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Battle of Lexington. 1777-1832. © Library of Congress.

The Battle of Lexington. 1775. Amos Doolittle (engraver) and Ralph Earl (artist). New York Public Library.

The Aftermath of Lexington and Concord

The Revolution Begins: The Aftermath of the Battles of Lexington and Concord

The Battles of Lexington and Concord took a toll on both sides. For the colonists, 49 were killed, 39 were wounded, and five were missing. For the British, 73 were killed, 174 were wounded, and 26 were missing. While the colonists lost many minutemen, the Battles of Lexington and Concord were considered a major military victory and displayed to the British and King George III that unjust behavior would not be tolerated in America. The battles also constituted the first military conflicts of the American Revolution.

Map of the Battle of Lexington
A slightly inaccurate hand-colored map depicting the 1775 Battles of Lexington and Concord and the Siege of Boston. J. DeCosta. 1775. Library of Congress.

Preparing For A Revolution

Interestingly, Parliament had drafted an act called the Conciliatory Proposition that would alleviate some of the burdens of taxation in the colonies by replacing taxation with “voluntary contributions”. By the time the act had been brought before the Continental Congress in May, the Battles of Lexington and Concord had already occurred and the proposition was rejected. The revolution had been stirring for a long time, with tensions rising and finally breaking into armed conflict during the Battles of Lexington and Concord. William Pitt, an American sympathizer in Parliament, rejoiced for the colonists because they had employed military force to defend their beliefs. While Pitt was pleased, Thomas Gage was shocked. Such a reaction to his arms raid was highly unexpected and cast Gage in a negative light. While the Patriots celebrated their victories at Lexington and Concord and prepared for a revolution, Gage was later shipped back to England in shame.

“Nevertheless, to the persecution and tyranny of his cruel ministry we will not tamely submit – appealing to Heaven for the justice of our cause, we determine to die or be free.”
~ Joseph Warren, 1775
Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum Profile Picture

Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum

This page was developed with the help of one of our great cast members here at the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum®.

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