Howdy Everyone
We had an awesome class on Saturday.
A group of men, fathers/sons, family and friends.
We had a great safe class that learned and worked all day.
When polled most of the class selected no pictures so no pictures this time.
We had a wonderful class, i hope to see you all in December.
As we talked about the three strikes a thought that struck home.
The Lexington Green.
In the predawn light of April 19, between 50 and 70 militiamen to the town green at Lexington. As they lined up in battle formation the distant sound of marching feet and shouted orders alerted them of the Redcoats' approach. Soon the British column emerged through the morning fog and the confrontation that would launch a nation began.
"Lay down your arms, you damned rebels..."
Twenty-three-year-old Sylvanus Wood was one of the Lexington militia who answered the call that spring morning.
I, Sylvanus Wood, of Woburn, in the county of Middlesex, and commonwealth of Massachusetts, aged seventy-four years, do testify and say that on the morning of the 19th of April, 1775.
By this time many of the company had gathered around the captain at the hearing of the drum, where we stood, which was about half way between the meetinghouse and Buckman's tavern. Parker says to his men, 'Every man of you, who is equipped, follow me; and those of you who are not equipped, go into the meeting-house and furnish yourselves from the magazine, and immediately join the company.' Parker led those of us who were equipped to the north end of Lexington Common, near the Bedford Road, and formed us in single file. I was stationed about in the centre of the company. While we were standing, I left my place and went from one end of the company to the other and counted every man who was paraded, and the whole number was thirty-eight, and no more.
Confrontation at Lexington Green
The British troops approached us rapidly in platoons, with a general officer on horseback at their head. The officer came up to within about two rods of the centre of the company, where I stood, the first platoon being about three rods distant. They there halted.
The officer then swung his sword, and said, 'Lay down your arms, you damned rebels, or you are all dead men. Fire!'
Just at this time, Captain Parker ordered every man to take care of himself. The company immediately dispersed; and while the company was dispersing and leaping over the wall, the second platoon of the British fired and killed some of our men. There was not a gun fired by anv of Captain Parker's company, within my knowledge. I was so situated that I must have known it, had any thing of the kind taken place before a total dispersion of our company.
http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/lexington.htm