Five musket balls were fired on April 19, 1775 during the Battles of Lexington and Concord, which kicked off the Revolutionary War.
Minute Man National Historical Park/FacebookFive musket balls were discovered in Concord, each fairly intact — which suggests that they missed their mark.
During a routine survey at Minute Man National Historical Park in Concord, Massachusetts, last year, archaeologists made an extraordinary discovery: five tiny musket balls buried in the ground. They weren’t just any musket balls, though. Archaeologists say they are linked to the Battles of Lexington and Concord, which started the American Revolution.
Remarkably well preserved, the musket balls are a priceless artifact from one of the most important moments in American history.
Discovering The Musket Balls In Concord
According to a statement from the National Park Service (NPS), the musket balls were discovered in 2023 by archaeologists examining an area in Minute Man National Historical Park ahead of routine trail maintenance. While working near North Bridge, archaeologists stumbled upon the lead balls.
Archaeologists believe that the five musket balls, varying slightly in size and wear, were fired by colonial militia members at British forces on April 19, 1775.
National Park ServiceThe musket balls each have a telltale band which shows that they were fired.
“Scientific analysis of the musket balls shows that all musket balls were fired from the western (Militia) side of the river, toward the eastern (British) side of the river,” the NPS statement explained. “The musket balls vary in size, indicating they were provincial militia musket balls (British Muskets used standard sizes and militia used their own weapons of various calibers). The musket balls are slightly deformed from the process of being fired.”
The musket balls show marks of “banding,” which occurs when they are fired. But since they are still intact and round, archaeologists suspect that they fell short of their mark and “dropped into the soft ground.”
“Looking at the location where the balls were found, as well as that of the North Bridge, it appears that these balls are overshot fired by Provincial forces on the west side of the bridge,” the NPS explained.
National Park ServiceThe musket balls are intact, suggesting that they were overshot by militiamen during the battle.
But even if these musket balls missed, they played a role in one of the most pivotal battles in American history.
‘The Shot Heard ‘Round The World’
Public DomainA 1909 oil painting depicting militiamen with muskets defending North Bridge in Concord from oncoming British troops.
Archaeologists believe that the musket balls date back to the Battles of Lexington and Concord, which occurred on April 19, 1775, and marked the beginning of the American Revolution. Ralph Waldo Emerson described the battle as “the shot heard ’round the world” in his poem “Concord Hymn,” and an inscription on a monument at North Bridge describes the battle at Concord as “the first forcible resistance to British aggression.”
The facts of the matter are debated, however. The “first” shot was actually fired in nearby Lexington earlier that day when a confrontation between British Regular soldiers and the Lexington Militia turned violent. It’s unknown to this day who fired first, but the British soldiers ended up killing eight of the colonial militiamen and wounding 10 others.
Meanwhile, British soldiers marched from Boston to Concord to destroy military supplies that they suspected rebellious colonists had gathered. Instead, they met armed militiamen. The militiamen feared that the British would burn the town and gathered to repel them at North Bridge. When the British fired, the militiamen fired back.
National Park ServiceAlmost 250 years ago, this musket ball was fired by colonial militiamen in Concord at British troops — the “first” shot of the Revolutionary War.
“This moment marked a severe escalation and crossed a line between resistance and treason,” NPS explained.
As such, the five musket balls found buried in the dirt near North Bridge represent an important moment in American history. Though they missed their mark, they were apparently fired by colonial militiamen at the very onset of the Revolutionary War. This “shot heard ’round the world” would usher in years of conflict and, ultimately, American independence.
After reading about the musket balls found in Concord, discover the story of Agent 355, the mysterious female agent who spied for George Washington during the Revolutionary War. Or, see how the Boston Tea Party helped set the stage for the American Revolution.
