What were the names of the Lexington men who engaged the British on the Green?
Since far fewer than the 146 men who appear on Lexingtons muster roll actually stood on the Green at 5:00 AM on April 19, 1775, a list must be created through other sources. The reason for this disparity can be traced to the time lag between the militia first mustering 1–2 AM and when the British arrived. After waiting for their arrival, Captain Parker sent the militia home if they lived close. He even began to wonder if Revere and Dawes had brought a false alarm. Scouts Parker sent to locate the regulars had not returned. When he finally received news, the British were a few minutes away. Many were hurrying to the Green as the battle began. Historian William Coburn identified seventy-seven men, but never cited sources. Bill Poole, historian and Lexington militia re-enactor, has found reference to the seventy-seven that appear below. Most he found in depositions and in early histories based on the recollections of surviving militia members.
