Foot of Rocks, Arlington

Unlike the previous fighting, the battles of the afternoon took place in houses and streets, in yards and front rooms. This meant that non-combatants were caught up in the fighting that rapidly swirled around the village of Menotomy as the fighting of 19 April reached its bloody climax. Women and children raced to escape the sharp reports of musket fire. “It seemd Necessary to retire to some place of Safety till the Calamity was passd . . . ,” recalled Hannah Winthrop, a refugee. “The roads filld with frighted women & children . . . but what added greatly to the horror of the Scene was our passing thro the Bloody field at Menotomy.”