gunpowder incident gunpowder incident conflict early american revolutionary war lord royal governor colony virginia militia led april day battles lexington concord news event reached virginia lord ordered removal gunpowder magazine virginia royal_navy ship action sparked local unrest militia companies began colony led small militia force force return gunpowder colony control matter resolved conflict payment henry fearing personal safety later retreated naval vessel ending royal control colony background military tensions began rise british colonies north_america series legislative acts known began implemented colonies colonies solidarity singled punishment acts wake organized congress meet september meeting word arrived militia uprising massachusetts known early september general royal governor massachusetts removed gunpowder powder magazine location militia new_england area response false rumors violence involved consequence action congress called colonies organize militia companies defense lord secretary state colonies advised colonial governors secure military supplies prohibited supplies powder early began organize militia companies seek military supplies weapons ammunition gunpowder arm equip lord virginia royal governor saw rising unrest colony sought virginia militia supplies liberty death speech second virginia convention march thought remove gunpowder magazine place british_army troops withdrawn virginia wake royal_navy ships virginia waters chesapeake_bay april lord quietly brought company british sailors governor mansion ordered captain commander remove gunpowder magazine removing gunpowder night april royal_navy sailors went powder magazine loaded half barrels powder governor wagon transported eastern end loaded aboard act discovered underway sounded alarm local militia rallied scene riders spread word incident colony precaution armed servants muskets words patriot leaders including speaker prevented assembling crowd mansion city council demanded return powder claiming property colony crown stating moving powder protection seizure rumored slave uprising eventually return satisfy assembled crowd dispersed peacefully unrest persisted spread countryside second crowd convinced disperse patriot leaders reacted angrily warning april attacked declare freedom slaves reduce city ashes told fought god let fight april militia countryside learned battles lexington concord nearly men mustered decided send messenger assess situation marching capital advised violence george_washington longtime leader virginia militia concurred response advice militia voted narrow margin march militia parts colony march militia led voted march henry dispatched small company home deputy collector virginia bid force pay powder crown revenue possession remainder militia numbering marched arriving miles away day family escaped lord hunting lodge lying anchor home meeting henry advised son law patriot member enter city rode city negotiated payment day henry received bill exchange signed wealthy plantation owner payment powder refused offer payment crown accounts henry departed place member virginia delegation promising deliver money virginia delegates general congress issued proclamation charging henry forbidding assist henry way henry offered protection counties escorted companies militia maryland border way philadelphia aftermath incident henry reputation popularity family briefly returned sign good faith relations continued deteriorate june family fled governor mansion middle night took residence aboard resolution proposal attempt divide colonies wake flight rejected proposal continued vigorous attempts regain control colony decisive defeat british forces great bridge december reduced raiding operations eventually abandoned colony good august virginia government taken chosen july independent state governor july
Gunpowder Incident