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This morning, it finally happened. The redcoats did show up at Concord. We were in a big battle. I am very grateful that I was not killed in my first battle. It began with the redcoats on the other side of the bridge. Colonel Barrett told us to keep on shooting at them. Luckily the redcoats killed only two minutemen. But we killed about 15 of them.

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It is April 12th, 1775
I’m not supposed to tell anyone, but the minutemen think that the British are coming to Lexington. All of us who have turned 18 will be joining the men. I am excited and proud to be a minuteman. I just finished training, and I wonder if I’m going to be in the battle. I wish we could wear uniforms but minutemen don't wear them because we need to blend in. We are always to be ready in a minute’s notice, so we probably wouldn't have time to put our uniforms on. I have my own musket now and a powder horn. My big brother Henry Locke is also a minuteman; in fact, he helped trained me. He is 25 years old and has been a minuteman for two years. I live with Henry in Massachusetts.

April 18th, 1775
Today I got a chance to go to Henry’s farm and we planted some corn and potatoes. I could not get my mind off the redcoats and I wonder if they are coming or not. Henry says that the redcoats think that they are really good at fighting, but he thinks minutemen are better. We do a great deal more than walking in a straight line and shooting. I admit that I am still a little scared of fighting them. At first, I wanted to be a minuteman because Henry was but now I mostly want to be one because I don't like the way the British try to run our lives. I see people taunting and making fun of the redcoats a lot.

April 19th, 1775
This morning, it finally happened. The redcoats did show up at Concord. We were in a big battle. I am very grateful that I was not killed in my first battle. It began with the redcoats on the other side of the bridge. Colonel Barrett told us to keep on shooting at them. Luckily the redcoats killed only two minutemen. But we killed about 15 of them because we ambushed them. We are much more clever then the redcoats! All they did was march in a line and shoot, just like Henry said. The redcoats tried to march back to Boston, but we kept on shooting. We would hide behind trees and rock walls shooting at them. Now I’m sure they are going to want revenge, so I’m sure I’ll be in more battles. At the end of the battle I found Henry behind a wall. He was shot in the arm and was weak. I could tell he did a lot in the battle because he was bloody and messy. Most of his shirt was ripped off from bush branches. He passed out on the way home and I had to drag him a little. When we arrived I sent for doctor. He came and took the bullet out of Henry’s arm and cleaned up the wounds. My brother soon recovered. I know a war for independence has begun.

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