250-year-old musket balls from Concord Fight discovered in Mᴀssachusetts

Archaeologists from the National Park Service have unearthed five musket balls fired during the opening battle of the Revolutionary War on April 19, 1775, at Minute Man National Historical Park in Concord, Mᴀssachusetts.

250-year-old musket balls from Concord Fight discovered in MᴀssachusettsOne of musket balls recently discovered in Mᴀssachusetts. Credit: National Park Service

The musket balls were found during compliance activities conducted in preparation for the park’s Great American Outdoors Act project. These musket balls were discovered at the North Bridge site, a key location within the park where provincial militia members first fired upon British troops. This engagement marked the first time American forces advanced in formation and routed British regulars, leading to a significant retreat back to Boston.

The North Bridge battle is a pivotal moment in American history. On that fateful day, provincial minutemen and militia companies faced British soldiers who had marched from Boston to Concord in search of military supplies. As the colonial militia approached the North Bridge, British troops fired first, prompting John ʙuттrick of Concord to issue his famous order: “Fire! Fellow soldiers. For God’s sake, fire!” The resulting volley from the militia forced the British to retreat, an event immortalized by Ralph Waldo Emerson in his 1837 “Concord Hymn” as “The SH๏τ Heard ‘Round the World.”

Minute Man Park Ranger and historic weapons specialist Jarrad Fuoss said: “It’s incredible that we can stand here and hold what amounts to just a few seconds of history that changed the world almost 250 years ago. These musket balls can be considered collectively as ‘The SH๏τ Heard ‘Round the World,’ and it is incredible that they have survived this long. It is also a poignant reminder that we are all stewards of this battlefield and are here to preserve and protect our shared history.”

250-year-old musket balls from Concord Fight discovered in MᴀssachusettsThe Struggle at Concord Bridge. April 1775. Copy of engraving by W. J. Edwards after Alonzo Chappel, circa 1859., 1927. Credit: National Archives and Records Administration, Public Domain

Further analysis of the musket balls has provided additional information about the battle. Each musket ball was fired from the opposite side of the river, supporting contemporary accounts that British soldiers had formed up to resist the river crossing by the militia.

The fighting which included skirmishes in both Lexington and Concord, marked the beginning of the American Revolutionary War. The day began with a brief skirmish in Lexington, resulting in the deaths of eight militia members. The British then proceeded to Concord, where the conflict at North Bridge occurred. Historians note that the battle at the bridge resulted in 18 casualties, with more than 120 people losing their lives in the overall engagements of the day.

The newly discovered musket balls will be on display at Minute Man National Historical Park during the park’s Archeology Day events. As Fuoss emphasized, these artifacts serve as powerful reminders of the bravery and resolve of the colonial militia members who fought for their liberty nearly 250 years ago.

National Parks Service

Related Posts

Neanderthals turned cave lion bones into multifunctional tools 130,000 years ago, study reveals

Neanderthals turned cave lion bones into multifunctional tools 130,000 years ago, study reveals

A recent discovery in Belgium’s Scladina Cave has unveiled the oldest known multi-purpose tools made from the bones of a cave lion, offering evidence of Neanderthal resourcefulness…

Donkey sacrifice from 4,500 years ago in ancient Gath reveals early Canaan–Egypt trade

Donkey sacrifice from 4,500 years ago in ancient Gath reveals early Canaan–Egypt trade

Archaeologists have unearthed a discovery in central Israel that sheds light on ancient Canaan and Egypt’s cultural and economic relations from about 4,500 years ago. Four complete…

300,000-year-old wooden tools found in China reveal early humans’ plant-based diet and cognitive abilities in East Asia

300,000-year-old wooden tools found in China reveal early humans’ plant-based diet and cognitive abilities in East Asia

An important cache of 35 wooden tools, dated at an estimated 300,000 years ago, has been unearthed at the Gantangqing site in Yunnan Province, southwest China. This…

Lost medieval town of Hamarkaupangen rediscovered in Norway after years of searching

Lost medieval town of Hamarkaupangen rediscovered in Norway after years of searching

After searching and speculating for nearly a decade, archaeologists from the Norwegian Insтιтute for Cultural Heritage Research (NIKU) have confirmed they found the missing medieval town of…

Easter Island was not isolated: new study reveals Rapa Nui’s role in Polynesian culture

Easter Island was not isolated: new study reveals Rapa Nui’s role in Polynesian culture

Easter Island (Rapa Nui) has for decades been characterized as one of Polynesian culture’s most isolated and remote outposts, where the giant moai statues are located and…

Prehistoric arrowhead embedded in human rib reveals ancient violence in the Pyrenees over 4,000 years ago

Prehistoric arrowhead embedded in human rib reveals ancient violence in the Pyrenees over 4,000 years ago

A remarkable case of ancient violence has been discovered in a prehistoric burial site at 1,800 meters above sea level in the Catalan Pyrenees. Flint arrowhead embedded…