First shot by an American at Lexington, MA: Ebenezer Locke

Ebenezer Locke (1734 - 1816)

Woburn and Lexington, MA
Deering, NH

Family tradition says that Ebenezer Locke (1734 - 1816), originally from Woburn, MA (and later of Deering, NH) was the first American to fire a shot at the Battle of Lexington. It is generally agreed that nobody can really know for sure who fired the first shot on the Colonial side.

For an article on one of Ebenezer's descendants, see the story "Minuteman reenactor's forebear may have started the battle" The article is about Bill Poole, a descendant, and a Patriot's Day re-enactor.

However, another newspaper story, from long ago, may back up Ebenezer's claim: On the front page of the New York Atlas, Monday Feb 1, 1864 (available via Newspaper Archive) is a story entitled “The First Shot in the Revolution” which tells the story of Ebenezer Locke (1734 – 1816) at Lexington. The report has a level of anecdotal detail which may have been provided first hand, or by someone close to the family.

Here is the text of the story:

”The first American who discharged his gun on the day of the battle of Lexington, was Ebenezer Locke, who died at Deering, NH about fifty years ago. He resided at Lexington in 1775. The British regulars, at the order of Major Pitcairn, having fired at a few “rebels” on the green in front of the meeting house, killed some and wounded others, it was a signal for war. “The citizens,” writes one, “might be seen coming from all directions, in the roads, over fields, and through the woods, each with his rifle in his hand, his powder-horn hung to his side, and his pockets provided with bullets.” Among the number was Ebenezer Locke.

The British had posted a reserve of infantry a mile in the rear, in the direction of Boston. This was in the neighborhood of Mr. Locke, who, instead of hastening to join the party at the green, placed himself in an open cellar at a convenient distance for doing execution. A portion of the reserve was standing on a bridge, and Mr. Locke commenced firing at them. There was no other American in sight. He worked valiantly for some minutes; bringing down one of the enemy at nearly every shot. Up to this time not a gun had been fired by the “rebels.” The British, greatly disturbed at losing so many men by the random firing of an unseen enemy, were not long in discovering the man in the cellar, and discharging a volley of balls, which lodged on the wall opposite. Mr. Locke, remaining unhurt, continued to load and fire with the precision of a finished marksman. He was driven to such close quarters, however, by the British on his right and left, that he was compelled to retreat. He had just one bullet left, and there was now but one way to escape, and that was through an orchard, and not one moment was to be lost; he leveled his gun at the man near by, dropped the weapon, and the man was shot through the heart. Locke reached the brink of a steep hill, and throwing himself upon the ground tumbled downwards, rolling as if mortally wounded. In this way he escaped unhurt. At the close of the war he moved to New Hampshire, where he resided till his death, twenty years after. He lived in seclusion and died in peace.”

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