Front:
AMERICAN REVOLUTION BICENTENNIAL
1975 Series
SPIRIT
OF
★★*
76
Lexington & Concord 1775 by Sandham.
APR
19
1975
FIRST DAY OF ISSUE
02173
Commemorating
BATTLES OF LEXINGTON &CONCORD
LEXINGTON, BIRTH OF LIBERTY
Fleetwood
philodelphio
PHILADELPHIA'76 Official First Day Cover
ON.MA
Back:
LEXINGTON, BIRTH OF LIBERTY
Alerted by Paul Revere a few hours before, Captain John Parker
and his company of Minutemen awaited the approach of the
British Redcoats on the village green in Lexington shortly after
dawn on April 19, 1775. It was there Captain Parker uttered his
prophetic command: “Stand your ground. Don't fire unless fired
upon, but if they mean to have a war, let it begin here!" Although
neither side intended to provoke a fight, an anonymous shot
heard 'round the world pierced the morning air, and a British
Redcoat fell wounded, thus beginning the American Revolution.
The Redcoats quickly answered that first shot with repeated
volleys, which left 8 Americans dead and another 10 wounded.
Word of the bloodshed at Lexington spread throughout the
countryside like wildfire, and other companies of militia quickly
rallied in response to repel the British thrust towards Concord.
