Minute Man Nat'l Hist Park, Mass
— National Park Service —
Here begins the Battle Road. After brief battles at Lexington Green and Concord's North Bridge, Colonists and British soldiers clashed here at Meriam's Corner.
Colonial militia and minute men coming from the North Bridge fight were joined by companies from Reading. While the Colonists watched from the cover of the Meriam house and barn, British flankers protecting the main column of troops came in to cross the small bridge over Mill Brook. This weakened the British position. Musket shots rang out, beginning a six-hour running battle all the way to Boston harbor. Colonists discharged their vengeance at the British troops along the old highway that is known today as "Battle Road."
"A little before we came to Meriam's hill, we discovered the enemy's flank guard, of about 80 or 100 men, who, on their retreat from Concord, kept that height of land, the main body in the road . . . About twenty rods [330 feet] short of that place, the Americans made a halt. The British marched down the hill with very slow, but steady step, without music or a word being spoken that could be heard. Silence reigned on both sides . . ."
- Edmund Foster, Reading Minute Man
" . . . immediately as we descended the hill into the Road the Rebels begun a brisk fire but at so great a distance it was without effect, but as they kept marching nearer when the Grenadiers found them within shot they returned their fire just about that time I rec'd a shot through my right elbow joint which effectually disabled that arm, it then became a general firing upon us from all quarters . . . "
- Ensign Jeremy Lister, British 10th Regiment of Foot
12:30 p.m. April 19, 1775 Meriam's Corner
Colonial Militia 400 Men
British Regulars 700 Men
16 miles & 6 ½ hours to Boston.