9781422287583

10 Uncle Sam: International Symbol of America

“on a minute’s notice” to defend the colony. The minute- men at Lexington were there to prevent British troops from seizing their store of gunpowder and ammunition. The next morning, as the British troops approached Lexington, a small group became separated from Percy’s main force and strayed into the village of Menotomy. The men of the town captured 18 British soldiers. These were first prisoners taken in the Revolutionary War . According to local legend, six of the British soldiers were so frightened of the Menotomy villagers that, in their haste to give themselves up, they found an old woman pulling dandelions and surrendered to her. The prison- ers were soon turned over to the minutemen. Later that morning, Lord Percy’s soldiers met up with the 70 minutemen in Lexington. The fighting was brief. The minutemen were greatly outnumbered, but their heroism in the face of tremendous odds set the tone for the War for Independence that would follow. “Stand your ground,” the minutemen’s captain, John Parker, told his troops. “Don’t fire unless fired upon, but if they mean to have a war, let it begin here.” The British opened fire; eight minutemen were killed in the skirmish before the colonists retreated. The British soldiers chased the minutemen back down Medford Road. Again, the war found its way to the streets of Menotomy. Here, a fierce battle raged. Edward Wilson joined many other residents of the town and minutemen in fighting against the British invaders.