The American Revolution was America’s fight for independence from Great Britain. On the American side the war was fought by militia men, who consisted of any man aged 16-60. The militia were paid in wine and food called hardtack due to its stale, bricklike consistency. The men were often ordinary farmers with no prior war experience, and used outdated muskets as their main weapon. Compared to Britain’s highly trained army and improved weapons, the Americans were severely outmatched. Westford also played a role in the Revolution by providing troops. In fact, Colonel John Robinson, the commander of the Westford Militia, fought in one of the first battles of the Revolution at the Old North Bridge at Concord.
Col. Robinson was woken by midnight riders such as Paul Revere, and went with 2 soldiers on horseback towards the battle. He was offered command, but turned the offer down, as the troops were not his own. This effort at Concord allowed the Americans to defeat the British, causing them to retreat to Boston. Along the way the British troops were ambushed by various other militia groups. The combined efforts of various small towns such as Westford was the true cause regarding America’s momentous victory for independence and freedom over Britain.
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Visit the Westford Colonial Minutemen’s homepage here
PBS American Experience, Patriot’s Day
American Revolutionary Museum/First Person Performances
Liberty Kid: American Revolution (40 cartoon episodes)