Today's featured marker is that of Colonel John Buttrick (d. 1791) of Concord, Massachusetts. Okay, he's not my ancestor, but is a major player in American history--specifically the start of the American Revolution on 19 April 1775.
It was on his property that the provincials gathered that fateful day, awaiting reinforcements from neighboring towns. From that vantage point, they watched and waited as the Redcoats stood at the North Bridge.
And when the men of Concord and their neighbors marched toward the bridge in spite of warning shots, it was John Buttrick who called out an order, reportedly saying, "Fire, fellow soldiers, for God's sake, fire."
Colonel Buttrick is laid to rest in the Old Hill Burying Ground above Monument Square in Concord.
