soldier february april militia officer commanded company massachusetts battle american revolutionary war months leading revolution davis set unusually high standards company terms equipment training company selected lead advance british regulars men entirely outfitted american advance british old north bridge davis killed american officer die revolution davis davis monument town common inspiration minute man sculpture old north bridge sculpture french attempted model iconic national symbol biography early life family davis born february village mary gibson davis married born october children boys girls preparations war early inhabitants protested taxation policies established protests eventually resulted military occupation provincial capital boston massachusetts consequently caused unrest september military governor general dissolved placing province martial law formed extra legal govern province outside rule king october recommended town establish company specially trained militia ready short notice event boston attempted movements november formed company davis elected captain determined company equipped british soldiers provincial companies unlike professional soldiers equipped use close combat typically loaded powder horns slow method suited hunting battle davis employed skills outfit nearly man company bayonet saw men supplied cartridge boxes allowing company load quickly british finally davis emphasized training company improvised shooting range house high standards terms equipment training company best prepared massachusetts according tradition davis man believed seen numerous indicated die forced battle representative delivered speech davis house_of_representatives speech described incident allegedly took place days davis family returned home find owl davis musket according ill bad sign sober conclusion time davis went battle lose life concord early spring planned expedition large gunpowder weapons kept concord massachusetts april issued orders hand picked companies boston relieving usual duties concluding british movement imminent messenger provincial sons liberty sent concord april warn inhabitants supplies removed concord companies alert days british marched boston night april dispatched approximately british regulars command lieutenant colonel sons liberty boston convinced british troops attempt capture provincial leaders lexington massachusetts paul rode night april warn adams soldiers marching boston lexington british force encountered resistance lexington militia skirmish ensued killed british soldier wounded following action british marched concord word british movement reached dawn april likely delivered resident concord sons liberty alarm spread began gather davis home waiting arrive men paper hair flour appear like gentlemen met british battle prepared davis wife noticed especially somber said little men joked getting shot british soldier davis reminding soon killed davis formed company ordered march according wife witnesses shortly stepping davis ordered company halt returned door tell wife good care children soon crossing concord company passed farm colonel commanded provincial troops concord morning small detachment british soldiers searching farm supplies davis considered attacking orders muster rest provincial militia near diverted company road avoiding british farm marching past tavern belonging widow brown boy named lived widow brown tavern saw davis company pass tavern recalled years later drummer played song called white reference white ribbon worn scots revolutionaries tradition davis favorite marching song little evidence support notion tradition musicians played later davis company led advance british old north bridge supported primary source accounts davis company reached area approximately companies militia consisting men concord lincoln gathered small hill overlooking bridge approximately british regulars occupied bridge shortly davis arrived called council officers present determine attack regulars bridge concord majority british force searching supplies found little decided burn wooden gun carriages discovered near old north bridge saw smoke thought british burning town decision attack soldiers holding bridge davis company taken designated position left provincial line placed company rear attack line advanced company lead captain company concord asked brown lead attack brown responded knowing davis company equipped cartridge boxes asked davis company lead advance slight variations davis response recorded response given man afraid following orders davis moved company right line faced right advanced old north bridge column men abreast head column davis major concord col remained hill men marched fire british bridge watching approach surprised soldier later said advanced greatest yards bridge regulars fired warning shots hit wounded warning shots british fired disorganized volley shot heart private killed volley seeing casualties commanded fire fellow soldiers god sake fire returned fire causing british immediately retreat concord legacy february shortly 75th anniversary petitioned funds build large monument legislature appropriated project foot tall stone completed fall dedicated october remains davis soldier killed lexington later battle moved interred beneath monument base monument stone brought vicinity old north bridge concord according inscription stone davis head fell killed centennial battle concord statue called minute man placed approximate site death statue public work sculptor best known statue abraham_lincoln lincoln memorial commissioned generic provincial soldier french inspired story modeled facial features statue photographs descendants davis currently display town hall model statue base statue inscribed stanza written rude bridge arched flood flag april breeze farmers fired shot heard round world statue minute man musket hand resting remains iconic symbol found massachusetts state quarter corporate seal route patriots day april today recreated company citizens visitors called davis trail seven mile route concord traverses roads use woodland trails path established group researched historic route cleared portions path longer use placed markers trail added national_register_of_historic_places
Isaac Davis (soldier)