Concord and the Dawn of Revolution: The Hidden Truths

by D. Michael Ryan

Overview

Any red-blooded American knows that the first action of the Revolutionary War took place at Concord, Massachusetts, with the "shot heard 'round the world." But a good deal of what is widely known about those early days of the Revolution is wrong.

In this new book, historian D. Michael Ryan illuminates acts of uprising of Patriots and Loyalists during the first action of the Revolutionary War in and around Concord. Through a series of compelling essays, Ryan debunks historical myths and salutes those who fought for the recognition of our nation and became the first heroes of the fledgling United States. What was romanticized and changed in the generations since the Revolution is presented here directly through the voices of the people who faced the shocking facts of war and rebellion.

From Dr. Samuel Prescott, who joined Paul Revere on his famous ride and left fiancée Lydia Mulliken behind, to the mystery of the Bedford Flag unfurled on April 19, these stories reveal the truths of our founding fathers and mothers. As their lives were interrupted by the birth of a country, the citizens of Concord saw their friends and neighbors engaged in acts of bravery and of depravity. Ryan's account of the "shot heard 'round the world," provides a glimpse at the realities of the American Revolution.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781596291867
Publisher:	Arcadia Publishing SC
Publication date:	02/28/2007
Series:	American Chronicles
Pages:	128
Product dimensions:	6.25(w) x 9.38(h) x 0.31(d)

About the Author

Author D. Michael Ryan is an associate dean at Boston College where he also guest lectures on a variety of history topics. He writes frequently on the misconceptions of the Revolutionary War and other history topics in a variety of publications and volunteers as a historical interpreter at Minute Man National Historical Park.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements     7
Introduction: The Truth of It     11
Haunted and Heroic: The Hartwell Family     21
Recognizing the Enemy Within: Daniel Bliss, Tory     30
A Tale of Two Families: Joined by Love, Shattered by War     35
James Barrett: A Patriot's Name for Posterity     42
Espionage, Spies and Intrigue Surround Concord     49
A Place of Honor: Charles Miles in Extraordinary Times     56
Whatever Can Go Wrong Will Go Wrong     61
An Unfurled Flag and the Concord Fight     70
Tragic Act Begets Revenge and Propaganda     79
Joseph Thaxter: Minister of the Lord at the Bridge     84
Legacy of the Daughters of Liberty     89
A Matter of Color: Slaves and the Two Fights for Freedom     97
Support from Our British "Cousins"     105
Intolerable Papists Influence a Revolution     111
Irksome Concord Jail and a Parliamentarian Prisoner     118
About the Author     125