To whom is gage referring when he mentions wellknown incendiaries and traitors. Britains lawandorder strategy and its consequences us. In april 1775, tensions between british colonists in the province of massachusetts bay and the royal governor, general thomas gage, boiled over into war. The resulting skirmishes precipitated the battles of lexington and concord and the american revolutionary war. On the night of 18 april, british grenadier and light infantry companies gather in. Members of the local militia immediately responded to the lexington alarm on april 19, 1775 as the british raid on colonial military stores at lexington and concord was called at the. Apr 17, 20 in the very early hours of april 19 general gages troops, 400 in all, boarded barges to cross the charles river. On this expedition gages regiment was in the vanguard of the troops when they. On this day in 1775, british troops march out of boston on a mission to confiscate the american arsenal at concord and to capture patriot leaders samuel adams and john hancock, known to. On the night of april 18, 1775, general gage sent 700 men to seize munitions stored by the colonial militia at concord. Why did general gage send troops to lexington and concord. Redcoats and minutemen exchange fire in lexington and concord.
It includes depositions taken by order of congress, to support the truth of it, as well as a list of casualties. Given intelligence that the militia had been stockpiling weapons at concord, massachusetts, he ordered detachments of regulars from the boston garrison to march there on the night of 18 april to confiscate them. 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. They 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, near boston. Joseph warren of boston, a zealous champion of american liberty and president of the massachusetts provincial congress, wrote an open letter to the british people giving the colonists view of the events. The real story behind the battle of lexington and concord 1775. In the spring of 1775, general thomas gage, the british governor of.
Why did general gage dispatch troops from boston to. On april 18th 1775, gage dispatched a military expedition to disarm rebels and seize munitions in lexington, northwest of boston, and to locate and arrest samuel adams and john hancock. General gage knew that a powder magazine was stored in concord, massachusetts, and he ordered troops to seize these munitions. Thomas gage, ordered by king george iii to suppress the rebellious americans, dispatched 700 redcoated british soldiers, under lt.
But all british activities were carefully watched by the patriots, and william dawes and paul revere rode out to warn people in the countryside that the british were coming. General thomas gage, commander of british forces in america and recently. On the night of april 18, 1775, he dispatched nearly 1,000 troops from boston. 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. In the few months preceeding the events known to history as the battle of lexington and concord in april 1775, every nerve was strained on the part of the american patroits to ready themselves dutifully so as to confront any threatening movements. On april 19, 1775, british and american soldiers exchanged fire in the massachusetts towns of lexington and concord. 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. Apr 16, 2012 the battles of lexington and concord were the first military engagements of the american revolutionary war. Jun, 2019 thomas gage march 10, 1718 or 1719april 2, 1787 was a british army general who commanded troops during the beginning of the american revolution.
General gage knew that a powder magazine was stored in concord, massachusetts, and on april 19, 1775, he ordered troops to seize these munitions. Battle of concord and lexington 19th april 1775 american. What are gage s positions and arguments concerning the rebellion in the colonies generally and the april 19 clash at lexington and concord specifically. Reports of these clashes reached the second continental congress, which met in philadelphia. Tensions had been building for many years between residents of the american. The battles of lexington and concord, fought on april 19, 1775, kicked off the american revolutionary war 177583. The following is a proclamation from general thomas gage, commander of british forces in massachusetts. Facing the threat of rebellion, british general thomas gage hoped to prevent violence by ordering the seizure of weapons and powder being stored in concord, massachusetts, twenty miles northwest of boston.
Lexington and concord are considered the first battle of the american revolution. In april of 1775, british troops were ordered to march on concord massachusetts by general thomas gage, military governor of the province of massachusetts bay and commander of the british. I understand that the officers engaged in the cause of liberty, and their country, who by the fortune of war, have fallen into your hands have been thrown indiscriminately, into a common gaol appropriated for felonsthat no consideration has been had for those of the most respectable rank, when languishing with wounds and sickness. At the same time, however, gage dispatched another 500 troops, at col. April 18, 1775 general gage orders 700 british soldiers to. Gage was attempting to maximize his chances of success. During the wee hours of april 19, 1775, he would send out regiments of british soldiers quartered in boston. From george washington to lieutenant general thomas gage, 11 a. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Left in town by a british officer previous to the evacua. At lexington, a handful of embattled farmers, who had been tipped off by paul revere, barred the way.
Boston was the american headquarters of the british army in 1775 led by general thomas gage, he was commander in chief of british troops in north america. The battles of lexington and concord, fought on april 19, 1775, kicked off the american revolutionary war 1775 83. British general gage learned that the colonists had stored supplies and ammunition at concord, ma, some 20 miles from boston. 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. Colonel smith, major pitcairn and lord percy commanded the british troops. When joseph warren 1741 1775, a boston patriot, discovered that british troops were on the march, he sent paul revere 17351818 and william dawes 17451799 to ride to concord to warn the people about the approaching forces. Thomas gage, born 1721, firle, sussex, englanddied april 2, 1787. General thomas gage 10 march 171819 2 april 1787 was a british army general officer. General gage sent out troops to lexington to capture colonial leaders john hancock and samuel adams. On 14 april 1775 gage received orders from london to take decisive action against the patriots.
Facing an impending rebellion, british general thomas gage decided to seize. Orders from general thomas gage to march to concord. In 1775, he was replaced as the british military commanderinchief by general william howe. 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.
Revere reaches lexington about midnight and warns sam adams and john hancock who are hiding out there. First shots of war american memory timeline classroom. Why did general gage send british troops to lexington and. 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 siege of boston occurred after the battles of lexington and concord. Both had to do with the rebellion that was brewing in the colony at the time. Joseph warren, account of the battle of lexington 1775 in april 1775, following the battles at lexington and concord, dr. British troops, from the time they marched out of boston, on the evening of the 18th, till their confused retreat back, on the ever memorable nineteenth of april 1775. Departing boston late in the evening of april 18, the kings troops marched into the small town of lexington around 5. Get an answer for why did general cage send british troops to lexington and concord in 1775.
Armed conflict begins boundless us history lumen learning. On the night of april 18, the royal governor of massachusetts, general thomas gage, commanded by king george iii to suppress the rebellious americans, had ordered 700 british soldiers, under lieutenant colonel francis smith and marine major john pitcairn, to seize the colonists military stores in concord, some 20 miles west of boston. When the british left concord following their search which was largely. Dispatching their report by a fast schooner, they edge out gage by two weeks. 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 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 1775 battle of bunker hill and breeds hill 1775. On april 19, 1775 they were simply loyal british subjects who believed that they. 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. Jul 12, 2015 members of the local militia immediately responded to the lexington alarm on april 19, 1775 as the british raid on colonial military stores at lexington and concord was called at the. April 18, 1775 general gage orders 700 british soldiers to concord to destroy the colonists weapons depot. On the night of april 18, 1775, 700 british soldiers began to march toward concord. Isaac merrill to john currier, essex county, massachusetts, april 19, 1775. Instructions from london called for the arrest of rebel leaders samuel adams and john hancock. How were the militias in lexington and concord alerted to the.
Lexington and concord collection 1775 university of michigan. A narrative, of the excursion and ravages of the kings troops under the command of general gage, on the nineteenth of april, 1775, general gage s instructions, of 22d february 1775, an account of the transactions of the british troops, from the time they marched out of boston, on the evening of the 18th till their confused. Siege of boston, massachusetts in april 1775 march 1776. What colony was the battle of lexington and concord. Francis smith to concord, massachusettes, 16 miles northwest of boston, to seize munitions that the patriots had been stockpiling.
Prior to this, he served as the colonial governor of massachusetts bay. A proclamation by british general thomas gage, june 12, 1775. Lieutenantcolonel smith was dispatched with the grenadier and light. When gage heard that the colonists had stockpiled guns and powder in concord.
Jul 27, 2019 on this day in 1775, british troops march out of boston on a mission to confiscate the american arsenal at concord and to capture patriot leaders samuel adams and john hancock, known to be hiding. Get an answer for why did general gage send british troops to lexington and concord in 1775. 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. Departing boston late in the evening on april 18, 1775, the king s troops marched into the small town of lexington at around 5. On 19 april 1775, he sent 700 of his troops to seize the munitions and, if possible. Tensions had been building for many years between residents of. On april 18, he ordered british troops to march against concord and lexington. 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. A narrative, of the excursion and ravages of the kings troops. Why did general gage dispatch troops from boston to concord on the evening of april 18, 1775. Orders from general thomas gage to march to concord paul revere. Between 1775 and 1780, each of the states had adopted a new written constitution.
He hoped to catch the colonists by surprise and thus to avoid bloodshed. Paul revere and other riders spread the word of the 800 british regulars who were dispatched to concord. Smiths request, members of his artillery, to march down the neck and out to concord. The movement of so many soldiers out of boston came as no surprise to the american insurgents. On 25 june 1775, gage wrote a dispatch to great britain, notifying lord. 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. But general thomas gage, commander of british troops in boston, had been. Redcoats and minutemen exchange fire in lexington and concord, april 19, 1775. Calling out the militia after lexington and concord, 1775. General gage commanded the british garrison in boston. As the title explains, it is a narrative, of the excursion and ravages of the kings troops under the command of general gage, on the nineteenth of april, 1775. Paul revere and william dawes rode to warn the villages on the route to concord and the congress. 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.
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. On 1 september, he sends 260 soldiers to seize 250 barrels of gunpowder from. Militia companies continued to arrive in the days following, and the british troops were besieged in boston. On this day in 1775, the american revolution basically began in massachusetts. 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.
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