American Revolution Battles of Lexington and Concord

The Battles of Lexington Concord were fought on April 19, 1775, and were the opening actions of the American Revolution (1775-1783). Following several years of rising tensions that included the occupation of Boston by British troops, Boston Massacre, Boston Tea Party, and the Intolerable Acts, the military governor of Massachusetts, General Thomas Gage, began moving to secure the colonys military supplies to keep them from the Patriot militias. A veteran of the French and Indian War, Gages actions received official sanction on April 14, 1775, when orders arrived from the Secretary of State, the Earl of Dartmouth, commanding him to disarm the rebellious militias and to arrest key colonial leaders. This was fueled by Parliaments belief that a state of rebellion existed and the fact that large parts of the colony were under the effective control of the extralegal Massachusetts Provincial Congress. This body, with John Hancock as its president, had formed in late 1774 after Gage dissolved the provincial assembly.  Believing the militias to be hoarding supplies at Concord, Gage made plans for part of his force to march and occupy the town. British Preparations On April 16, Gage sent a scouting party out of the city towards Concord. While this patrol gathered intelligence, it also alerted the colonials that the British were planning to move against them. Aware of Gages orders from Dartmouth, many key colonial figures, such as Hancock and Samuel Adams, left Boston to seek safety in the country. Two days after the initial patrol, another 20 men led by Major Edward Mitchell of the 5th Regiment of Foot departed Boston and scouted the countryside for Patriot messengers as well as asked about the location of Hancock and Adams. The activities of Mitchells party further raised colonial suspicions.   In addition to sending out the patrol, Gage ordered Lieutenant Colonel Francis Smith to prepare a 700-man force to sortie from the city. His mission directed him to proceed to Concord and seize and destroy all Artillery, Ammunition, Provisions, Tents, Small Arms, and all Military Stores whatever. But you will take care that the Soldiers do not plunder the Inhabitants, or hurt private property. Despite Gages efforts to keep the mission a secret, including forbidding Smith to read his orders until departing the city, the colonists had long been aware of the British interest in Concord and word of the British raid quickly spread. Armies Commanders American Colonists John Parker (Lexington)James Barrett (Concord)William HeathJohn Buttrickrising to 4,000 men by days end British Lieutenant Colonel Francis SmithMajor John PitcairnHugh, Earl Percy700 men, reinforced by 1,000 men The Colonial Response As a result, many of the supplies at Concord had been removed to other towns. Around 9:00-10:00 that night, Patriot leader Dr. Joseph Warren informed Paul Revere and William Dawes that the British would be embarking that night for Cambridge and the road to Lexington and Concord. Slipping out of the city by different routes, Revere and Dawes made their famous ride west to warn that the British were approaching. In Lexington, Captain John Parker mustered the towns militia and had them fall into ranks on the town green with orders not to fire unless fired upon. In Boston, Smiths force assembled by the water at the western edge of the Common. As little provision had been made for planning the amphibious aspects of the operation, confusion soon ensued at the waterfront. Despite this delay, the British were able to cross to Cambridge in tightly packed naval barges where they landed at the Phipps Farm. Coming ashore through waist-deep water, the column paused to resupply before starting their march towards Concord around 2:00 AM. First Shots Around sunrise, Smiths advance force, led by Major John Pitcairn, arrived in Lexington. Riding forward, Pitcairn demanded the militia to disperse and lay down their arms. Parker partially complied and ordered his men to go home, but to retain their muskets. As the militia began to move, a shot rang out from an unknown source. This led to an exchange of fire which saw Pitcairns horse hit twice. Charging forward the British drove the militia from the green. When the smoke cleared, eight of the militia were dead and another ten wounded. One British soldier was injured in the exchange. Concord Departing Lexington, the British pushed on towards Concord. Outside of the town, the Concord militia, unsure of what had transpired at Lexington, fell back through the town and took up a position on a hill across the North Bridge. Smiths men occupied the town and broke into detachments to search for the colonial munitions. As the British began their work, the Concord militia, led by Colonel James Barrett, was reinforced as other towns militias arrived on the scene. While Smiths men found little in the way of munitions, they did locate and disable three cannon and burned several gun carriages. Seeing the smoke from the fire, Barrett and his men moved closer to the bridge and saw around 90-95 British troops fall back across the river. Advancing with 400 men, they were engaged by the British. Firing across the river, Barretts men forced them to flee back towards Concord. Unwilling to initiate further action, Barrett held his men back as Smith consolidated his forces for the march back to Boston. After a brief lunch, Smith ordered his troops to move out around noon. Throughout the morning, word of the fighting had spread, and colonial militias began racing to the area. Bloody Road to Boston Aware that his situation was deteriorating, Smith deployed flankers around his column to protect against colonial attacks as they marched. About a mile from Concord, the first in a series of militia attacks began at Meriams Corner. This was followed by another at Brooks Hill. After passing through Lincoln, Smiths troops were attacked at the Bloody Angle by 200 men from Bedford and Lincoln. Firing from behind tree and fences, they were joined by other militiamen who took up positions across the road, catching the British in a crossfire. As the column neared Lexington, they were ambushed by Captain Parkers men. Seeking revenge for the mornings fight, they waited until Smith was in view before firing. Tired and bloodied from their march, the British were pleased to find reinforcements, under Hugh, Earl Percy, waiting for them in Lexington. After allowing Smiths men to rest, Percy resumed the withdrawal to Boston around 3:30. On the colonial side, the overall command had been assumed by Brigadier General William Heath. Seeking to inflict maximum casualties, Heath endeavored to keep the British surrounded with a loose ring of militia for the remainder of the march. In this fashion, the militia poured fire into the British ranks, while avoiding major confrontations, until the column reached the safety of Charlestown. Aftermath In the days fighting, the Massachusetts militia lost 50 killed, 39 wounded, and 5 missing. For the British, the long march cost them 73 killed, 173 wounded, and 26 missing. The fighting at Lexington and Concord proved to be the opening battles of the American Revolution. Rushing to Boston, the Massachusetts militia was soon joined by troops from other colonies ultimately forming a force of around 20,000. Laying siege to Boston, they fought the Battle of Bunker Hill on June 17, 1775, and finally took the city after Henry Knox arrived with the guns of Fort Ticonderoga in March 1776.

The Leadership Practice Inventory That I Took At The...

The Leadership Practice Inventory that I took at the beginning of my Student Orientation Counselor or S.O.C. experience was eye opening. It teaches and surveys people about five leadership skills these skills were further explained in The Student Leadership Challenge text by the authors James Kouzes and Barry Posner (2014) the different practices of leadership were: Model the Way, Inspire a Shared Vision, Challenge the Process, Enable Others to Act, and Encourage the Heart. These principles each have their own challenges and frustrations, and as a leader they have helped me realize what I can improve on. Modeling the Way was one of my top two practices that I had ranked high on during the skills inventory, and its focus is on finding your†¦show more content†¦This was a skill that focused on helping your followers know that you are proud of them and the contributions that they have either done or helped you with. This was hard for me to remember to do in the moment, but duri ng debriefing on orientation days it was nice to celebrate our accomplishments or how people worked through hard situations. These debriefings brought everyone together and created a spirit of community, which is one way the book focused in encouraging the Heart (Kouzes Posner, 2014). Another skill that was something a truly focused on during the summer was Enabling Others to Act. It was based on fostering collaboration and strengthening others (Kouzes Posner, 2014). I found this was a hard skill for me to work on because I like to do things my way. I worked through it by truly listening to others ideas, and the fact that I was a new S.O.C. I wanted to learn as much as I could from the returning members of my team. My skit group created a strong bond of trust in each other to get our work done in a timely manner. The last skill was Challenge the Process and this for me has always been a hard skill to get my self to do. This has been my main focus this summer, and I continue to wor k on it to this day. Challenge the Process focused on going outside the box of the organization or group your working with and experimenting with new ideas. It also focused on searching for opportunities such as seizing the initiative (Kouzes

Battle of the Somme free essay sample

A look at the the first major battle of WW I, the Battle at Somme. This paper deals with the causes of the Battle at Somme and gives an outline of the factors surrounding it as well as the consequences once it was over. It describes tactics used by the Allies as well as the men involved in this major First World War battle. During 1916, two factions of the Triple Entente, Britain and France, were heavily engaged in battle against Germany on the Western Front with no signs of any group gaining an upper hand in the First World War. Germany struggled to maintain their grip on the Western Front with their small but determined army, and after awhile, it became apparent to them that if they hoped to continue being a major force in the war, they had to defeat Russia on the Eastern Front first in order to transfer hundreds of thousands of troops back to France. We will write a custom essay sample on Battle of the Somme or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Germany hoped that this in turn would balance the scales of power on the Western Front in their favor.

Tess of the dUrbervilles Hardy Essay Example For Students

Tess of the dUrbervilles Hardy Essay In Tess of the dUrbervilles, Hardy uses weather, seasons and nature to an extent as which it is almost another character. It produces a third dimension on the plot, and is used to portray the characters near fates. Tess herself, is a beautiful young woman, but, she as a peasant is looked down on by society due to the social class divides that were strongly in place, at that times in the 19th Century. Hardy uses pathetic fallacy, phallic images, sensual language and references to natural things, such as flowers brilliantly to describe the changes between Angel and Tess in the dairy at Talbothays, where they first meet and to enhance the readers experience. When they first meet, it is spring, and like the flowers themselves, their love is developing; growing. Later on, it is summer, and their love is blooming rapidly. However, when Tess is forced to return to Flintcomb-Ash, it is winter, which deepens the sense of Tess loneliness and feeling of abandonment. The book itself is based on Hardys disbelief in God, as agnosticism was rising swiftly. We will write a custom essay on Tess of the dUrbervilles Hardy specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now This is reflected in the book, as Tess is a character whom nothing good happens to her, although she herself is a girl who tries her best to do only good in the world, showing that Hardy believed there was no God that protected good people. Angel himself, is a Romanticist, which was a belief that was taking the place of Christianity in the 19th Century. Hardy is also in touch with the agricultural changed in farming practices, as later on in the book, he mentions the use of agricultural technology in place of the workmen/women. Leaving behind her problems in Marlott, Tess travels to a new start, at the Talbothays Dairy. Hardy uses the surroundings to display her emotions very well. While Tess is travelling to Talbothays, Hardy goes on to say: The new air was clear, bracing, ethereal. The use of the word ethereal is quite spiritual, reminding us of God and makes it seem as if he is going to look over Tess in Talbothays. At that moment it might seem that God is looking over her, as it seems, everything is starting to turn a corner. It could also be interpreted, into that Tess old self is dead, and she is now in heaven, living a better life. Hardys continual use of descriptors gives the reader a sense that we are present in the book. Hardy also, although questioning the fact of a caring, loving God, does refer to biblical topics to emphasise Tess innocence and purity. This quote about a stream, from which Tess was approaching Talbothays, the Froom waters were clear as the pure River of Life shows Hardy using those biblical topics. At Talbothays, Tess meets and works with Angel, a dairyman. In this part, Hardy uses the seasons to show Tess Angels relationship. One time, when Tess is milking, she hears Angel playing his harp; Tess was conscious of neither time nor space. The exaltation which she has described as being producible at will by gazing at a star. This shows how happy and dreamy, she is, almost as if she is lost in herself, her soul now unaware and all her troubles have been forgotten. The use of the stars, means we could interpret it as both their souls floating in the sky, lost in this moment, bright, but a part of something much bigger, or again, a sign of reincarnation, as many people, I for one, believe that people are reincarnated in the stars. We see that Angel is attracted to Tess, but as the reader, Hardy makes sure we can see Angel idealising her as a fresh and virginal daughter of nature. This gives us the idea that Angel is in love with the idea of Tess being innocent and pure, because he is oblivious to Tesss history past, and the fact that, actually, she isnt a virgin, therefore not pure. .u12b33b84f969e522d695b15883309f1e , .u12b33b84f969e522d695b15883309f1e .postImageUrl , .u12b33b84f969e522d695b15883309f1e .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u12b33b84f969e522d695b15883309f1e , .u12b33b84f969e522d695b15883309f1e:hover , .u12b33b84f969e522d695b15883309f1e:visited , .u12b33b84f969e522d695b15883309f1e:active { border:0!important; } .u12b33b84f969e522d695b15883309f1e .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u12b33b84f969e522d695b15883309f1e { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u12b33b84f969e522d695b15883309f1e:active , .u12b33b84f969e522d695b15883309f1e:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u12b33b84f969e522d695b15883309f1e .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u12b33b84f969e522d695b15883309f1e .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u12b33b84f969e522d695b15883309f1e .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u12b33b84f969e522d695b15883309f1e .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u12b33b84f969e522d695b15883309f1e:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u12b33b84f969e522d695b15883309f1e .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u12b33b84f969e522d695b15883309f1e .u12b33b84f969e522d695b15883309f1e-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u12b33b84f969e522d695b15883309f1e:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Ideas and themes in an inspector call EssayTheir feelings for each other start to develop and Hardy uses the idea of the season summer to show their love blossoming. He writes Rays from the sunrise drew forth the buds and stretched them into long stalks. As the reader we can interpret this as the buds being Tess and Angels love, as it starts to develop into something visible. It also reminds us of dawn when Angel and Tess go out to meet each other before the other dairymaids get up in that strange and solemn interval, the twilight of morning, in the violet or pink dawn. This quote shows that either Tess or Angel find what they are doing, and the feelings they are feeling s lightly strange, but beautiful, like the morning twilight. After Tess and Angel are married, she reveals to him that she is not a fresh and virginal daughter of Nature, Angel claims that Tess is now another person because he has found this out, although he fell in love with the girl that had been through Alecs control, so we, as the reader, see that the only way she has changed, is that for the better since she has met Angel. He says You were one person; now you are another. This is typical 19th century double standards, emphasising the obviousness of sexism in this period. After Tess is abandoned she goes to work at Flintcomb-Ash, where she has the worst of times, being heart broken and in hard laborious work picking turnips. It is unwelcoming, muddy and desolate, which depicts an image of a period of misery and loneliness. It is a very effective landscape for Tess to suffer in as it conveys her emotions with the sad and grey weather in winter. He writes a white vacuity of countenance with the lineaments gone. The word vacuity, meaning empty, expresses how Tess is empty of any positive feelings, has no features or details, and how she is there, only in person. Tesss position was again shown in the surroundings, the few lonely trees and thorns of the hedgerows appeared. Tess is lonely like the trees, facing the world, alone, without her true love. The thorns, Hardy makes us feel as if getting too close to Tess could cause you pain. Hardy wrote a poem about Flintcomb-Ash called We Field-Women. The poem reads: How it rained When we worked at Flintcomb-Ash, And could not stand upon the hill Trimming Swedes for the slicing-mill. How it snowed When we crossed from Flintcomb-Ash To the Great Barn for drawing reed, Since we could nowise chop a swede. Flakes in each doorway and casement-sash: How it snowed! This poem emphasises the misery, desolation and sadness of working at Flintcomb-Ash, and the repetiveness of their job, slicing Swedes for the slicing mill. This in itself is probably one of the most boring jobs anyone could ever think of, and in weather, in which it rains, could make anyone clinically depressed. Tess, already upset and confused about losing Angel, goes to work here, which deepens her sadness, and maybe anger towards him. This poem is set in the winter, again, which deepens the readers sense of anguish, loneliness and bleakness towards Tess, helping us sympathise with her. Hardy continues to use pathetic fallacy to great effect all through Tess of the dUrbervilles. He uses it to greatest effect, in the chapters about Talbothays, when Tess meets Angel, and at Flintcomb-Ash, where he describes Tess anguish towards life. He also makes other comparisons, using Marian to show this, describing her as the single fat thing on the soiland she was an importation. I think Hardy was a very skilled writer with genuinely brilliant ideas and skill, as he doesnt portray Tess in the way, many writers may have done, as someone who is asking for all the trouble she will receive, Hardy portrays her as a poor woman, living at a time where men and woman values were not equal. Hardy was also very brave to write and publish this novel at the time at which he did. At the time, many people had a strong belief in God, and this novel showed people, that bad things happen to good people, implying that there is no God at all, which maybe contributed to the swift rise of agnosticism. .u63918a0e770eb33133b0b9e981c81f23 , .u63918a0e770eb33133b0b9e981c81f23 .postImageUrl , .u63918a0e770eb33133b0b9e981c81f23 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u63918a0e770eb33133b0b9e981c81f23 , .u63918a0e770eb33133b0b9e981c81f23:hover , .u63918a0e770eb33133b0b9e981c81f23:visited , .u63918a0e770eb33133b0b9e981c81f23:active { border:0!important; } .u63918a0e770eb33133b0b9e981c81f23 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u63918a0e770eb33133b0b9e981c81f23 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u63918a0e770eb33133b0b9e981c81f23:active , .u63918a0e770eb33133b0b9e981c81f23:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u63918a0e770eb33133b0b9e981c81f23 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u63918a0e770eb33133b0b9e981c81f23 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u63918a0e770eb33133b0b9e981c81f23 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u63918a0e770eb33133b0b9e981c81f23 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u63918a0e770eb33133b0b9e981c81f23:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u63918a0e770eb33133b0b9e981c81f23 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u63918a0e770eb33133b0b9e981c81f23 .u63918a0e770eb33133b0b9e981c81f23-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u63918a0e770eb33133b0b9e981c81f23:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Comparing poems EssayThe way Hardy writes makes us feel for Tess, and his use of the nature to display emotions, and thoughts, emphasises those feelings of sympathy and empathy towards her, and, ultimately, make them more powerful. Hardy has to be one of the most skilled writers that has ever published a book, instead of writing a blunt point, he metaphorises his point, making it both more wonderful and poetic to read, and helps emphasise his point, in a way that many people would not be able to use in such a successful way. I think Tess of the DUrbervilles shows off Hardys creative writing techniques brilliantly and is an incredible illustration of his work.