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The place we call home, the United States of America, is one year away from celebrating its 250^th anniversary.

On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence, formally declaring the 13 American colonies independent from Great Britain. This document, primarily written by Thomas Jefferson, declared that the colonies were “Free and Independent States,” absolved from British rule, and empowered to engage in war, peace, and other sovereign acts.”

But to gain that independence, blood was shed and lives were lost as Great Britain wished to maintain its iron-fisted rule over our ancestors. It was actually one year earlier (1775) where the battle for our freedom began.

This past Saturday (April 19) marked the 250^th anniversary of the initial armed combat of what became the Revolutionary War. It was in Lexington, Massachusetts where the first shots of that war were fired.

According to the website battlefields.org, British General Thomas Gage decided to seize weapons and gun powder being stored in Concord in an effort to prevent violence. But the American patriots learned of Gage’s plan. That prompted the legendary Paul Revere to join with other riders to spread the word that the “British were coming”…. 800 of them to be exact.

On the evening of April 18, 1775, Gage’s troops left Boston and arrived early the next morning into the small town of Lexington. There they were greeted by a militia company of more 70 men led by Captain John Parker. When the British force rushed forward upon the town green, Captain Parker immediately ordered his company to disperse. At some point a shot rang out (historians still debate who fired the shot.) The nervous British soldiers fired a volley, killing seven and mortally wounding one of the retreating militiamen.

The British column then moved on towards Concord, leaving the dead, wounded, and dying in their wake. Little did they know at that time that Parker and his small band of Minute Men would have their revenge later that day.

Arriving in Concord roughly three hours later, British commanders Francis Smith and John Pitcairn ordered several companies, about 220 troops in all, to secure the north bridge across the Concord River and then continue on another mile to the Barrett Farm, where a suspected cache of arms and powder was presumably located. By the time the British arrived at the North Bridge, a growing assembly of close to 400 Minute Men from Concord and the surrounding towns had gathered on the high ground overlooking the north bridge. From their vantage point on the hill they could see smoke rising from Concord, the result of British burning some supplies that they had uncovered.

Thinking the town was being put to the torch, Lieutenant Joseph Hosmer of Concord shouted to his fellow officers, “Will you let them burn the town down?” The decision was then made to take action. Col. James Barrett ordered his companies to march upon the bridge but not to fire upon the British soldiers unless first fired upon. The Acton Company, commanded by 30-year-old Captain Isaac Davis, was placed at the head of the column. When asked if they were prepared to confront the British troops, Davis said, “I haven’t a man afraid to go.”

The Minute Men formed up and marched down the hill. As they did so, the British soldiers, intimidated by the colonial numbers and orderly advance, retreated to the opposite shore and prepared to defend themselves. When Davis’s company came within range, British soldiers opened fire, killing Davis and also Abner Hosmer, another Acton Minute Man. Major Buttrick of Concord shouted, “For God’s sake, fire!” and the Minute Men replied with their own volley, killing three British soldiers and wounding nine others. This volley is what is considered “the shot heard round the world.”

The rest of the British troops retreated back to town where they regrouped and attempted to return to Boston, but by now the word had spread to the point where thousands of patriots descended on the area. The British were attacked from all sides by swarms of angry Minute Men along what is now known as Battle Road. When they reached Lexington, John Parker and his men had their revenge, firing on the British regulars from behind cover. For the next 12 miles, the British were continually ambushed by Minute Men shooting from behind trees, rock walls, and buildings.

The emotions of this fight carried well beyond April 19, inspiring American warriors to “rise up and fight again” even in the face of staggering odds against them.

Having heard of the morning fighting at Lexington, General Gage ordered Lord Percy to march from Boston with a relief column. The column reached Smith and Pitcairn’s men on the eastern outskirts of Lexington, but Minute Men continued to pour in as word spread quickly throughout the area. Among these minute and militia companies were many African Americans, both free and enslaved, who took up arms and fought alongside their white neighbors.

The British conducted a running fight until they could get under the cover of British guns in ships anchored in the waterways surrounding Boston. But by that time it was clear that the day had been a disaster for the British with 73 dead and many more wounded compared to the patriot’s loss of 49 killed.

To honor and celebrate our past, the America250 project is a nonpartisan initiative working to engage every American in commemorating the 250th anniversary of our country. This multi-year effort, from now through July 4, 2026, is an opportunity to pause and reflect on our nation’s past, honor the contributions of all Americans, and look ahead toward the future we want to create for the next generation and beyond.

Here in North Carolina, each county will receive funding to use for hosting events that salute our nation’s independence. Our newspaper has reported on the initial stages of this effort by county officials in the Roanoke-Chowan area. Some have gotten a head start by appointing committees to offer suggestions of how we can celebrate.

Stay tuned to the Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald and Gates County Index for more information over the coming months.

Cal Bryant is the Editor of Roanoke-Chowan Publications. Contact him at cal.bryant@r-cnews.com or 252-332-7207.