Musket Balls from Revolutionary War Found in Concord

Archaeologists at Minute Man National Historical Park in Concord, Massachusetts, discovered five musket balls believed to have been fired by colonial militia members at British forces during the North Bridge battle, marking a pivotal moment in the American Revolution on April 19, 1775. The musket balls were found at a key location within the park, emphasizing the significance of the first armed conflict where militia leaders ordered troops to fire upon their own government's soldiers. This discovery, considered collectively as 'The Shot Heard Round the World,' highlights the preservation of shared history and the importance of ongoing stewardship of the battlefield. The artifacts were uncovered in an area where British soldiers resisted colonial militias, with each musket ball determined to have been fired from the opposite side of the river, not dropped during reloading, underscoring the historical context of the find.