Our experience on April 15th was not for the faint of heart. Scheduled to arrive at the original time of 5:30am, we biked in the pre-dawn rain from Concord to Lexington. Each year, dozens of reenactors and hundreds of spectators gather to relive the dramatic events of April 19th, 1775. This year, we would be with them, come what may.
- The Regulars were not announced as the British or Redcoats
- Some reenactors march the original routes every year
- The official holiday is now held on the 3rd Monday of April
I had been told by others who had attended before that traffic and parking could be pretty difficult. So I decided to bike in. Fortunately, I found a friend who wanted to go with me. Although there was a drizzle when we woke at 3:40am, Facebook decreed that nothing was canceled. So we layered up, piled our bikes in the van, and drove to Concord.
We had decided to park about halfway between the towns. Then we would bike back and forth, ensuring that we could beat the crowds leaving afterward. However, we didn’t consider the fact that the rain would likely deter most of the hordes. So we parked in The Wayside: Home of the Authors parking lot anyways. We were the only car there.
Also take note that Massachusetts in April is dark at 4:30 in the morning. With no lights, and the road to ourselves, we biked to the Hartwell Tavern entrance to the Battle Road Trail. In the dimness of early morning, we rode through the rain to the end of the trail. Then we switched to the road at 5:40am, glad that the Redcoats didn’t arrive till 6 o’clock.
Pedaling over the last few hills, we arrived just in time to hear the rest of the loudspeaker explanation of the events that were about to occur. We circled around the onlookers to find a spot where we could see the action. Right beside the road coming in from the east is where we ended up. We commandeered an excellent view of where the Regulars would come in, though it was a tad distant from the actual skirmish location.
As the rain petered out, hoofbeats clattered down the road, followed by frantic shouts for Captain Parker. “Captain Parker! Captain Parker!” the man cried. “The Regulars are coming! I need to speak with Captain Parker!”
The rider galloped up to the Buckman Tavern, where minutemen had stayed an uneasy night. The men poured across the green, where they formed into a solid line, bayoneted muskets held at the ready.
From the distance, a faint sound of beating drums, and then a fife reached our ears. You could imagine the tension building, with the ominous implications carried in that sound. Then the minutemen rallied their own drummers, filling the air with the sound of war.
Anticipation mounted as the music increased, and the Regulars rounded the corner. Their identical red ranks were perfectly straight, each soldier walking in time with the other.
Filing onto the Lexington Green, the Redcoats met the Lexington Minutemen. Angry shouting broke out from both sides. Then the Regulars fanned out, their numbers superior to the colonists’. They began to march forward, pressing towards the minutemen, who took a few hesitant steps back.
A shot rang out, and confusion ensued. Gunfire exploded back and forth, and colonists quickly fell dead and dying on the Green. Rounds blasted from an upstairs window of the Buckman Tavern, and soldiers fired back. The remaining colonists broke, fleeing. Called by their officer and the drums, the Redcoats regrouped into their columns. To the sound of Yankee Doodle, they marched across the field, now unopposed, onward to their goal of Concord.
A single boo rang out from the crowd at the huzzahs required of the Regulars, pulling a laugh from spectators. Then the soldiers were gone, leaving bloodshed in their path.
After a final thank you from the loudspeaker, the visitors dispersed rapidly, just as a downpour began. We stopped one of the scurrying reenactors to ask if they were marching to the North Bridge. He replied, “Not in this weather!”
But even when the Redcoats themselves bailed, sheltering in buildings and cars, we were stuck. Our vehicle awaited us back in Concord, so we pedaled on in the torrential downpour. The vague flickering from earlier formed itself into full-on lightning, accompanied by deafening thunder. Still we plowed on, through puddle-lakes along the Battle Road Trail. We stopped at the signposts, taking note of the various homes that witnessed the fateful day.
To note: April 19th, 1775 would have been a fine day, with no rain to spoil the muskets’ firing mechanisms.
Finally, we veered off the trail back onto Route 2A for the last leg. We decided to stop at the car and just drive into Concord. Approximately 11 miles were already under our belts, and we needed to leave right after the second reenactment.
Since it was 7:45am, the roads were still open. Beware: the roads are closed starting at 8:30 to make way for the parade route. We were able to snag a parking space right in front of the North Bridge Visitors Center.
After warming up, we walked down to the bridge. A small crowd had gathered on both sides, but there were no reenactors in sight. Finally, some park officials began to prepare for the event. Announcements were repeatedly made stating that the reenactment would start in 5 minutes.
At last, the Acton Minutemen, coming all the way from Acton by foot, arrived. However, not all the Regulars made it, so they agreed to just fire a salute from the North Bridge together.
Thoroughly soaked, and now chilly, we hustled away as soon as the second salute ended. We watched the third from the vantage point the 18th century colonists would’ve had on that fateful day.
When the smoke dissipated, we trudged to the car and drove home. Dry clothes were in short order!
Though you might be questioning your need to attend this event next year, I encourage you to go! No biking is necessary. There’s actually a school parking lot near the green where spectators can park. After the Lexington reenactment, multiple charities hold pancake breakfasts. I think that would be a great set up for those not inclined to a 10+ mile bike ride: warm up, eat, and then drive over to the North Bridge. The thrill from witnessing a critical moment from over 200 years ago is well worth it.
Also: be on the lookout next April for related events happening all month long! Here are two websites I found to have great information.
Patriots’ Day 2019 – The 244th Anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord. – Minute Man National Historical Park (U.S. National Park Service)
Each year in mid-April, thousands of people flock to historic Lexington and Concord and Minute Man National Historical Park to celebrate Patriots’ Day. Patriots’ Day is a special Massachusetts State holiday commemorating the opening battle of the American Revolutionary War, April 19, 1775.
Patriots Day Schedule 2019 – Reenactments, Parades, Events – Boston Discovery Guide
Patriots Day schedule includes a Patriots Day Parade in Boston plus dozens of major re-enactments of the first day of the American Revolution as local Militia and Minute Men companies commemorate the events of April 19, 1775 in Boston, Lexington, Lincoln, Arlington, Bedford, and Concord.
