On what date did the Battles of Lexington and Concord occur?

The Battles of Lexington and Concord occurred on April 19, 1775. They were the first major military actions of the American Revolutionary War, beginning when British troops marched from Boston to seize colonial military supplies at Concord and arrest Patriot leaders.

The expedition began during the night of April 18. Riders including Paul Revere, William Dawes, and Samuel Prescott warned local militia that British regulars were approaching. At sunrise, British soldiers encountered Captain John Parker’s militia on Lexington Common. After the brief clash there, the troops continued to Concord, where militiamen confronted them at the North Bridge.

The British then retreated toward Boston under continuous fire from growing numbers of colonial militia. The day’s fighting helped trigger the Siege of Boston and persuaded the Second Continental Congress to create a unified Continental Army. A common mix-up is treating April 18 as the battle date; that was the night the British expedition and warning rides began, while the battles themselves took place on April 19.