North Bridge Musket Ball Discovery

As we get ready to commemorate the 250^th Anniversary of the American Revolution, Minute Man National Historical Park is incredibly excited to announce the discovery of FIVE musket balls fired during the first battle at Concord's North Bridge on April 19, 1775.

 

Analysis of the 18th-century musket balls indicates they were fired by colonial militia members at British forces during the North Bridge fight. The North Bridge battle site in Concord, Massachusetts, is a key location within Minute Man NHP and marks the moment when provincial militia leaders ordered members to fire upon their own government’s soldiers for the first time. The event was later termed “The Shot Heard Round the World” by Ralph Waldo Emerson in his 1837 Concord Hymn because it immediately escalated an already boiling conflict between colonial rebels and British forces.

 

FAQ About the Musket Balls

When were the musket balls found?

In early 2023

Where did they find the musket balls?

The musket balls were found on the eastern side of the river, in the area where British Soldiers formed up to resist the militia river crossing. For resource protection considerations we can’t be more specific than that.

Who found the musket balls?

A trained team of archaeologists working on Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act compliance surveyed the area and discovered the musket balls. Section 106 compliance is a type of survey done any time the NPS is going to disturb the ground. We check to ensure no resources will be damaged in that process. This compliance work was done in preparation of trail maintenance as part of the Great American Outdoors Act funding. 

How do you know they were fired by militia?

Scientific analysis of the musket balls shows that all musket balls were fired from the western (Militia) side of the river, toward the eastern (British) side of the river.  The musket balls vary in size, indicating they were provincial militia musket balls (British Muskets used standard sizes and militia used their own weapons of various calibers). The musket balls are slightly deformed from the process of being fired. The grouping of musket balls and many other context clues are very strong evidence they were fired by militia soldiers during the battle.

What are the musket balls made of?

Musket balls during the time of the American Revolution were made of lead. 

Are there more musket balls?

Minute Man NPS has several archaeological investigations ongoing to determine this answer. Stay tuned for more. Remember it is illegal for the public to use a metal detector in a National Park. Removing or tampering with archaeological resources in a National Park is a federal crime. In addition, once a musket ball or other resource is removed from its context the object loses all meaning. This is why trained archaeologists conduct surveys using precise scientific methods.

What were the musket ball sizes?

MB1- Fired Musket/Fowling Piece Shot
.650 Caliber
24.7 Grams (.650 inch diameter using Sivilich Formula by weight.)
Slightly deformed so calipers were not used.
Deformation Index= 1
Notes: Slightly misshaped with small dimples possibly from hitting small rocks upon impact.

MB2- Fired Musket Shot
.70 Caliber (Using calipers).
31.3 Grams (.703 inch diameter using Sivilich Formula by weight.)
Deformation Index= 0
Notes: Ball exhibits banding from scraping as it ran the length of the gun barrel.

MB3- Fired Fowling Piece Shot
.568 Caliber (Using calipers).
17.2 Grams (.576 inch diameter using Sivilich Formula by weight.)
Deformation Index= 0
Notes: Ball exhibits banding from scraping as it ran the length of the gun barrel.

MB4- Fired Musket/Fowling Piece Shot
.655 Caliber (Using calipers).
25.6 Grams (.657 inch diameter using Sivilich Formula by weight.)
Deformation Index= 0
Notes: Ball exhibits some scratches from hitting the soil after reaching its terminal velocity.

MB5- Fired Swan Shot
.41 Caliber (Using calipers).
6.0 Grams (.405 inch diameter using Sivilich Formula by weight).
Deformation Index= 1 very slight with some dimples from hitting small rocks upon impact.

Where was the "Shot Heard Round the World?"

Ralph Waldo Emerson coined the term "The Shot Heard Round The World" in his 1837 poem The Concord Hymn. Emerson used this poem to dedicate the 1836 obelisk monument at the North Bridge in Concord Massachusetts. This monument and it's inscription stated Concord was the scene of "the first forcible resistance to British aggression" and became a controversy between the town of Lexington and Concord. For decades, each town argued vehemently that the war began in their towns. 

Historically, the first gunfire of the day occurred on the Lexington Green near dawn. To this day, historians are unaware of who fired the first shot on the green, however the result was clear. British Regular soldiers opened fire on the Lexington Militia, killing 8 men and wounding 10 others. Per all historical accounts from the time period, the Lexington Militia swore they were never ordered to fire on the Lexington Green. This testimony was partially constructed to place blame on the British soldiers for commencing hostilities.

It was at Concord's North Bridge that Major John Buttrick gave the first order for Provincial Militia soldiers to fire at the British Regulars. This moment marked a severe escalation and crossed a line between resistance and treason.

When controversy emerged between the two towns they began publishing strongly worded newspaper articles aimed at revising historical narratives over 50 years later. Even Samuel Hartwell of Lincoln commented on the debate in 1827, saying" I have been acquainted with the inhabitants of Lexington, and particularly with many who were of Capt. Parker's company on the 19th of April, 1775, to the present time (1827), and for many years from said time had frequent conversations with people of Lexington concerning the events of the morning of that day, and do not recollect that any of the people of Lexington ever stated or pretended that there was any firing by Capt. Parker's company on the British, on the morning of that day, until within a few years since, except the firing of one gun after the British had turned and were passing off the common. (Samuel Hartwell Deposition, taken July 19, 1827)

 

Musket Balls discovered at the North Bridge

Public Archeology Lab for the National Park Service

Let's dig a little deeper! How do we know they were fired?

When looking at the musket balls close up, researchers identified markings in the shape of thick bands running around the circumference of the musket balls. This "banding" is created when the ball is fired from a smooth bore musket and the ball scrapes the barrel as it exists the muzzle. Can you see the banding in this image?

Based upon the fact that the balls have almost no deformation, it seems the excavated balls reached their terminal velocity and dropped into the soft ground. Looking at the location where the balls were found, as well as that of the North Bridge, it appears that these balls are overshot fired by Provincial forces on the west side of the bridge.

 

How did we find them?

The musket balls were discovered by archeologists conducting compliance activities in preparation for the park’s Great American Outdoors Act project. The musket balls were found in an area where, according to contemporary accounts, British soldiers formed up to resist the river crossing. Further analysis of the musket balls indicates that each one was fired from the opposite side of the river and not dropped during the process of reloading.

The recent archaeological survey was conducted by trained professionals using scientific techniques specifically meant to preserve and document the findings within their archaeological context. Once an artifact is removed from the ground it loses all meaning. Archaeologists apply a rigorous scientific process to ensure all data is collected about the artifact before it is moved. By collecting this data we are able to determine important things like where the artifact came from and who put it there. We can also analyze patterns that tell us more about the object and the other objects around it.

 

Help us protect our resources!

Metal detecting, relic hunting, and other forms of looting are strictly prohibited on NPS land. Violating the Archaeological Resources Protection Act can result in felony charges, including up to five years in prison and fines of more than $100,000. To learn more about ARPA and the ethics of protecting resources in Minute Man National Historical Park visit https://www.nps.gov/mima/don-t-touch-it-protecting-archaeological-resources-in-minute-man-nhp.htm

 

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