The Aftermath of the Fighting at Lexington and Concord
By Phin Upham
The tense exchange of fire at Lexington and Concord was not the romanticized spectacle the movies make it out to be, but it was an important test of strength for both sides in the American Revolutionary War. The British learned that the Americans had a particular style of fighting that could prove highly effective against the traditional military methods of engagement.
More immediately, whispers of violence began to reach Boston and it became clear that war was officially on with the British. During the days directly after the fabled battles, the colonial militia grew significantly in size.
In Boston, the climate was a bit different. War was on the horizon, and General Thomas Gage was confiscating weapons from private citizenry, promising that any citizen could leave town, most likely to try and calm people down and stave off the fighting.
No doubt that is exactly what the British had in mind when they invaded Lexington and Concord in the first place, looking for a cache of military supplies believed to be stored in the area. While neither side received heavy casualties, the British side proved to lose the most as they had found nearly nothing for their efforts. Most of the weapons had been relocated, save for some artillery cannons and muskets.
The battles also touched off a conflict over popular opinion of the British, which had been brewing for some time but might not have come to a head so quickly. Already, the Intolerable Acts had gotten people thinking about revolt. Firing shots at colonists was the final push New Englanders needed to properly revolt.
About the Author: Phin Upham is an investor at a family office/ hedgefund, where he focuses on special situation illiquid investing. Before this position, Phin Upham was working at Morgan Stanley in the Media and Telecom group. You may contact Phin on his Phin Upham website or Facebook page.
