Free Republic

On April 19, 1775, British troops, some 800 strong, were dispatched to Concord, Massachusetts, to arrest Sam Adams and John Hancock and to seize a cache of weapons known to be stored at Concord. When Dr. Joseph Warren sent Paul Revere to warn Pastor Jonas Clark (in whose home Adams and Hancock were staying) that the Crown's troops were on their way to arrest the two men and seize the guns at Concord, he alerted his male congregants. About 60-70 men from the Church of Lexington stood armed on Lexington Green awaiting the Red Coats. Upon spotting the citizen militia,...

CONCORD, Mass. (AP) — A new ban on the sales of single-serving plastic water bottles has taken effect in Concord. The ban began Tuesday and follows an April vote by Town Meeting, which made historic Concord one of the first communities in the nation to make the bottles illegal.

State Assemblyman Roger Hernandez (D-West Covina) was driving a state car away from the Sacramento area without the required permission when he was arrested last month on suspicion of drunken driving, officials said Friday. Hernandez was stopped by police in Concord at 2 a.m. on March 27 after officers saw his car weaving between lanes. At the time, Hernandez was driving a Toyota Camry owned by the state and assigned to the Assembly’s vehicle pool. Such vehicles are not supposed to be driven out of the Sacramento area without permission, which Hernandez failed to get for his Concord trip, .....

In New Hampshire, the state motto "Live Free or Die" is more of a way of life than just a slogan. But despite the push of some in the Granite State to place "warning" signs on roads that lead to a border with Massachusetts, the bill was voted down in the New Hampshire House of Representatives on Wednesday in a 285-18 vote. The signs, which would have said "Warning: Massachusetts Border 500 Feet," were proposed in an effort to warn residents that they were about to enter the Bay State, which has different laws regarding seatbelts, helmets, guns, knives, fireworks,...

Occupy protesters and open-carry advocates came together peacefully, and a little awkwardly, at a rally Saturday in Concord. Around 35 to 40 protesters gathered at noon at Todos Santos Plaza to address issues such as government reform, cuts to education and the sagging U.S. postal system, as well as to hear a talk by guest speaker and anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan. The mother of a fallen soldier [Cindy Sheehan] railed against military spending and said people deserve meaningful jobs that "pay not a minimum wage, but a human wage." They were joined by one open-carry advocate displaying an AR-15 semi-automatic...

A Concord man giving away lemonade at a farmer's market was threatened with wiretapping charges last Saturday when he refused to stop filming a police officer and a fellow vendor. Garret Ean didn't have a permit to sell lemonade, which drew the ire of the president of the Concord Farmer's Market. Ean filmed the confrontation, and continued to film when a Concord cop showed up and threatened to arrest him for wiretapping. Photojournalist Carlos Miller (who we interviewed for the November issue of Reason about the war on photography) has the story: The man, whom Ean identified as Steve Blasdell,...

Here are some pictures my brother snapped in Estabrook Woods* in Concord Massachusetts in May. He did it freehand with a 2005-ish stock digital camera. From Wikipedia; *"The Estabrook Woods is a wild tract of more than 1,200 acres (4.9 km2) of woodland, hills, ledge, and swamp two miles (3 km) north of the Town of Concord.[1] It is the largest contiguous and undeveloped woodland within thirty miles of Boston."

Here are some pictures my brother snapped in Estabrook Woods* in Concord Massachusetts in May. He did it freehand with a 2005-ish stock digital camera. From Wikipedia; *"The Estabrook Woods is a wild tract of more than 1,200 acres (4.9 km2) of woodland, hills, ledge, and swamp two miles (3 km) north of the Town of Concord.[1] It is the largest contiguous and undeveloped woodland within thirty miles of Boston"

Minute Man Monument at Lexington Green "By The Rude Bridge That Arched The Flood, Their Flag to April's Breeze Unfurled, Here Once The Embattled Farmers Stood, And Fired The Shot Heard Round The World."  wpi.eduDepartment of Military Science - Worcester Polytechnic Institute On the 15 of April 1775, when General Thomas Gage, British Military Governor of Massachusetts, was ordered to destroy the rebel's military stores at Concord. To accomplish this he assembled the "Flanking units", including Light Infantry and Grenadiers, from his Boston Garrison. In charge he put Lieutenant Colonel Francis Smith and Marine Major John Pitcairn. He also composed...

In February, the British Parliament declared the colony of Massachusetts to be in open rebellion and authorized British troops to kill the violent rebels. They were ordered to destroy all of the stores that had ammunition, rifles, or other arms. Lt. Gen. Thomas Gage, the commander-in-chief of the British Army in America, was given command to quell the rebellion. He gave the orders to the British troops to destroy stores and rebels. He thought that the citizens were planning to collect enough arms to form a rebellion. Some American spies learned of the British orders and sent word to the...

Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann’s suggestion Saturday that the Revolutionary War began in Concord, N.H., rather than Lexington and Concord, Mass., marks the third time in recent months that the potential GOP presidential hopeful has committed a puzzling gaffe about history and current affairs. Making her first trek to New Hampshire as a 2012 prospect, Bachmann told a GOP crowd in Concord: “You’re the state where the shot was heard around the world at Lexington and Concord.” (snip) “She makes Sarah Palin look like Count Metternich,” groaned longtime GOP consultant Mike Murphy on Twitter after reading about the Concord confusion.

LEXINGTON — Like the other Minutemen in his company, Bill Poole will grab his musket, sling his cartridge box over his shoulder, and stride onto Lexington Green this morning to fight, and lose, the famed first skirmish between Patriot and Redcoat. But unlike his comrades in the annual reenactment, Poole will carry with him a piece of a 235-year-old mystery that still surrounds that momentous clash: the question of who fired the shot that sparked the opening volley of the Revolutionary War. Poole, 76, is the direct descendant of Ebenezer Locke, a man who, according to one account, fired the...

On the weekend of April 17-18, 2010 RWVA Volunteers Have Organized Over 100 Nationwide Coast-to-Coast "April 19th" Appleseed Events. Volunteers have begged, cajoled and worked to provide over 100 ranges with room for nearly five thousand Americans to gather and celebrate their Heritage and History, three and a half miles of firing line combined so that they can study and share the traditions of Rifle Marksmanship to remember, and honor the men and women who birthed a nation on April 19, 1775. On this weekend, we can meet on the rolling plains of Oklahoma. We can meet in the arid...

As part of an effort to make Concord more affordable and diverse, local officials want to shift the tax burden off most property owners and onto the town’s wealthiest residents. The long-shot proposal, which some say is unconstitutional, calls for imposing a local income tax to help offset the town’s dependence on property taxes to fund its operations. “It’s not a tax increase, but a shifting of the burden,’ [snip] “If we’re lucky, this could happen in 15 to 20 years. But if you don’t start somewhere, it would never ever happen.’’

The city of Concord, California is holding its Christmas tree lighting ceremony this weekend.  And from the looks of the tree, it will barely be alive for its big moment. Instead of a beautiful freshly cut tree like in years past, Concord opted to use an existing tree in the town's square. The switch saved the city $20,000.  Not a bad idea in these tough economic times. The mean-spirited would  best describe the tree as pathetic. Those on the nicer side of life are likely reminded of the old classic "A Charlie Brown Christmas." The tree was scraggly to begin...

Impeach Obama? Conservative kiosk gets booted from Concord Mills By Beth Shayne Newschannel 36 Posted: Wednesday, Jul. 22, 2009 CONCORD "Impeach Obama." "Al Qaeda's favorite days: 9/11/01 and 11/04/08." "Work Harder. Obama needs the money." The bumper stickers and posters sold at "Free Market Warrior" at Concord Mills are meant to be "biting," the kiosk's owner Loren Spivack said. At least one passerby found them racist and bigoted, and took time to tell the mall in a letter and a letter to the editor of the Charlotte Observer. Whatever your opinion, the fact is this: At the end of July,...

Here is a video report from North Carolina about the Concord Mills Mall in Concord, which is a suburb of Charlotte. The mall has ordered a Conservative Kiosk to vacate the mall because they say the conservative bumper-stickers and other merchandise they sell is "inflammatory." A Letter to the Editor seemed to get the ball rolling on getting the Kiosk kicked out, but the mall apparently has lots of liberal merchandise selling freely throughout the mall. The reporter said they did some checking and found that the owner of the mall has been a frequent contributor to Democrat candidates, including...

CONCORD, N.C. -- “Impeach Obama. “ “Al Qaeda’s favorite days: 9/11/01 and 11/04/08.” “Work Harder. Obama needs the money.” The bumper stickers and posters sold at “Free Market Warrior” at Concord Mills are meant to be “biting,” the kiosk’s owner Loren Spivack said. At least one passer-by found them racist and bigoted, and took time to tell the mall in a letter and a letter to the editor of the Charlotte Observer. Whatever your opinion, the fact is this: At the end of July, “Free Market Warrior” will not be allowed at Concord Mills Mall. The kiosk chain’s owner shared...

Internet Hoax - Posted in Bloggers Forum. For Freeper's Awareness Only! On Monday I warned of the many hoaxes out there on the Internet. My post, Russians Solve AF Flight 447 Mystery – A Link With “Another World” contained the TV series “Lost” video clearly showing the pictures from the Ukraine News Agency that were alleged to have been taken from baggage aboard Flight 447. I have also included below in this post the notes on the Concord investigation since we have the same BEA investigators involved with the Flight 447 investigation.

A new patriotic organization called “Oath Keepers” rallied on Massachusetts’ historic Lexington Green to renew their oaths to support and defend the U.S. Constitution April 19, the 234th anniversary of the revolutionary war battles of Lexington and Concord. The event was sponsored by the Committees of Safety, named for the groups of the same name that organized in colonial America during the beginning of the War for Independence. The new organization of mostly current and former military, police, and emergency-service personnel pledged themselves to 10 resolutions to disobey any order to confiscate firearms from law-abiding citizens, assist in warrantless searches,...

On April 15th, 1775, Major General Thomas Gage decided to send a column of seven hundred troops (two hundred over the magic number that the Concord Congress had set) to Concord under the command of Lt. Col. Francis Smith and his second, Major John Pitcairn. Gage had no intention of tolerating anything approaching a repetition of the action at Fort William and Mary. Learning that the depot in Concord held a growing store of gunpowder and arms, he sent these soldiers twenty miles from Boston to seize the military supplies. On the evening of the 18th, Dr. Joeseph Warren, President...

Flyers:  Available below Range:  Hartford Gun Club Address:  157 South Main St, East Granby, CT 06026 Website:  http://www.hartfordgunclub.com When: April 18-19, 2009 Range Fee:  $10 per shooter per day Camping available: We can pitch tents on the rifle range.  Ten RV/Electric hookups are also available at $10 per night.  There is a clubhouse with restroom and sink. Hotels: Many hotels to choose from near Bradley Intl Airport (Windsor Locks, CT) (~2 miles away)  Holiday Inn, Best Western, Candlewood Suites, Crowne Plaza, Staybridge Suites, LaQuinta Inn, Days Inn, Sheraton, Ramada. (avoid Motel 6!) Directions:    *  Take I-91 to Exit 40...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Largest Marksmanship Event on the Planet World Record Attempt to be Made Locally Contact: [local name and phone number] On April 18 and 19th, the Revolutionary War Veterans Association's "Project Appleseed" rifle marksmanship clinic will be in town at XYZ [location] for a history-making attempt at establishing a world record for the longest cumulative firing line spread over the largest land area in history - a total of 2.5 miles of firing line spread over the North American continent - from California to Florida, Texas to Minnesota, Arizona to Maine. It will be the biggest marksmanship event...

The House has approved a bill aimed at preserving Barrett's Farm, a Revolutionary War landmark in Concord, Mass. snip... The farm belonged to Col. James Barrett, a leader of the Middlesex Militia. It was used to store colonial militia weapons and was searched by the British during the fighting at Concord's Old North Bridge on April 19, 1775. The Senate is considering a similar measure.

Battle of Lexington and Concord Minute Man Monument at Lexington Green "By The Rude Bridge That Arched The Flood, Their Flag to April's Breeze Unfurled, Here Once The Embattled Farmers Stood, And Fired The Shot Heard Round The World." A Brief History: On the 15 of April 1775, when General Thomas Gage, British Military Governor of Massachusetts, was ordered to destroy the rebel's military stores at Concord. To accomplish this he assembled the "Flanking units", including Light Infantry and Grenadiers, from his Boston Garrison. In charge he put Lieutenant Colonel Francis Smith and Marine Major John Pitcairn. He also composed...

They mustered 232 years ago yesterday in what is now downtown Peabody, rushed south to battle the British soldiers retreating from Concord, and were killed in the most ferocious fighting of that first Patriots Day. Their bodies retrieved by comrades, the four Minutemen were laid to rest at the Old South Burying Ground in long-forgotten locations that now might be covered by a Peabody sidewalk or the asphalt of Washington Street. That anonymity is about to end. Thanks to city and federal officials, the ultimate sacrifices of Samuel Cook Jr., Benjamin Deland Jr., Ebenezer Goldthwaite, and George Southwick Jr. are...

Today we honor the 232nd anniversary of the first battles between the Bi-Coastal Elites (Unicoastal in those days) and the "Flyover Country" (obviously no flying over back then). I refer to the Battles of Lexington and Concord. On this day in 1775, local militias made their stand on the Village Green of Lexington under the command of Captain John Parker. "Stand your ground men; don't fire unless fired upon; but if they mean to have a war, let it begin here!" Parker bravely said. His bold words were matched with brave deeds as his militiamen stood against the government forces....

Americans revere a great number of dates that hold special significance for their culture and history. The Fourth of July, Veterans Day, the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. — a quick glance through any calendar provides numerous other examples. Yet the one day of most importance, to both the nation and its culture, is the one that is conspicuously absent from any mention of notable historical dates. No parades honor the fallen; no speeches in Congress remind us of their deeds; no wreaths are laid; no moments of silence requested. On this sacred date no president will stand on...

On April 19, 1775, British and American soldiers exchanged fire in the Massachusetts towns of Lexington and Concord. On the night of April 18, the royal governor of Massachusetts, General Thomas Gage, commanded by King George III to suppress the rebellious Americans, had ordered 700 British soldiers, under Lieutenant Colonel Francis Smith and Marine Major John Pitcairn, to seize the colonists' military stores in Concord, some 20 miles west of Boston. A system of signals and word-of-mouth communication set up by the colonists was effective in forewarning American volunteer militia men of the approach of the British troops. Henry Wadsworth...

A federal judge on Wednesday denied a former Republican congressional candidate’s request for a restraining order barring President Bush or Vice President Richard Cheney from bombing Iran or Syria. Mary Maxwell, 59, of 179 Loudon Road, Apt. 10, Concord, filed a lawsuit Monday against Bush, Cheney and other “unnamed defendants actively engaging in acts of war against Iran and Syria in the guise of the war against terrorism.” Maxwell’s suit seeks a ruling that the administration lacks legal authority to pre-emptively attack either Iran or Syria without a Congressional declaration of war, and that radioactive fallout from the use of...

A Concord police officer who was fired a year ago for profiling Latino drivers next to a Mexican market is back on patrol with his old job. City officials approved Officer Jim Carroll's return last month following a favorable recommendation from an independent mediator. In 2004, the officer would park next to Mercado del Valle along Monument Boulevard and stop Latino drivers leaving the market for flimsy reasons to see if they had a driver's license, according to an internal police investigation. If they did not, he would cite them and have their cars towed. Former Police Chief Ron Ace,...

Americans revere a great number of dates that hold special significance for their culture and history. The Fourth of July, Veterans Day, the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. — a quick glance through any calendar provides numerous other examples. Yet the one day of most importance, to both the nation and its culture, is the one that is conspicuously absent from any mention of notable historical dates. No parades honor the fallen; no speeches in Congress remind us of their deeds; no wreaths are laid; no moments of silence requested. On this sacred date no president will stand on...

WHO knew the Minute Man has sex appeal? My daughter, Gabrielle, 15, took one look and announced, "He's hot!" She had a point. Strapping and rifle-toting, with a luxuriant mop of curly hair and sleeves rolled up to expose muscular arms, the Minute Man on the green in Lexington, Mass., may be made of bronze, but he looked more than capable, on the March day when we visited, of defending not only his country, but any damsel threatened with distress. Lexington, where the Revolutionary War began, is dotted with sites made historic by real minutemen, resonant places scattered on country...

With every developer West of the Mississippi drooling over the chance to develop some 1/4 acre of the Concord Naval Weapons Station, it seems every politician and city planner worth their salt is now talking about “affordable housing.” But what is “affordable housing” in California?Since normal people know that “affordable housing” doesn’t really exist in the regions of California where normal people really want to live, what is it that big-government, pro-redevelopment politcos really mean when they yap on and on about “affordable housing” this campaign season?Two words: Subsidized Housing.When you look at it, most everything about housing in California...

Behind the sale of an 18th-century gold box in New York today lies one of the saddest love stories of the American Revolution. When the box, embossed with the arms of New York, was presented with the freedom of the city in 1773 to Thomas Gage he was the commander-in-chief of the British Army in North America and was deeply in love with his American-born wife. Gen Thomas Gage, Margaret Gage and the 18th-century gold box Two years later, the general was a broken man, his career was in tatters and he was estranged from Margaret Gage for ever after...

Concord police arrested a 25-year-old woman Saturday after she allegedly took an undercover police car and led officers on a high-speed pursuit. About 6:24 a.m. Concord police received a report that someone had taken an unmarked police car from a driveway in the Clayton Valley area, said Sgt. Matt Morrissey. About 15 minutes later, a Concord officer spotted the vehicle on Treat Boulevard and Clayton Road and attempted to pull the driver over. "She did not want to be stopped," Morrissey said. She then led police on a pursuit through Pleasant Hill and then onto Highway 242 with speeds reaching...

Concord -- As towns across the country nervously await word about which military bases the Pentagon wants to close, this San Francisco suburb is hardly on edge. It'd be happy if the government included the Concord Naval Weapons Station on its list of proposed closures being released Friday. In a letter to Navy officials, Mayor Laura Hoffmeister spoke of "tremendous benefits for the city of Concord and the Department of the Defense" if the 63-year-old installation is shuttered. About 35 miles northeast of San Francisco, the base covers thousands of grassy acres that Concord officials believe is ideal for homes...

It was 230 years ago this month when 700 British redcoats marched from Boston to Concord to seize rebel colonial war supplies and hopefully capture John Hancock and Samuel Adams during the incursion. They weren’t overly concerned about the rag-tag colonial farmer opposition who had dubbed themselves Minutemen. The name ’Minutemen‘ was derived from a vow that colonial farmers could and would be ready to fight for liberty within a minute’s notice. What kind of threat could these Minutemen, tillers of soil, be to one of Europe’s finest armies? The Minutemen’s strength was just 70 men against some 700 regimented...

Beyond the DropZone By W. Thomas Smith Jr. April is a month chocked-full of American military anniversaries: The Continental Navy captured its first enemy warship in April 1776. Marines captured Tripoli, 1805. The Civil War began, 1861. Lee surrendered to Grant, 1865. The Spanish-American war began, 1898. The U.S. declared war on Germany, 1917. Doolittle raided Japan, 1942. American troops landed on Okinawa, 1945. The Bay of Pigs invasion was launched, 1961. The last American Marine left Saigon, 1975. The Air Force raided Libya, 1986. And Baghdad fell to U.S. forces, 2003. All are but a few of this month's...

The birth-cry of America's armed forces by W. Thomas Smith Jr. April is a month chocked-full of American military anniversaries: The Continental Navy captured its first enemy warship in April 1776. Marines captured Tripoli, 1805. The Civil War began, 1861. Lee surrendered to Grant, 1865. The Spanish-American war began, 1898. The U.S. declared war on Germany, 1917. Doolittle raided Japan, 1942. American troops landed on Okinawa, 1945. The Bay of Pigs invasion was launched, 1961. The last American Marine left Saigon, 1975. The Air Force raided Libya, 1986. And Baghdad fell to U.S. forces, 2003. All are but a few...

Student Sues to Pose With Gun in YearbookCONCORD, N.H. — Where other students might pose for their senior yearbook photo with tennis rackets or favorite cars, Blake Douglass (search) wants to be seen with his shotgun.The 17-year-old senior filed a federal lawsuit to force Londonderry High School (search) to allow the photo and give up the policy school officials used to reject it."What they’re doing is basically discriminating based on content or message," said Penny Dean (search), Douglass’ lawyer and a specialist in gun cases. "You can’t do that. You might want to but you can’t — and especially you can’t with...

The Brown Bess The fully functional Short Land Service Musket (New Pattern) used by the 64th Regiment of Foot replicates the firearm issued by the British Army as a result of the 1768 Clothing Warrant. This musket came to be affectionately called the "Brown Bess". While the exact origin of this nickname has become obscured over the years, one explanation states that the name came from the colour of the walnut stock. Prior to the "Brown Bess", stocks were painted black. The predecessor of the Short Land Service Musket was the Long Land Service Musket, developed during the late 1720s....

Concord Hymn Ralph Waldo Emerson By the rude bridge that arched the flood, Their flag to April's breeze unfurled, Here once the embattled farmers stood, And fired the shot heard round the world. The foe long since in silence slept; Alike the conqueror silent sleeps; And Time the ruined bridge has swept Down the dark stream which seaward creeps. On this green bank, by this soft stream, We set to-day a votive stone; That memory may their deed redeem, When, like our sires, our sons are gone. Spirit, that made those heroes dare To die, or leave their children free,...

A Caltech graduate physics student pleaded innocent today to firebombing and vandalizing more than 100 sports utility vehicles in a suspected protest attack by a radical environmentalist movement against the gas-guzzling vehicles. William Cottrell, 23, a graduate student at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, Calif., pleaded not guilty to the charges laid out in a nine-count indictment. Cottrell could face more than 30 years in prison if he is convicted. According to the indictment, Cottrell and "other known and unknown co-conspirators" went on a spree of firebombing and vandalizing sports utility vehicles in the Los Angeles area in...

In July, Bob J and Diotima visited Lexington and Concord while on a visit to the RadioFR studio in Taxachusetts. We thought others might enjoy some of the pics we took while there! Statue honoring the Minutemen on Lexington Green Miniature of Battle Scene Notice the drummer boy in lower left corner This is the 16 year old who played his drum to call the minutemen to battle. View of the Lexington Green looking SW Plaque honoring the event placed in 1799 Sign on Buchman Tavern Buchman tavern where the minutemen gathered prior to the clash with the RedcoatsUnfortunately, we...

In a related matter, the supervisors delayed discussion of a "punch list" of Concord Chase residents' complaints about "poor workmanship" such as poor insulation, leaks and stormwater runoff. Many Concord Chase residents want Toll's license revoked until all the problems are fixed. More than 40 residents of Concord Chase, or about 40 percent, levied complaints against Toll Brothers for poor workmanship.

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"The Concord Fight and A Fearless Isaac Davis" By D. Michael Ryan, company Historian with the Concord Minute Men, an 18th Century volunteer historic interpreter with the National Park Service and Associate Dean of Students at Boston College. "No, I am not and I haven't a man that is!" Thus on 19 April 1775 did Capt. Isaac Davis respond to the query if he was afraid to lead his Acton minute company and the colonial column "into the middle of the town (Concord) for its defense or die in the attempt".

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Does anyone have any fun ideas for Freepers in Greater Boston area this weekend. I plan on going to the parade in Concord on Monday. I was wondering if there were any support our troops rallies ,or freeper events that anyone knew about . Thank you!