Military
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In the wake of the Boston Tea Party, the British Crown enacted punitive measures against the colonies, creating considerable unrest, particularly in Massachusetts. In Essex County, colonial militias began to drill, stockpile stores of powder, and prepare for battle. In February 1775, British troops under Lt. Col Alexander Leslie set out to seize a store of cannon believed hidden in Salem. As the British advanced toward the town, the local militia assembled and halted the British at the North River drawbridge. After a tense standoff, the British turned back. Meanwhile, the cannon were taken to safety in Concord, where their presence helped trigger the outbreak of the Revolutionary War a few weeks later. During the April 19 battle at Concord, Lexington, and Montgomery (Arlington), Essex County suffered some of the heaviest casualties of any of the responding towns. As the war unfolded, Essex County citizens provided valiant service on both land and sea.
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Salem, Massachusetts · United States
