Patriots Day: Redcoats, minutemen remember bridge battle

It felt just like 1775, except there was an audience to boo the British regulars as they retreated from the North Bridge.

Couples, families and hundreds of other visitors lined the path leading from Monument Street to the North Bridge, as well as the fields on either side, to witness the annual Commemoration of the Concord Conflict on Saturday morning.

The event is among several of the area's Patriots Day activities, marking the 233rd anniversary of the start of the Revolutionary War.

"It's a real honor to be part of this history that happened in this town so many years ago," said Jim McGrath of Acton, a member of the Concord Minute Men. "It warms my heart just to be a part of the Minute Men and to reenact what happened here."

Lou Sideris, chief of planning and communications for Minute Man National Historical Park, recounted the events of April 19, 1775, for the audience as visitors awaited the battle.

"There was a lot of tension in this area," Sideris said.

Contrary to popular belief that the colonial militias were rag-tag groups of farmers with little training, Sideris said each town had an organized militia company that drilled on town commons and was trained to fight if necessary. He compared the colonial militias to the volunteer fire departments of today - they have a roster, have had the proper training and are prepared to respond when needed.

In addition, about one quarter of each militia company was trained to be the first responders if fighting broke out. This subgroup was called the minutemen <span style="font-size: 9pt;">- they had to be ready within a minute's notice.</span>

As two young boys played their fifes up and down the path, visitors double checked their cameras and parents hurried to make sure their children were in good spots to see the action. People stood on stone walls to get a better view. In a field below, a group of children, donning tricorn hats and wooden muskets, passed the time pretending to be their own company of minutemen.

For Jonathan Skroch of West Roxbury, Saturday marked his first time witnessing the commemoration of the North Bridge battle.

"It sounded interesting," said Skroch, who came with Sarah Pryputniewicz, also of West Roxbury.

When asked why she wanted to be there, Pryputniewicz said, "Out of respect for our history and what the patriots actually did, and the fact that most politicians are willing to throw it away today."

As Sideris told the crowd about the British's march to Concord to search for munitions, militia companies started their march across the bridge, followed later by companies of British regulars. Both crossed the bridge, the militia standing further up the hill near the Buttrick Mansion.

Sideris told the audience about how the British began to burn gun carriages in Concord Center when an elderly resident, Martha Moulton, realized the fire was spreading to the Town House. Moulton tried to convince the soldiers to extinguish the fire. Eventually they did, but the water caused black clouds of smoke to rise above the town. Seeing this and thinking their town was burning, the militiamen became enraged.

"The American officers debated whether to challenge the British soldiers guarding the bridge," Sideris said. "They were there to defend their rights and the town."

A hush fell over the crowd as it watched the militiamen march toward the North Bridge - and the British. The militia got closer, and the British retreated to the other side of the bridge. The order was given to fire, and soon the air was filled with the smell of gunpowder and the smoke and booms from the muskets.

The battle lasted all of three minutes, but left two British soldiers dead, one mortally wounded and several others injured.

"Here was the first time the colonists were ordered to fire on the King's troops," Sideris said.

For the Tunnos of Framingham, attending the commemoration became a family affair. Son Anthony, 10, had just completed a school project on Paul Revere. His work got his parents, Anne and Tony, and siblings, Alyssa, 7, and Joey, 5, interested in the Revolution.

Tony said being at the battle commemoration offered an additional perspective to Anthony's history schoolbook.

"It was cool," said Anthony. "I liked the guns."

When asked what he thought of the battle, Joey answered, "Awesome."

Alyssa said her favorite part was when the soldiers began to fight.

"My favorite part was watching them march," said Tony. "Their faces were really expressive. I was kind of nervous actually."