The first exchange of fire during the American Revolutionary War<\/a> actually arose out of a failed attempt to try and prevent conflict.<\/p>\n In April 1775, as tensions rose between the two sides and frustrated American colonists began to form militias, stories started circulating that patriot weapons were being stockpiled in the town of Concord. When the rumours reached the ears of Massachusetts governor Major-General Thomas Gage, he quickly ordered Lieutenant-Colonel Francis Smith to travel to Concord with an 800-strong force to seize the cache of arms and ammunition.<\/p>\n The colonists, however, were one step ahead and had already been tipped off about the incoming British forces. Several patriots are said to have ridden through the night on horseback to alert the local militia, giving them time to mobilise and intercept the British troops.<\/p>\n Therefore, on the morning of 19 April, a group of armed patriots \u2013 largely made up of tradesmen and farmers \u2013 confronted Smith and his men at Lexington Green, some seven miles from Concord. Spotting the gathered militia ahead, Major John Pitcairn and his light infantry were sent forward, leaving Smith behind with the bulk of the forces. Pitcairn demanded that the militia disband, but before long \u2013 despite both sides having had orders not to shoot \u2013 the air was filled with the sound of gunfire.<\/p>\n Who fired the first shot is still debated today, but British troops eventually charged towards the patriots, killing eight militiamen and injuring 10 more. Just one redcoat was injured.<\/p>\n The colonists retreated, and Smith and Pitcairn pushed on towards Concord, determined to find the hidden weapons. But a further skirmish with the now-reinforced militiamen took place as Smith attempted to secure the North Bridge over the Concord River. Outnumbered and outmanoeuvred, the British troops suffered several casualties and were forced into a humiliating retreat all the way back to Boston, dodging bullets fired from trees and houses for the entirety of their journey.<\/p>\n By the time the British reached Boston, they had lost 73 men, with a further 173 wounded and 26 missing. Within two days, more than 15,000 patriots had surrounded the town, marking the start of a siege that would last nearly 11 months (see below).<\/p>\n While the skirmishes at Lexington and Concord saw relatively few casualties, it was a political disaster for the British. What had begun as a mission to confiscate weapons had culminated in an embarrassing retreat and inspired thousands more to join the patriot cause, turning a colonial revolt into full-blown war.<\/p>\n Who won? <\/strong>Patriot victory Buoyed with confidence after the skirmishes at Lexington and Concord in April 1775, the patriots\u2019 next aim was to take the city of Boston, which had been occupied by British troops since 1768. Clashes between British soldiers and colonists had been frequent in Boston in the build-up to war, and the patriots knew the town would not be an easy win, since its harbour allowed the British to receive supplies and reinforcements.<\/p>\n As such, a lengthy siege unfolded, with occasional military clashes, such as the battle of Bunker Hill in June 1775 (see below), at which the British emerged victorious, despite suffering devastating losses.<\/p>\n Much of the 11-month siege saw little in the way of actual fighting, but the arrival of General George Washington<\/a> in July 1775 saw him take control of the newly formed Continental Army, introducing structure and discipline, and combining the various militias to create a united fighting force. Crucially, Washington oversaw the fortification of Dorchester Heights \u2013 an elevated position over the town \u2013 and armed it with powerful cannons that had been captured from the British-held Fort Ticonderoga in New York.<\/p>\n Heavy bombardment of Boston began in March 1776, and Britain\u2019s General William Howe ultimately ordered an evacuation via sea to Nova Scotia, along with many other loyalists who had been trapped in the town.<\/p>\n![\"""\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/7\/2022\/07\/battle-of-Lexington-3823949.png?quality=90&resize=620%2C411"\" "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Siege of Boston: c19 April 1775 \u2013 17 March 1776<\/h2>\n
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