock and seize the colonists ammunition supplies in the. Lieutenant general thomas gage was the commander in chief of all his majestys forces in the american colonies and governor of the province of massachusetts. Gage then dispatched about 2,300 troops under major general william howe against prescott. At lexington, a handful of embattled farmers, who had been tipped off by paul revere, barred the way. Colonial militiamen successfully laid siege to the britishheld city of boston. Lexington and concord the american history wiki fandom. In order to secure an arms cache, on april 19, 1775, general thomas gage dispatched troops from boston to an armory in nearby concord. On april 18, 1775, general thomas gage dispatched a contingent of british troops to lexington and concord, about fifteen miles from boston, massachusetts. Why did general thomas gage lead troops to concord answers.
First shots of war american memory timeline classroom. Paul revere and other riders spread the word of the 800 british regulars who were dispatched to concord. He arrived in boston in may 1774 as the new royal governor of the province of massachusetts, accompanied by several regiments of british troops. General gage dispatched troops toward concord because. Start studying concurrent us history chapter 5 american revolution study guide. When gage heard that the colonists had stockpiled guns and powder in concord. How were the militias in lexington and concord alerted to. When gage heard that the colonists had stockpiled guns and powder in concord, he decided to act. The militia was outnumbered and fell back, allowing the british to. Were 72 people killed resisting gun confiscation in boston. American revolution accelerated evolution vs cataclysmic revolution. On learning of the battles of lexington and concord, the militias of massachusetts, connecticut and new hampshire communities. Battle of lexington and concord 19th april 1775 american revolutionary war.
After the affairs at lexington, concord, and bunker hill, gage was ungenerously held responsible for the blunders of the ministry, and resigned his command in october, 1775, when he was succeeded by general william howe as chief of the forces in america. The real story behind the battle of lexington and concord 1775. In an effort to restore law and order in boston, the british dispatched general thomas gage to the new england seaport. Attempted capture of john hancock and samuel adams on april 18, 1775, paul revere and william dawes set out to warn militias across the massachusetts countryside of approaching british troops. We feature smart, groundbreaking research and wellwritten narratives from expert writers. Get an answer for why did general cage send british troops to lexington and concord in 1775. Facing an impending rebellion, british general thomas gage decided to seize weapons and gun powder being stored in concord, massachusetts, twenty miles northwest of boston, to prevent violence. Thomas gage sent a force from boston to destroy american rebel military stores at concord, massachusetts, fighting broke out between militia and british troops at lexington and concord on april 19, 1775. The british commander ordered his troops to disperse. Troops were sent to concord in order to hide all the munition that we had so when britain came, they wouldnt be able to stealdestroy it. The battles of lexington and concord, fought on april 19, 1775, kicked off the american revolutionary war 177583. Thomas gage, british general who successfully commanded all british forces in north america for more than 10 years 176374 but failed to stem the tide of rebellion as military governor of massachusetts 177475 at the outbreak of the american revolution. These troops had been sent to concord to confiscate the weapons there and dispatched to bring back the bodies of messr. Gage was attempting to maximize his chances of success.
In the spring of 1775, general thomas gage, the british governor of. In the very early hours of april 19 general gages troops, 400 in all, boarded barges to cross the charles river. General gage to lieutenant colonel smith, april, 18, 1775. Armed conflict begins boundless us history lumen learning. In april, general thomas gage 17211787 received secret orders to arrest the. General gage stationed 3,500 troops in boston, and from there he ordered. Gage wanted to convince the court, the british public, and other european nations that the rebels had acted rashly and without just. British taxes and resistance by the colonists lakes to. The local patriots rallied to drive the troops back to boston. Satire repurposed american history in describing a modern ambush near.
There were a few reasons why general gage sent his british troops to lexington and concord in 1775. The movement of so many soldiers out of boston came as no surprise to the american insurgents. Of course, general gage had been plotting to break through the siege of boston following the battles of lexington and concord. The accumulated militias blockaded the narrow land accesses to charlestown and boston, starting the siege of boston. The midday ride of paul revere history smithsonian. On 25 june 1775, gage wrote a dispatch to great britain, notifying lord. In the spring of 1775, general thomas gage, the british governor of massachusetts, received instructions from great britain to seize all stores of weapons and gunpowder accessible to the american insurgents. The american revolution, revolutionary war battles timeline 17701783 the american revolution, revolutionary war battles timeline 17701783 1770 boston massacre 1773 boston tea party 1775 battle of lexington and concord.
Reports of these clashes reached the second continental congress, which met in philadelphia. Thomas gage, british general who successfully commanded all british. On april 18, he ordered british troops to march against concord and lexington. Early on the morning of april 19, 1775, general thomas gage, commander of british forces in america, dispatched regular troops to concord, massachusetts, where spies informed him the americans had stored weapons. In april 1775, general gage, the military governor of massachusetts sent out a body of troops to take possession of military stores at concord, a short distance from boston. The battle of lexington and concord college of william.
Why did general gage send troops to lexington and concord. When general gage dispatched troops to concord to search for military supplies the colonists had stored there, alarms were raised, and colonists and soldiers clashed in lexington and concord on april 19. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Just over halfway, at lexington, they clashed with a small. But general thomas gage, commander of british troops in boston, had been. Siege of boston, massachusetts in april 1775 march 1776. General gage knew that a powder magazine was stored in concord, massachusetts, and he ordered troops to seize these munitions. On april 18, 1775 general gage dispatched 700 soldiers to capture colonial leaders and supplies at concord. The battle of bunker breeds hill american revolution.
Redcoats and minutemen exchange fire in lexington and concord. Why did general gage send british troops to lexington and. He hoped to catch the colonists by surprise and thus to avoid bloodshed. Thomas gage concord massachusetts paul revere american. This action led to the outbreak of hostilities that became the american revolution. There were two reasons why general thomas gage who was the governor of massachusetts at the time sent british troops to lexington and concord in april of 1775.
Gage blamed the extremists for recent incidents of vandalism directed against internal revenue offices. The battles of lexington and concord digital history. The american revolution the battle of lexington and concord april 19, 1775 on april 19, 1775, british general thomas gage dispatched 700 british troops commanded by lt. Tensions had been building for many years between residents of the american. The battle of lexington was the opening battle for the american revolution and described as the shot heard around the world because it incited other revolutions around the world. Britains lawandorder strategy and its consequences us. General gage commanded the british garrison in boston. Landing without opposition under artillery protection, the british were stopped by heavy fire from the colonial troops barricaded behind rail fences that. The units prearranged assignment from rebel leaders was to join other militiamen headed to the thomas farm, where british general thomas gage had dispatched 100 members of the queens guard. The british general, gage, dispatched 2,300 troops under the command of major general howe to take control of the hill. Thomas gage, ordered by king george iii to suppress the rebellious americans, dispatched 700 redcoated british soldiers, under lt. On the night of april 18, 1775, general gage sent 700 men to seize munitions stored by the colonial militia at concord.