The Minutemen
Liz G.
The American soldiers, known as the Minutemen, were "patriot-soldiers"
who could be "called to arssms at a minute's notice"-hence the
name Minutemen. Massachusetts was the first colony to organize a group
of Minutemen, in 1774, in Worcester county. The regiment was organized
by the Massachusetts Provincial Congress. The original intent of the Congress
was to expand the militia and strengthen patriotism. However, the Minutemen
were never expanded to other counties in Massachusetts. The Minutemen
were a vital component of the American rebellion against the British.
American soldiers-Minutemen or militiamen used muskets
(pictured below right), hoes, rakes, and shovels. Rifles could be made
but were much more expensive. Muskets were not very accurate and weren't
useful
over long distances. They also produced a cloud of smoke which obscured
vision. Muskets were also quite powerful at close range. Canons were also
used. They could be made of brass but were commonly made of iron which
was cheaper. They were not very accurate and were difficult to transport.
However, the ere two advantages that the Americans had over the British
in terms of military strategy. The Americans' dull plain clothing blended
into the New England landscape; whereas the bright red coats of the British
made them easy targets. They hid behind rocks and up in trees, rather
than marching in columns like the British, putting them at distinct advantage.
In the long run, American casualties were far fewer because
of their aforementioned military tactics. The British followed the traditional
European style of marching in columns and rows, which produced far more
casualties. Here are the statistics:
| * | British | American |
| Killed | 73 | 8 |
| Wounded | 174 | 10 |
| Totals | 247 | 18 |
*statistics for the Battles of Lexington and Concord only
At the Battle of Lexington, seventy Minutemen were led by
Captain John Parker. The British contingent consisted of somewhere between
six and seven hundred highly trained soldiers, with, for the time, highly
sophisticated weapons. This formidable enemy makes the American victory
in the revolutionary war, all the more amazing.
Bibliography
Eggenberger, David. Encyclopedia of Battles. New
York, Dover Publications: 1985
Graff, Henry. The Free and the Brave. Chicago, Rand
McNally&Co.: 1967
Hirsch, E.D. What Your First Grader Needs To Know.
New York, Doubleday: 1991
Hudson, Charles. History of Lexington Massachusetts.
Boston and New York, Houghton Mifflin Co.-The Riverside Press, 1913
The American Revolution Home Page. Homepage. 10/29/00. 1998-1999. Ronald McGranahan http://www.dell.homestead.com/revwar/files/index.htm
The Weapons of the American Revolution. Homepage. 10/29/00. Andrei Vallejo Margarit http://www.mandia.com/kelly/webpage/99_student_pages/american_rev_weapons/Project.htm
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Homepage. 10/29/00.(10/7/99). http://www.wpi.edu/Academics/Depts/MilSci/BTSI/abs_lex.html
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