Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Shot Heard Round the World-- Part 2

By the time Sudbury's citizens reached Concord, the fight at Lexington, "The Shot Heard Round the World" had already taken place. Eight colonists were dead. The British continued their march on Concord.

At North Bridge, they clashed with the Sudbury men and others, about 450 in all. Two Sudbury men died, but the British were forced to withdraw. On their way back to Boston, close to 4,000 patriots attacked and sniped at them.

Every year, on April 19th, men from Sudbury re-enact the march to Concord after first going to the cemetery where 15 slain townspeople are buried. Five hours later, they re-enact the shots fired at North Bridge.


LONGFELLOW'S WAYSIDE INN

Afterwards, they return to Sudbury and convene at Longfellow's Wayside Inn, the oldest operating inn in America and hoist brews in pewter mugs. The inn has been offering hospitality to travelers along the Boston Post Road since 1716.

Most likely, in 1775, it was called How's Tavern when innkeeper Ezekiel How was among the militia leaders who led the force to Concord. After visiting the place in 1862, poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote Tales of a Wayside Inn.

Later, Henry Ford owned it and relocated on its property a one-room schoolhouse associated with the 18th-century nursery-rhyme Mary Had a Little Lamb.

Great History in Sudbury. --Cooter

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