Original subtitles

[horse galloping]

Halt!

[man] Have you a name, gillie?

Aye, sir, and a fine one.

Solomon, Solomon Chandler, of Lincoln town.

And what is your occupation, Solomon Chandler?

I sell necessaries to the ladies of Lexington and Concord,

and Bedford on to Salem.

Ladies, indeed.

There are no ladies in these colonies.

There are only gillie women. Get down.

I suppose you have a ready explanation

for having His Majesty's musket in your possession?

Aye. I found it.

Found it where some poor, drunk devil of a British soldier dropped it.

Did you, now?

Hmm. And the barrel of powder and the box of shot,

I suppose you found them, too, hmm?

Aye, that, too, sir.

You disappoint me, Solomon Chandler.

A good thief must first of all be a good liar.

No. Let him live to talk.

We want his Whig friends to know that their days of stealing from us

and smuggling His Majesty's munitions out of Boston are at an end.

[indistinct chatter]

[girl] Look at that man!

[boy 1] What's the matter with him?

[boy 2] He's bleeding.

[horse neighing]

[door opens]

What happened? What happened, man?

The Redcoats happened, that's what.

Our cousins from over the seas who occupy us

in order to protect us from enemies we haven't got.

Sit here, Solomon. I'll get a clean rag and a pan of water.

Tell us.

It was a patrol of some sort they were, on the Menotomy Road.

-How many? -Five.

Two in uniform, three without.

Same five who rode through here earlier today. I saw them from the fields.

Aye. They searched my wagon, they did.

Found my delivery for Concord.

[Moses] The delivery for Concord?

Powder and shot, friend Cooper.

What have the Concord lads been pleading for these last months?

Except the Tories in their midst.

There ain't a man between 16 and 60 there

who wouldn't rather have powder and shot

than a guarantee of salvation signed and sealed by Jehovah Himself!

Solomon, you didn't tell them, did you,

that the powder and shot was destined for Concord?

They didn't ask. Why should they?

We're all peasants to them, all gillies.

What the Redcoats think of us is not important, Solomon.

What we think of ourselves is what determines our lives,

and we only want to be left in peace.

Peace?

What is peace without dignity? What is peace without honor?

Peace, indeed. The King's peace is slavery!

[scoffs]

Slaves live in a kind of peace without honor as men.

You are beginning the same speech you have been preaching

up and down our Massachusetts colony since grown men can remember.

We've heard it a thousand times.

We have no need to hear it again.

You don't, do you?

It hurts your ears to hear the truth, eh?

You preach revolution, Solomon, and you call it truth.

Moses Cooper, it is our duty to throw off that which demeans us as men.

What do you know of duty, Solomon?

Sadly enough, you have always been a lone eagle.

An eagle with pride. You give me that?

Oh, yes, I will give you that.

A lonely, prideful eagle.

With no wife, no children, no loved ones,

no one to cherish him while he's here.

And none to miss him when he's gone.

Your whole life, Solomon Chandler,

has been a history of bloodshed.

Well, you see, I've never had a master.

No man has assumed authority over me

without suffering great regret for having done so.

Oh, yes! We know you well for what you are, Solomon.

If you hadn't a grievance, you'd sit awake at night inventing one.

I'm calling a committee meeting for tonight.

What need is there to call a special meeting, John?

Because before last month there was rarely a Redcoat or an agent

to be seen on a road this side of Cambridge.

And now every week there's one patrol or two.

I see no reason to call a special committee meeting without a specific reason.

Good day.

We have one. Solomon's blood.

Solomon's blood?

Oh, yes.

He could lose a gallon of it and never miss an ounce.

Everybody knows Solomon's history.

He fought with the British army against the French,

and he fought with the French against the Indians,

and he fought with the Indians against the Indians.

I am not what you might call happy,

with the blood of such a man determining my future.

Moses is right.

You got what you might expect.

You stole from them and you were caught.

I think you're fortunate you weren't shot.

If you think the Redcoats are up to something,

it is right that the committee be warned,

but I will tell you this, John, with no shame,

when we first formed our militia and picked up our guns to drill,

I was apprehensive.

I am no longer apprehensive.

I'm frightened.

[girl] Your mother told me I'd find you working.

You're not working at all. You're dreaming.

Spring fever.

In the old days, men with spring fever went to the stocks

because their wives and children were going hungry.

Why are you looking at me like that?

Like what?

You know.

Do you think I should be put in the stocks?

For your thoughts, you should perhaps be hanged.

[chuckles]

Tell me something, Ruth Simmons.

Why is it that girls always pretend

they don't have the same thoughts as boys?

I could never have the same thoughts as you do.

Well, if you don't have the same thoughts that I do,

then how do you know what mine are?

Oh. Mr. Cooper.

-Ruth. -I was just leaving.

Finished, Adam?

Yes, sir.

Not quite, I see. Missed the corners.

Any job worth doing is worth doing well, Son.

You understand that, don't you?

Yes, sir.

Well?

Well, I guess I don't really think it's worth doing, Father.

Not every day.

You don't?

No. I don't see what's so important about that old stall.

It's not the stall so much as your attitude towards life that concerns me, Adam.

I thought we were talking about the stall.

If it were just the stall, I'd clean it myself and say nothing to you.

Am I boring you?

No, sir.

You look as if I'm boring you.

Your mother will be needing evening water now.

Holy ghost and holy hell,

get thee out of the mossy well.

You're a good boy, Adam.

You may be the only one who thinks so, Mother.

You've had words with your father again, haven't you?

Well, whatever it is between you and your father

will remain between you and your father.

I refuse to be one of those women

who allow her children to pit her against her husband.

I'm not a child, Mother.

And I wasn't thinking of doing anything of the sort.

I've spun sufficiently.

Help me up, Adam. I want to get a little breath of fresh air.

I'll tell you one thing, boy.

This is the time of day when an old lady wishes she drank hard spirits.

Well, why don't you start, then?

Because bad habits should begin early in life

if they're going to have any gossip value.

What's wrong?

You know, you're the only person I can talk to around here, Granny.

'Cause you're so old you don't care what you say.

[chuckles] Is that supposed to be a compliment?

Why, you admit yourself you're old.

A woman can admit any truth about herself until it's pointed out by another,

and then it becomes an insult.

Now why don't you just forget about my age

and condition and get on with what's bothering you.

[chickens clucking]

[sighs]

Why does Father consider that everything I do is either wrong or sinful?

I wasn't aware that he does.

My entire life, he has never told me that I'm right,

or maybe right, about anything.

I'm always wrong.

According to him, you mean?

Yes.

[Sarah] Adam, supper's on. Help Granny to the table.

Adam, don't you know your father by this time?

It isn't just you he considers wrong.

According to him, he's the only right-thinking man on Earth!

He's my son, your father is,

and his father was just the same.

My pleasure has been doubly dubious.

We thank thee, Lord, for the food we eat.

We thank thee for it, even though it was we who planted the seed,

even though it was our hands who guided the plow,

and even though it was our backs bent in toil under your hellish sun.

[sighs]

The ground is as dry as dust and I will take the liberty

of asking for a little rain.

We know thou givest with one hand

and takest away with the other,

but sometimes it seems

to go beyond the bounds of reason.

Amen.

If I was the Lord, I'd walk away from a speech like that, Moses Cooper,

and then strike you down with the first handy bolt of lightning.

The Lord understands straight talk, Mother,

Granny was only suggesting a little respect, Moses.

What greater respect can a man show to God,

or to his fellow man, than honesty?

How big are you, Adam?

Tall?

What is your height?

Um, I stand somewhere between 16 and 17 hands, Father.

Tall as a man.

Whatever it is, Moses, it can wait until the meal is over,

Adam won't be any taller than he is now.

Tall as a man, Adam?

Some men.

Tall as a man. Strong as a man.

One would think that a man's mind would go along with all that.

-Don't you think so? -Eat your dinner, Moses.

All this is going to interfere with your digestion.

I don't know what you're so angry about, Father, I really don't.

I'm not angry. I am disappointed.

I am disappointed that I have a son as big as you

who insists on repeating a superstitious oath when he draws water from a well.

You know what I'm talking about, don't you?

-Yes. But what does that... -[knocking on door]

Good evening, everyone.

Joseph, come in. Sit down. Have a bite to eat.

Oh, no, thank you. I just finished my own supper.

I couldn't eat another morsel.

Oh, you're having donkers.

Well, maybe one or two,

'cause no one makes them as good as you do, Sarah.

I've come to walk you to the committee meeting, Moses.

You are coming, aren't you?

Of course, I'm coming.

Have you finished the statement?

Not quite.

What statement?

The committee has appointed Joseph to compose a statement on the rights of man.

We're all going to sign it and it'll be posted in Boston.

-Why in Boston? -Why?

So the British will know where we stand, that's why.

Do any of you think the British give a fig where you stand?

Let's get on to the meeting, Joseph.

I have a long day in the fields tomorrow.

Father?

I want to go with you to the meeting.

Well, I know the committee made a rule about a man

having to be 16 before he joins.

But...

Are you a man now?

Well, you admit yourself that I'm tall and strong.

And I'm only a few months away from my 16th birthday.

Talk to me when your mind catches up to your age and size, Adam.

Adam...

Why does he hate me so?

Hate you? You're his son, he loves you!

-Does he? -Of course, he does!

Then why doesn't he ever show it?

[hooting and chirping]

[whispering] Let's be off. God speed.

[Reverend] We humbly ask God to have mercy on this gathering.

We ask it in the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior.

-Amen. -[all] Amen.

Is there a man here who doesn't know

Solomon Chandler from Lincoln town?

There are many men here who wish they didn't.

[all laughing]

He was accosted by a British patrol on the Menotomy Road this afternoon.

They beat him, they confiscated his wagon, his team, and his goods.

Stolen powder and shot.

[John] No matter.

Whether we personally approve of him or not,

it behooves every man here to remember that Solomon Chandler is one of us.

And if it weren't for men like him,

there would be precious little powder and shot for men like you,

if and when you need it.

What happened to Solomon this afternoon

occasions this meeting here tonight.

Our militia, which is to say this committee,

can lay claim to seven close-bore guns with rifled barrels,

60 smooth-bore guns, ten of which are fire locks,

five dragoon pistols, which are probably worthless,

and we have 14 British army guns.

Should the need arise, our village has 116 assorted pieces,

all told.

John,

is it not true that King George has 5,000 soldiers

now quartered in Boston?

Yes, that is the number of Redcoats that has been passed on to us.

Is it also not true that the British army is the very best army in the world?

The British army does have that reputation, yes.

Then we do not need our 116 pieces.

The British will fall down laughing at us.

That's all I have to say.

I think you are forgetting, Joseph, that we aren't alone.

There are hundreds, and perhaps thousands

of committees like ours, from Maine to the Carolinas.

What Joseph means is that he's a blacksmith.

I'm a farmer. Most of us here are farmers.

All of our meetings, all of our drillings, won't make us soldiers.

Nobody claims to be a--

I doubt there is a man present here who has ever shot and killed another man!

I personally do not relish the thought.

No decent man does relish the thought of killing others, Moses.

But we must consider that we may one day

be presented with no choice.

What will you do then?

I don't know what I will do.

And no man here does.

Well, David slew Goliath, didn't he?

Would you care to speak to that, Reverend?

David did indeed slay Goliath,

for the holy book tells us so.

Unfortunately, British soldiers can't read.

[laughing]

[dog barking] thoughtful tonight.

I'm just thinking about you and me.

Does your mother or father ever ask you anything about us?

No.

What would they ask?

You know.

I really don't know what you're talking about.

[sighs]

What I mean is we could do anything we wanted to,

and it would just be between us. Wouldn't it?

Not really.

Why not?

Because...

Because nothing's ever just between two people.

Yes, but we're here all alone.

There's no one else in these woods.

It's just you and me.

God is here with us, Adam.

God's watching us.

And if He thought we didn't believe that,

He'd be very disappointed in us.

Ruth, why did you have to bring God into this?

There's a big question about you and me that's begging for an answer.

That's what I'm trying to tell you, if you would just leave God out of it.

Adam, listen to me.

When two people walk out at night and hold hands, like you and I do,

well, it means they like each other more than commonly so, doesn't it?

Yeah--

And if two people like each other more than commonly so,

then it must mean they have something uncommon in common.

I love you.

My mother told me that's far easier for a man to say than for a woman to accept.

She told me there are men who use the word love for their own selfish purposes.

Ruth, your mother talks too much.

My mother's a good mother because she trusts me.

If she didn't trust me, you'd never be allowed

to come tap-tap-tapping on my door,

and you and I would never be alone together in these dark woods

unless we were lowly skulkers.

[howling]

I didn't intend to hurt your feelings.

I haven't, have I?

Adam?

Ruth, when I tell you that I love you, I mean that.

You're the first person I've ever told that to.

I want you to believe me.

I do believe you.

And I have a special feeling for you, too.

It's a feeling that makes my heart beat faster and faster.

Makes my breath come short.

So I guess it's love.

I think you better walk me home now.

Now? You want to go home now?

I didn't say I wanted to.

Just that I'd better.

Because... Just because I better.

All right.

[door unlocking]

Why did the meeting last so long tonight?

Because the deeper one sinks into quicksand,

the more difficult it becomes to escape it.

What do you mean by "quicksand"?

Seems to be a rule of life.

The things we hate the most are often the most necessary for survival.

I'm talking about guns.

But you've owned a gun for as long as I've known you.

Yes, and I've respected it, but I have never loved it.

Why are you still awake?

Couldn't sleep.

Not till you and I have talked about something.

Moses, Adam seems to have gotten the idea that you hate him.

[Moses] Hate him?

[Sarah] He truly thinks you don't like him.

[Moses] Where would he get an idea like that?

[Sarah] Maybe you gave it to him.

Sarah, I don't know how a man could love a son more than I love that boy.

Have you told him?

Told him?

No.

Fathers tell their daughters they love them.

They don't tell their sons that.

That would embarrass me and him.

Knowing he's loved and cared about means as much to a boy

as it does to a girl, Moses.

You think I should tell him I love him?

It would be a start.

But I think showing love means more than saying it.

[sighs]

Maybe I've been too hard on him.

But you know what that boy means to me.

[Sarah] I know.

But it's more important that Adam know it.

[horse galloping]

The regulars are out! Sound the alarm!

The regulars are out! Hundreds of 'em!

They're headed for the stores in Concord!

The regulars are on the road tonight!

[horse approaching]

[Revere] The regulars are out!

Sound the alarm! The regulars are out!

Hundreds of 'em!

They're headed for the stores in Concord!

The regulars are on the road tonight!

Summon the militia!

The lobsterbacks are heading for Concord!

They're already on the road!

Sound the alarm!

[man] What's all that shouting? Get off that horse.

-[shouting continues] -Father, wake up.

-What? -Something's happening.

There's a rider down at Buckland shouting loud enough

to wake everybody up.

[Revere] Grenadiers and light infantry, most likely.

[John] Are you sure?

[Revere] We didn't wait around to see,

but there's no doubt about it at all.

They'd crossed the Charles River and formed up

on the Menotomy Road when we lit out.

There was four of us.

One took off for Bedford, one for Brookline,

then another one went down to Watertown.

But no matter which road those lobsterbacks take,

you can be sure they're headed for the stores of powder and shot in Concord.

How many soldiers are there?

We have to know.

Let go of my bridle, mister, I have to get on.

We want to know how many soldiers there are.

A thousand, at least.

They had a line of boats stretching across the Charles.

And every boat was packed full of Redcoats.

Now get out of my way.

You're not the only one who's got to be waked up this night.

[urging horse]

I don't believe it!

Anybody who knows the British army knows they don't march at night.

Why should they?

If they're truly marching this way at this hour,

it's to take us by surprise at Concord.

Well, what kind of surprise,

when it's going to be dawn before they get halfway there?

Well, the man who just rode through here wasn't drunk, far as I could tell.

And he has no reason to ride out here in the middle of the night

just to tell us a lie.

I'm going to call out the militia to sign the muster book, Reverend.

-Do we get the bell? -Now wait just a minute.

Let's suppose there's an army of 1000 men headed this way.

The muster roll of our militia only adds up to 79 men.

What's your point?

What are you going to do with 79 men facing 1000, is my point.

[Moses] We don't know how many there are.

We don't know for certain that there are any,

but if there were only one of us

the principle would be the same.

What do you say, Reverend?

Do we get the bell?

Toll the bell. Summon the militia.

[bell tolling]

[men chattering]

[John] You are now under orders and in discipline

in this committee of defense and correspondence.

Go home, get your gun, powder and shot,

as well as a pound of bread and a bottle of water.

Muster on the green at the sound of the drum.

-Name? -Uh...

You know my name.

You have to state it, for the record.

Ah, Samuel Hadley.

You are now under orders and in discipline

in this committee of defense and correspondence.

Go home, get your gun, powder and shot,

as well as a pound of bread and a bottle of water.

Muster on the green at the sound of the drum.

Name?

Joash Smith, by God.

Just sign your own name, Smith, and let the Good Lord take care of his own.

You are now under orders and in discipline

in this committee of defense and correspondence.

Go home, get your gun, powder and shot,

as well as a pound of bread and a bottle of water.

Muster on the green at the sound of the drum.

Went to sleep a boy, woke up a man, eh, Adam?

I truly hope so, sir.

With Father up there, I don't know

if I'll be signing the muster book or not.

What if he won't let you?

I guess I'll just sink right through this floor.

-[Moses] Name? -Simon Casper.

[John] You are now under orders and in discipline

in this committee of defense and correspondence.

Go home, get your gun, powder and shot,

a pound of bread and a bottle of water.

Muster on the green at the sound of the drum.

It's your turn, Mr. Simmons.

No, why don't you go ahead, Adam.

[Moses] Name?

Adam Cooper.

Thank you, sir.

[Ruth] Did you sign?

Yes. [chuckles] I...

I signed.

Mr. Parker handed me the pen, and...

And I signed.

He handed me the pen and my father watched me sign.

And I signed my name.

Adam Cooper, citizen.

What do you do now?

Well, I go home, and I get my gun, and I, uh,

[exhales]

I join the rest of the men on the green, and we wait for the Redcoats.

Ruth, this is gonna be the greatest day of my life.

Permitting your son, your 15-year-old son,

to sign the militia muster book, is that your way of loving him?

Sarah, if I'd refused him in front of the whole village I would've lost him forever.

If the British army is truly coming, you may just lose him forever!

What was I to do? I looked up and there he was. He didn't say anything.

Standing there and looking at me.

[sighs] I tell you, his face said more than all the words that ever passed between us.

He's only a boy.

Yesterday he was a boy.

Tonight he's not.

I don't understand that kind of talk.

A boy doesn't turn into a man overnight.

It takes learning and growing and hurting.

-And most of all it takes time. -Yeah.

Moses, sit down, please. Just for a moment, please.

Listen to me. We're plain people.

We live quietly.

We try to raise our children properly, with a decent respect for God and man.

[sighs]

We don't kill. We don't cheat, we don't steal.

We don't even have a jail in our town.

And now you're telling me that ordinary village people,

men and boys we've known all of our lives,

are going to try and stop an army.

And that our 15-year-old son is one of those boys?

We're not even certain the army's coming.

But if they do come and see us standing firm, they'll respect us.

Will they?

Firmness is not the way to have bloodshed, it is the way to avoid it.

Then avoid it without Adam.

I cannot do that.

We can't shelter him now, Sarah.

We cannot shield him. There comes a time.

This is that time.

[sighing]

Wrap a rag around the flint.

There's moisture in the night air.

Yes, sir. I thought to do so.

Is it loaded?

No, sir, not yet.

Load it, then.

I'll watch you.

That's not enough.

-That's a hunting measure. -You're not hunting.

Well, how many, then?

Three times.

It'll kick like a mule.

You can live with a bruised shoulder

better than you can live with a British bayonet.

-How many pellets? -Twenty.

-You count pellets? -Yes, sir, I count them.

You'll stop tomorrow to count pellets, is that it?

No, sir. I wasn't thinking.

Then think! Think!

Use your head to save your life.

Put your hand in that shot pouch and pull out a handful.

Now feel it in your hand.

Now count 'em.

It's 27. It's a large load. It could break the breech.

-Is your breech rusty? -No, sir.

Then it won't break.

Now load them and remember what it feels like.

Don't stop to count.

Yes, sir.

[drum beating]

I want you to close the shutters,

just as you would for a storm.

I want you to stay inside until Adam and I are back.

And I want you to remember that

they don't want bloodshed any more than we do.

The soldiers may be trash, but their officers are gentlemen,

-and we're all the same people. -Not quite.

We're all the same people, Mother. We're all Englishmen.

Sarah?

Sarah, I...

Goodbye, Moses.

Well, there's no need to say goodbye.

We're only going over to the green.

Goodbye, Moses.

Don't worry, Mother.

[sobbing]

Mother, please, there's--

You get out on out of here now if you're gonna go, and you leave your mother be.

Go. Go. Go.

[sobbing]

Your mother crying?

Yes, sir, she was.

Well, don't let her tears fool you into thinking she's weak, Son.

Your mother's not weak.

I don't like to admit it, but women are stronger than we are.

I've always wondered about that.

[laughs]

Your mother doesn't think we understand one another, Son.

She thinks I should tell you I love you.

I told her that's not the kind of thing men say to one another,

'cause love, they both know it.

You do know about the feeling I have for you, Son?

I think so, sir. Down deep.

It's down deep, where it counts,

'cause that's where the roots are.

And if I've been hard on you, boy,

it's because I want those roots strong.

There's another thing, too.

I don't think much of anything's gonna happen here this morning,

but something could.

You might have a heavy burden.

[drumming continues]

You know, my heart isn't fully in this.

Don't worry about us.

Well...

Well, I just wish this would all go away.

Go to the green now because you must.

And stand with Jehovah because you always have.

We pray for you, Father. Truly we do.

[man] What time is it, Reverend?

Ten minutes until 4:00.

What's the word, John?

We've had further word.

There's no question now.

The lobsterbacks are coming sure enough.

And a great many of them.

I think we should decide who will do the talking when they get here.

You're the only one without a gun, Reverend.

Maybe you'd better talk for us.

There are some in this world who won't listen to a man without a gun.

If there's any talking to be done, perhaps you'd better do it.

Since we have no store of arms, powder and shot,

it's plain enough they're interested in Concord.

Suppose they see us standing here and decide to ignore us

and go on past, up the road. What then?

By God, then we stop them.

Use the brains God gave you, Simon!

The plain truth of the matter is we cannot stop them!

Do you want a bloodbath?

Moses is right.

My feeling is that we take up our positions here

and we hold them with dignity and courage.

If they propose to march on past us,

why then, they march on past.

Of all the damn things...

What if they don't stop?

What if they march on through and pay us no mind?

They won't march on through, and they won't ignore us.

They have too much false pride for that.

They don't see us as free men, with rights.

If you're gonna fight, you'd better make up your mind about it.

Just keep your fingers off your triggers. Remember.

Now, all fall in.

Two ranks facing Menotomy Road.

Boys 17 years and under, second rank.

Two lines only.

Regular parade order. Spread out!

Further along. Leave a space.

That's right. Good.

Music should be in the first rank, Mr. Parker.

How old are you, Jonathan?

Well, sixteen, sir. I should be up front.

The better to see you, is that it?

Yes, sir. Oh, and the better to hear me, too.

All right. First rank.

[John] Good.

Hold the positions.

Very good.

What could you play to ease our waiting, Jonathan?

Anything you'd like, sir.

Would you render Old Hundredth for us, please?

Oh, yes, sir.

[playing "Old Hundredth"]

Show to Jehovah, all the earth.

♪ Show to Jehovah all the earth ♪

[Reverend] Serve ye Jehovah with gladness.

♪ Serve ye Jehovah with gladness ♪

Before Him come with singing mirth.

♪ Before Him come with singing mirth ♪

Know that Jehovah, He God is.

♪ Know that Jehovah, He God is ♪

Show to Jehovah all the earth.

♪ Show to Jehovah all the earth ♪

Serve ye Jehovah with gladness.

♪ Serve ye Jehovah with gladness ♪

Before Him come with singing mirth.

♪ Before Him come with singing mirth ♪

Know that Jehovah, He God is.

♪ Know that Jehovah ♪

♪ He God is ♪

[rhythmic drumming in distance]

Make sure your flints are not on cock.

We don't want any accidents.

[playing revolutionary tune]

[rhythmic drum beating]

[sergeant shouting indistinctly]

[sergeant] Company, halt!

Company, halt!

Halt.

[sergeant shouting orders]

They present no obstacle, sir.

Shall we pass them by?

We will not.

Hold your fire.

Keep ranks.

-Captain Parson. Fall front. -[Parson] Sir!

[indistinct shouting]

March.

[marching drumbeat]

[sergeant shouting orders]

[Parson] Company...

Halt!

[orders continue]

[Parson] Halt.

Halt!

Hold steady.

Hold steady.

Do not fire.

Do nothing without they begin it first.

[Parson] Halt!

[marching drumbeats stop]

[Pitcairn] Prepare to fix bayonets.

Fix your... Bayonets.

Shoulder your firearms.

Lay down your arms.

Disperse.

Get off the King's green.

-We are here to talk. -Talk of what?

This is our green.

Lay down your arms and there will be no trouble.

Disperse at once in the King's name!

We are gathered here peacefully.

[horse snorting]

Hold your fire.

Charge your bayonets!

[all] Hurrah!

[Pitcairn] Advance and disarm them.

Oh, no, lads. You must stand!

Stand fast!

Battalion will advance.

Slow march!

[drums beating]

Disperse, men. Don't fire!

Stand fast, damn it!

Militia, retire! Get off the green!

-[shots firing] -[indistinct shouting]

[grunts]

Ahhh!

[shots continue]

[screaming]

Ahhh!

[straining and grunting]

[sobbing]

-[indistinct shouting] -[drums beating]

[sobbing continues]

Cease fire! Cease fire!

Get back into ranks.

Cease fire.

Get back into ranks.

Hold your fire.

[drums stop]

God's blood, Major! What's happening here?

It didn't have to happen like this, sir.

It shouldn't have happened.

Your men fired in direct violation of my orders!

But we were fired upon, sir.

-Are you certain? -I heard the first gunshot, sir.

It was theirs.

Well, no matter. We've wasted enough time here.

Form the men up for Concord.

Sir!

[whistle blows]

-[officer shouting orders] -[sobbing]

[Parson] Ten men to stay behind and search the town!

Detain anyone you find.

[Parson] Quick march!

[drums beating]

[Sarah] [wailing] Oh, no.

[gasping]

Moses, no!

Oh, no! [sobbing]

Oh, God, no, please.

[Ruth] Adam?

Adam, where are you?

I know you're here somewhere, please answer.

[whispering] Adam?

[sergeant] Search every building. Don't let them get away.

My father's dead.

I know. I know he is.

They just shot him, like he was nothing.

They just shot him down for no reason.

He was laying there with his...

With his chest blown away.

Big hole in his chest.

And I just ran. I just ran and left him there.

My own father.

I think your father would've wanted you to run.

Would've wanted you to save yourself.

He wouldn't... Wouldn't want me to be a coward.

You're not a coward.

You mustn't believe that about yourself.

If you were a coward, I couldn't love you the way I do.

I do love you, Adam. Truly I do.

I just couldn't say it last night.

But I'm telling you now.

[soldier 1] Did you find anything?

[soldier 2] No, they must be halfway to Buckland by now.

Look, you can't stay here. They're searching everywhere.

[soldier 3] Did you look in here?

Many have run to hide in the woods.

You should go, too.

What are you doing in here?

Hiding. Just hiding.

[soldier] Well... Women and children have nothing to fear.

But, are you alone?

What right do you have to come in our village like this as if you own it?

What right do you have?

I'm a soldier, a soldier has to obey orders.

Like a dog, you mean. Sit up. Roll over. Beg.

No, I'm a soldier and...

And you've found an enemy, so take me prisoner.

Take me back to the green.

Well?

You there! Halt in the King's name!

Halt, you!

[screaming]

-Easy. Easy lad! -Let go of me!

-Let go of me! -Easy, lad, easy.

Let go of me.

I'm Solomon Chandler, from Lincoln town.

I mean you no harm.

Let go! Let go of me! Let go of me!

Aye, for certain I will, lad.

I just don't want you exploding that bird gun in my face, that's all.

-[panting] -All right?

Let's take a peek.

Them lobsterbacks won't be coming across the meadow after you, lad.

All they're trained to do is stand in a row

face to face with fools like themselves and blast away.

What's your name? Where's your home?

Adam Cooper.

Lexington.

Cooper.

Moses Cooper wouldn't be your father, would he?

He was, but he's dead.

-Dead, you say? -They killed him.

They shot him down on the green earlier.

He was a good man.

Moses Cooper, your father, was a good man.

-You knew my father? -Aye, I did.

I knew him well, I did.

You see?

I told you they wouldn't come across the meadow.

[sighs]

Twelve minutes after 9:00.

-Let's you and me walk for a spell. -Where to?

All in good time, laddie.

It's a long day.

What's started ain't easily finished.

You witnessed a mighty terrible thing today.

It's painful now, but give it time.

Father's dead. Talking like that won't bring him back.

That it won't, Adam.

Nothing will bring him back.

Your father had a sense of his duty. So must we, laddie.

We've got a little more to do today,

and we'll do it the best we know how.

[marching drumbeat]

[Solomon] Get a good, long look at them.

It's a healthy thing to regard what you fear.

Study them.

Realize their stupidity and ignorance.

They do what they're told to do, that's all they know.

Believe me, lad, it'll be easier for them to go to Concord

then it'll be for them to come back.

-You recognize them? -[Adam] No, I don't believe so, sir.

They're from Bedford.

And you'll be seeing more, lad,

from every village and farm.

Look.

The men from Lincoln.

-Everyone must have heard what happened to us. -Aye.

Those who haven't, will.

This day's news travels on the wings of lightning.

Your friends and neighbors?

Yes, sir.

Go, go to them, lad. Stay with them.

Jehovah be praised!

Adam! Adam.

For thy everlasting mercy, Almighty God, be thanked.

They killed my father. They shot him down.

I know, Adam. I know they did.

Who started it, Mr. Simmons?

-I couldn't see who started it. -We don't know.

We've talked about it,

but we don't know where the shot came from or who fired it.

But we know it wasn't one of our militiamen.

We were cowards, weren't we?

We ran like cowards.

Listen to me, we weren't on the green this morning

with the intention of fighting.

-Why did we have our guns? -To show them we had them.

And that we would fight if need be.

But there wasn't a man there

fool enough to think he could stand up

against the British army face to face.

-But we ran. -Aye, we ran.

We ran like rabbits,

and if we hadn't, a lot of us wouldn't be here now.

But we are here.

And what we are going to do today

is stack Redcoats up like cordwood.

You understand me?

-You mean we're going to kill them? -Aye.

We're going to try.

[man] [shouting] Solomon!

Hello, boy.

[Solomon] Aye, lad, what's the news?

The Redcoats reached Concord

but they didn't find anything but some hogsheads and flour.

How many hurt? How many dead?

There was fighting at North Bridge, but I don't know.

Well, tell us what you do know!

What's the shooting back there?

Well, they've left Concord, and they're coming back.

Headed this way.

Say, I'm dry as a bone. Is there water?

Do you have the nerve to ride back?

Mister, if it has to be,

I'll ride through the whole Redcoat army.

No need for such tricks. Just go back and watch 'em.

When they're halfway between Lexington and Concord,

come riding back down the road yelling. We'll be set for them.

Yeah, well, don't shoot at me by mistake.

I've got a wife and seven kids.

Ah, go on with you.

-[Solomon] You'll have more! -[urging horse]

Well, neighbors,

the Redcoats danced.

And now they'll have to pay the piper.

It wouldn't be proper for them to go home with exacting payment.

What do we do?

At least half that road that they're marching on

is bordered by stone wall,

another part by trees.

We take our cover like Indians, behind what we can.

We wait for 'em, we give 'em no comfort,

we'll sting 'em all the way to Boston!

[all laughing]

Reverend, sir, your blessing.

Jehovah, watch over us all and be with us.

-Amen. -[all] Amen.

Now scatter yourselves. Don't waste your shots.

Take care to watch your rear.

The lobsterbacks have patrols out everywhere.

God be with you!

[bird squawking]

[footsteps approaching]

Don't fire till you smell the King's breath.

Think of them as rabbits, Adam. Rabbits in our garden.

[gunshot]

[gasping]

[breathing heavily]

[Adam panting]

It's all right. I understand.

[birds chirping]

[leaves rustling]

Hurting another like this is a sickening business.

There comes a time when it's necessary to do it.

But there's never a time to enjoy it.

I just wish this day had never come.

I want to go home. I want to go home now.

So do we all.

But we can't.

The British are coming back and we must be ready for them.

Adam!

I wish my father were here.

He is, Adam.

He is.

[distant gunfire]

Keep down after we shoot.

And then run.

It would be death to remain here of British regulars.

[distant gunfire]

How long to wait, Joseph?

I hear the shooting plainer.

Plainer, I think.

-Are you all right? -I think so, sir.

[rider] Hee-hah!

Hee-hah!

They're a-coming!

By God, they're a-coming. They are!

Get ready! They're a-coming, get ready!

Hee-hah!

[gunfire continues]

[horse neighing]

[groaning]

[thud]

[breathing heavily]

-Fire! -[shots firing]

Ahhh!

[Joseph] Down!

Run!

[firing continues]

[shouting orders]

Get in ranks! Get in ranks!

Form ranks! Get in ranks!

[distant gunfire]

What do we do now?

We'll go towards Lexington.

Find new positions.

We have to slow up the head of the column.

[breathing heavily] Mister Simmons...

I know, Adam. I know.

You shot a Redcoat who had no business being here.

-I don't like the feeling. -I don't, either.

I doubt there are many of us who do.

We're not killers.

This is the war, then.

Aye.

I have heard talk about war as long as I can remember.

This is it, isn't it?

Aye, lad, this is the war.

[panting]

When will it end?

When we've driven them back to their ships.

When they sail away from here.

When they leave us in peace in our own land.

But we're all British.

Aye, we were. Until today.

Could take years, couldn't it?

Aye.

If we stay here talking like this,

it could take a good long while.

Come now.

[man 1] Ahhh!

[man 2] Ahhh!

[shots firing]

God forgive us.

One.

Two.

-[shots firing] -[groans]

[Joseph] Go!

[gunfire continues]

Hey! Oh-ho!

[Solomon] Hey, laddie boy!

I just got me a lobsterback officer.

Three hundred paces, if it was an inch.

And I plucked him off neat as a feather.

Of course, it was the hand of Jehovah

that reached down and smote him.

Adam. Praise be, you're all right.

-How are you keeping, Son? -I'm all right, sir.

I'm looking for Mister Simmons. We were separated.

What a glorious day, praise be.

How can he feel that way?

Killing and enjoying it.

An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth

and no mercy is the way he sees it, Adam.

He's been looking forward to this for a good long while.

-Your name Solomon Chandler? -Aye.

-You in charge? -I'm captain of militia.

We ain't got a general here.

We've got 53 men from Watertown.

More of them joined us from Lincoln, Bedford, and Menotomy.

-Where do we go? -Go?

Well, you go to where you see Redcoats.

You fire, you keep moving. Fire, keep moving.

We'll leapfrog 'em all the way back to Boston.

[man] Solomon!

There's a British relief force coming, fresh out of Boston,

and now a mile the other side of Lexington.

How many?

We hear 1,500.

Well, they'll come together in Lexington then,

with what's left of these.

-Well, what do we do? -The same as we've already done.

We'll let them march to where they're going,

and we'll get 'em when they're comin'.

Well, yes, but what if they take a different road?

Friend, there ain't a road in Massachusetts today

that don't lead to British graves.

You, soldier, fall in!

Keep ranks!

Major, we must surrender.

Surrender? Surrender to whom, you bloody fool.

They have no leader!

[Pitcairn] Keep moving. Keep moving, back there.

[distant gunfire]

Keep moving.

Watch your flanks!

Ahhh!

[neighing]

Get...

You! You! Outflank them!

Take them from the rear!

Move it, double! Get that little cur.

[gunfire continues]

Look!

Isn't that Adam?

Adam!

Adam! On your guard!

Ahhh!

[screaming]

Ahhh!

[groaning]

I've been plucking against the tide all me life, laddie,

thinking I was alone.

But today I'm in the company of brothers.

Americans.

I... I can't do anymore.

I can't do any more today, sir.

If I go on, I'm gonna die. I know I will.

Can we please just go home?

Please, Mister Simmons, I just want to go home.

Please.

Let's go home.

It isn't the same anymore is it?

[sighs] Like the seasons, things change.

Change is life.

Life is good.

Oh!

It must have been terrible for you today.

I was just really confused.

No one seemed to know much about what to do

except shoot at the Redcoats.

Did you?

A few times. Yes.

Did you kill anyone?

I don't know. I tried.

-Did you want to? -No. No.

I don't hate anyone enough to want to kill them.

I'm glad you feel that way.

It isn't the same anymore.

We aren't the same.

This morning, when we lined up on the green,

no one intended to fight.

Now we know that we have to.

But you won't go, will you?

Go where?

Every man and every boy old enough to bear arms

is being called to surround the British in Boston.

I know you will. I don't want you to.

But I know you will.

[whispering] Adam.

Adam, do you love me?

I love you, Adam.

I don't change easily.

Even if this war lasts a whole lifetime,

it won't change my feelings about you.

Lifetime's a long while.

[thunder rumbling]

[door opening]

I'm home now, Mother.

I'm home.

[sighs]

[sobbing]

It's all right. It's all right, Mother. I'm home.

Please, don't cry.

Don't cry.

You're so dirty.

I've never seen you so dirty.

I knew you were gonna say that.

It's the first time in my life

I ever looked forward to hearing you say that.

Your coat. You've ripped your new coat.

[chuckles] I knew you were gonna say that, too.

Oh, Adam. Oh...

Oh!

I want you to go upstairs now, Son.

Your father lies there.

[thunder rumbling]

[thunder rumbling]

[rain pattering]

Our Father, who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name,

thy Kingdom come, thy will be done

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread

and forgive us our trespasses,

as we... Forgive those who trespassed against us.

But that's not so.

Today we didn't forgive the trespassers.

I guess there'll be no forgiving or forgetting

for some time to come, Lord.

But if we must kill to live free

and in your light,

we don't ask thee to bless our killings.

We don't ask for thy protection.

Only for the right to protect ourselves.

My father used to say, "Don't ask the Almighty to take sides.

Bear your grief and trust to reason."

It's been a long day, Lord.

Thank you for the rain.

Amen.