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The '''Minute Men''' were American Patriots who prepared for war as the British government denied more and more rights and liberties in the early 1770s. Based on local militias, they were elite, well-trained units prepared to assemble at a minute's notice.
The '''Minute Men''' were American Patriots who prepared for war as the British government denied more and more rights and liberties in the early 1770s. Based on local militias, they were elite, well-trained units prepared to assemble at a minute's notice.
Up and down the colonies companies were readied. In Virginia for example a Patriot state convention ordered all the counties activate and train their militia . Some six thousand minute men were to assemble frequently, drill intensively, and hold themselves in readiness to move at a moment's notice. Arms and ammunition were to be bought whereever they could be found. A [[gunpowder]] mill was set up and lead was mined and smelted. Every white man who had a rifle, gunpowder, or gun was asked to sell or loan the same to the colony.
General [[Thomas Gage]], the commander of the British army in North America, correctly reported to London in 1775 that men throughout New England were "exercising in Arms … and getting magazines of Arms and Ammunition … and such Artillery, as they can procure."
==Battle of Lexington and Concord, 1775==
==Battle of Lexington and Concord, 1775==
The planning worked well, for when on the night of April 18-19, 1775, the British in Boston sent out an elite regiment of 700 men to capture Patriot leaders and supplies at Concord, the Minute Men were ready. Alerted by [[Paul Revere]], [[William Dawes]] and other riders, 4,000 Minute Men assembled in the night at pre-assigned places alongthe 20 mile route. They attacked the British column as it retreated back to Boston. Gaining the better of the fight, they nearly destroyed the British until rescuers arrived. The British suffered 273 dead, wounded and missing; there were 93 American casualties. News of the Battle of Lexington and Concord immediately raced through the 13 colonies, as dozens of volunteer militia units marched to help Boston. The British were trapped and finally left in March 1776, setting the stage for the [[Declaration of Independence]].
The planning worked well, for when on the night of April 18-19, 1775, General Gage in Boston sent out an elite regiment of 700 men to capture Patriot leaders and supplies at Concord, the Minute Men were ready. Alerted by [[Paul Revere]], [[William Dawes]] and other riders, 4,000 Minute Men assembled in the night at pre-assigned places along the 20 mile route. They attacked the British column as it retreated back to Boston. Gaining the better of the fight, they nearly destroyed the British until rescuers arrived. The British suffered 273 dead, wounded and missing; there were 93 American casualties. News of the Battle of Lexington and Concord immediately raced through the 13 colonies, as dozens of volunteer militia units marched to help Boston. The British were trapped and finally left in March 1776, setting the stage for the [[Declaration of Independence]].
The Minute Men became iconic heroes of patriotism and civic duty in terms of American [[Republicanism]]
The Minute Men became iconic heroes of patriotism and civic duty in terms of American [[Republicanism]]