Boston 1775: The shot heard around the world

Osprey Campaign #37

by Brendan Morrissey

The British assault on Breed's Hill and the burning of Charlestown were the first major battles of the American Revolution; after the events at Boston there was no turning back. This detailed text by Brendan Morrissey explores the opposing commanders and forces involved, whilst describing how the sparks at Lexington and Concord ignited the smouldering resentment of the Colonists into the flame of a rebellion. Colonist militia were pitted against British Redcoats in a series of struggles which led the British to evacuate Boston and to George Washington taking command of the fledgling American army.

Genres: History, Military History, American Revolution, Nonfiction, American Revolutionary War, American History, Military Fiction

96 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1993

About the author

Brendan Morrissey trained as a lawyer before working as a PR consultant and writer in the defense industry, principally with British Aerospace. He has a long-standing interest in military affairs and Anglo–American relations. He is married and lives in Surrey, UK.

Reviews

[Joe Krakovsky · Rating 5 out of 5]

BOSTON 1775 tells the story of the events leading up to the outbreak of war between the 13 Colonies and Great Britain. The Stamp Act, the Boston Massacre, and the Boston Tea Party are mentioned briefly, as is the firing of the first shots at Lexington. It was there that British troops first engaged the American militiamen.

Prior to that things had been heating up between the colonists and the British troops. The British General Gage had to defend English territory from foreign invaders, think France and Spain, as well as keep the peace, and he had to do this without antagonizing the colonists any further. In the meantime the Provincial Congress was reacting to what they thought were British provocations by organizing the 'minutemen' who would assemble with their arms at a minute's notice, and the alarm riders, such as Paul Revere, who would sound the call to arms. These minutemen were composed of militiamen who were the defense force when the British troops weren't around. The logic, similar to that stated by 2nd Amendment supporters today, was that when the British (cops) aren't around, one had to have the means to defend one's self. Militia firearms were registered, but they were required to own them and keep them at home. Failure to do so resulted in a fine. The difference between the militia and minutemen seemed to be that the militia would respond to such threats as Indian attacks while the Minutemen were formed to counter the British threats. The Continental Army was raised for the battle though it was mainly fought by militia units. Americans distrusted a standing army, for that was what opposed them.

It was on April 19th, 1775, at Lexington, that the first confrontation took place that ended in bloodshed. Up until that time whenever armed colonists barred the way the British stood down instead of forcing the issue. On that fateful day a shot was fired, either intentionally or by accidental discharge. In response the British troops fired a volley which killed or wounded several of those armed men barring their way. Fed up with Colonists provocations over the years, some of the British then charged with bayonets. After order was restored to their ranks, the British moved on to Concord. In the process of spiking the cannon they found there, so they couldn't shoot, and burning the limbers so they couldn't be moved, some buildings caught fire. Because of the slain patriots and burned dwellings, the militia gathered and began to harass the British as they marched back to Boston. Casualties were suffered by both sides, though the British lost more men. War had finally broken out.

The book goes on to describe the battle for Boston which was occupied by the British. During the night the Americans began to fortify Breed's and Bunker hills outside of Boston. At first the British sentries ignored the sound of the digging but when the alarm was finally raised, the British officers were watching a play about battle between Americans and the British. When the individual ran out on stage to announce the alarm, the audience clapped and cheered as they thought it was part of the play.

The actual battle was no laughing matter. It took the British three attempts to force the Americans out of their entrenchments. Each time they advanced up the hills American gunfire decimated their ranks and drove them back. But powder was running short so the order was given to wait until the enemy got close enough so as not to miss, and thus was born the saying, "Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes." The British had received reinforcements for their third attempt while the Americans ranks thinned as the fair weather patriots abandoned their positions. So the British finally drove the Americans from the fortifications. They won the battle, at a heavy price, but eventually gave up Boston to the Americans.

Like several titles from the early Osprey Campaign series, there is a chapter devoted to playing a war game of this battle. Even if war gaming isn't something you do, it is worthwhile to read the chapter, for in giving ideas for 'what if' situations one can get additional background information not apparent in the text.

Some interesting facts were mentioned in the book. For one thing, Dr. Joseph Warren, killed and buried in an unmarked grave on Breed's Hill, was identified by dental records. He had two false teeth made by Paul Revere.

Also, included is an interview in 1842 between historian Mellen Chamberlain and Captain Preston, a survivor of the fight at Concord Bridge. It goes as follows:

"Did you take up arms against intolerable oppressions?"
"Oppressions? I didn't feel them."
"Were you not oppressed by the Stamp Act?"
"I never saw one ... (and) certainly never paid a penny for one of them."
"Well, what about the Tea Tax?"
"I never drank a drop of the stuff!"
"Then I suppose you had been reading ... about the eternal principles of liberty?"
"We read only The Bible, The Catechism, Watt's Psalms and Hymns, and the Almanac"
"Well then ... what did you mean in going to the fight?"
"What we meant ... was this: we had always governed ourselves and we always meant to."

[°.*• Evangeline •*.° · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Their flag to April's breeze unfurled, Here once the embattled farmers stood, And fired the shot heard round the world. Down the dark stream which seaward creeps.”

Love this book so much💃🏼
I’ve studied this story for so long and no matter how many times I read about it or see it talked about in museums, it still grabs my attention. Every. Single. Time.

[Sean Chick · Rating 4 out of 5]

A concise account of the American Revolution's first battles in Massachusetts. Morrissey brings a British perspective that is a good antidote to American myths. Like most Brits, he does not give much credit to the ideology or "radicalism" of the Revolution, instead seeing it as a contest over self-government that turned violent due to British bureaucratic blunders and the machinations of a few colonials of ill repute. As an introduction to the war's opening phase it does suffice.

[Glyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another excellent Campaign series title from Osprey.

This work gives more of a British perspective than some of the flag waving patriotic American texts but that is never a bad thing. The text is clear and concise. His writing style is highly readable and his descriptions of the actions and the characters involved are involving and much to be praised.

He does not shy from highlighting both the political ineptitude of a British government nor the less than sterling patriotism of some colonists. The idea that people burned their own buildings down around Concord in an insurance scam and then attempted to blame the Redcoats for it, is just one of the odd nuggets to come out of the text Nobody is really castigated, General Gage probably comes off worst but he is implied to have been put in a no win situation surrounded by downright hostile civilians who actively spied on him and either attacked, bribed or stole from his troops.

His analysis that (especially at Lexington and Concord) the militias were actually more experienced and effective than the regular professionals is interesting and worth more consideration. He argues that they contained many French & Indian War veterans as well as men who had fought in the Ponitac War whereas the British Regiments had not seen fighting for at least a decade and in some cases far longer. He suggests that the carnage at Breed's Hill was partly down to inexperience and lack of higher level quality. The Colonists not really having any command between Company captain and Brigade General whist the British were constantly having to create new plans as mutiple same level commanders with no clear chain of command impeded each other.

Despite all of this, my favourite part of this book is right at the end. He quotes from an 1812 interviw of a Concord Colonial veteran by an American journalist. Even in print you can imagine the bemused look on the old man's face and the growing concern of the journalist when this tranpired
"Do you still remember the oppression that made you take up arms?"
"Oppression? Can''t really say I felt any of that"
"What about stamp duty?"
"Don't think I ever had one. Certainly never paid a penny for one."
"How about the tax on tea?"
"Never drank the stuff"
And so he went on, demolishing shibboleths of the revolution until the interviewer asked what he did actually fight for.
"We had always governed ourselves. Damned if we were going to let that change."

[John Peel · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a detailed look at the battles that began the American War of Independence, Morrissey gives a clear and interesting look at the participants and the field involved. It's a very well-written account of the most important battles in world history, and keeps one's interest instead of just being a dull history lesson.

[Michael Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Virtually all the history of the American Revolution one is taught in the elementary grades and in high school in this country emphasizes the “heroic” aspects of the struggle. All the textbook accounts, too, are written very much from the American viewpoint. It’s therefore very interesting to read a history of the beginnings of the war, from Concord to the siege of Boston, written by a British expert and giving equal time to the British point of view. Morrissey is not an academic historian but is a recognized military history expert who has also written texts on Saratoga, Quebec, and Yorktown. He begins here with the immediate background: Parliament’s colonial policies, politics in New England, and Gage’s dilemma in trying to prevent the conflict many could see coming. He examines the personalities and backgrounds of the senior military figures on both sides, and the frequent friction between the prim New Englanders and the unmannered frontier riflemen. Then he goes into detail in examining the nature of the soldiers on both sides -- infantry, cavalry, artillery, and irregulars. The battle maps are very detailed, as are the order of battle lists, and the color plates depicting the uniforms and weapons of units on both sides are up to Osprey’s standard -- though there aren’t as many as usual, and they’re scattered through the text. An altogether excellent treatment of the key series of events in U.S. history that not enough people understand, or even really know about.

[Shrike58 · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I liked some of this author's other writing for Osprey, at almost thirty years on since publication, this is a book that has become dated, particularly in terms of Morrissey's bibliography. Ten years ago I picked it up used (and very cheaply!), probably at a library book sale, because I had questions about nuts-and-bolts military details in regards to another work on 'Bunker Hill,' Paul Lockhart's "The Whites of Their Eyes." On the basis of such things as orders of battle, it still might have some utility, besides privileging a British perspective on events. I suspect that most readers are now going to pick up Nathaniel Philbrick's "Bunker Hill" as their go-to book on the battle.

[Marcus · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of better Campaign volumes with brief, but fact-filled and readable overview of the campaign, covering actions at Concord and Lexington, major engagement at Breed's Hill and subsequent siege. That final part of the campaign is disapointingly short; perhaps the main weakness of this volume.

As always, the narrative is supported by relevant contemporary graphic material, couple of uniform plates and absolutely georgous maps.

[Theresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

a great classroom resource for history classes, talkes about the events before and after the struggle for boston, it has pictures, documents, drawings and detailed information