6 - 7 AM From Lexington to Concord
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| Colonel Barrett's Farm |
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When the British column reached Concord, Lieutenant
Colonel Smith saw some Minutemen on a ridge overlooking the town. He
sent out the Light Infantry as flankers to clear them off the ridge.
The Minutemen retired without firing to a second ridge opposite North
Bridge. As Colonel Smith surveyed the land around him from a graveyard with Major Pitcairn, he saw "vast
numbers of Minutemen assembling in many parts."
He then sent out two
parties, three companies of Light Infantry under the command of Captain
Walter Laurie of the 43rd Regiemnt to guard North Bridge, and another
four companies of Light Infantry under the command of Captain Lawrence
Parsons of the 10th Regiment to go search Colonel Barrett's farm for
military stores hidden there. At the same time, Colonel Smith sent out
another Light Infantry company under the command of Captain Munday in the opposite direction to destroy any
military stores that they find and to guard South Bridge.
Colonel Barrett who was in general command of the militia of Concord
ordered his Minutemen to cross the Concord river and await
reenforcements on Pankatasset Hill. As soon as the militia was on
Pankatasset Hill, the 7 Light Infantry companies arrived at North
Bridge. Captain Laurie and his companies stayed to guard the bridge
while Captain Parsons lead his companies to search Barrett's farm. In
all about 500 musket balls were dumped into mill pond the rest of the
supplies was hidden by Colonel Barrett before the British reached his
farm.
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| One of the Doolittle engravings that depicts the British in Concord |
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