Samuel Whittemore P1

One of the American defenders that day at the Battle of North Bridge at Concord when British wantonly shot Americans and tried to kill wounded Americans in violation of the rules of warfare causing the colonists to fight back by firing at the British from behind trees and stone walls, one of the American defenders that day was 80 year old Captain Samuel Whittemore.

He had been a soldier for nearly two decades but had retired from that profession. However, upon learning of the British actions, he gathered the sword he earned fighting the French in 1745, the two pistols he gained fighting the French in 1763, and his musket. He then fearlessly went out to meet the British.

Elderly Samuel took up a location by himself behind a low stone wall and as a squad of five soldiers approached, he quickly stood up and promptly shot one with his musket, another with one pistol, then a third with his other pistol. By then, the British were at point-blank range and shot Samuel in the face. When he fell to the ground, they struck him on the head with the butt of a musket and bayonetted him 13 times before leaving him to die.

Four hours later, as local townsmen were picking up the American dead, they found Sam lying in a pool of blood — trying to reload his musket! They carried him to a doctor, who pronounced his case hopeless, declaring he would be dead shortly. The family implored the doctor to treat him anyway.

More on this next week for another American moment.

Sourced From The American Story: The Beginnings by David Barton and Tim Barton.