Francis Smith (British Army officer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Francis Smith
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Francis Smith in 1763. Painted by Francis Cotes
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| Born | 1723 |
| Died | 1791 (aged 67–68) |
| Allegiance |  Kingdom of Great Britain |
| Service/ |
 British Army |
| Rank | Major General |
| Battles/wars | |
Major General Francis Smith (1723–1791) was a British Army officer. He is best known for leading British troops during most of the Battle of Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts on April 19, 1775. This battle was the spark that started the American War of Independence. This war led to thirteen of Britain's American colonies becoming a new, separate country.
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The Start of the War: Lexington and Concord
Francis Smith was a Lieutenant Colonel in the 10th Regiment of Foot. He was put in charge of a special mission to Concord. His group had about 700 soldiers, including Light infantry and grenadiers. Their job was to search Concord for hidden weapons and supplies, especially artillery (cannons).
General Thomas Gage, the British commander, thought this mission needed a larger group than a single regiment. So, he gathered soldiers from different units in Boston. This meant Smith's force didn't have a regular command structure.
Before this, there had been other British trips into the countryside. These trips were to find weapons or just to keep soldiers active. There had been a few small stand-offs, like the Salem Incident, but no fighting. General Gage expected Smith's trip to Concord to be similar and peaceful. Most people in the colony still saw themselves as loyal to Britain. They wanted to avoid a civil war.
The Fight at Lexington
People in Boston who supported the American cause saw Smith's troops leaving. They quickly sent messages to warn the countryside. Smith heard there might be trouble ahead. He sent some light infantry soldiers forward while he stayed with the main group. Because of this, he wasn't there when the first shots were fired in Lexington.
Major John Pitcairn led the advance group. Pitcairn's men met a group of local citizen-soldiers, called militiamen, led by Captain John Parker. They met on Lexington Green. Both sides had orders not to shoot. But somehow, shooting started. Several people were killed or hurt.
When Smith arrived, his soldiers were chasing the fleeing militiamen. It took him some time to get his troops back in order. Some of his officers suggested they should go back to Boston. But Smith decided to continue to Concord to finish their mission. He sent messages back to General Gage asking for more soldiers and warning him that the countryside was ready to fight.
Searching Concord
As Smith marched to Concord, he didn't realize how quickly the militiamen were gathering. Within five miles of his location, 75 companies of militiamen, many of them minutemen (soldiers ready to fight in a minute), were already getting ready or marching. Many more were coming from further away.
Once Smith reached Concord, he sent different groups of soldiers to guard important spots around the town. He also sent a group north of the Concord River. They were to search a farm where weapons were stored. More shooting happened there at the Old North Bridge. After his troops finished searching the town, Smith managed to get his soldiers out without more fighting. They began the march back to Boston.
The Difficult Retreat
Smith's men hadn't gone far when shooting started again near Meriam's Corner. Smith's troops were now greatly outnumbered by the militiamen. As the day went on, more and more militia groups arrived. Smith's men were attacked many times along the road. They suffered many injuries.
Smith ordered his column to march very fast. He knew that if they slowed down, they would be surrounded and run out of ammunition. Despite the difficulties, Smith mostly kept his men in organized groups on the way back to Lexington. More and more of Smith's officers were killed or wounded. This made it harder for him to keep control. Eventually, his men lost their formation and hurried on in a large, disorganized group.
Just west of Lexington, Smith was wounded in the thigh during an ambush by Lexington militiamen. This attack was led by Captain John Parker again and is sometimes called "Parker's Revenge." Smith gave his horse to a more badly wounded soldier. His group was in great trouble and almost completely falling apart. But they managed to reach the safer area of Lexington. There, a group of British reinforcements led by General Percy had arrived.
General Percy took command. His fresh soldiers became the rear guard and protected the sides of the group. Smith's tired troops moved to the front. In Menotomy, they were attacked again by newly arrived militiamen. They had to fight hard to clear several houses. The threat of attack finally ended when Smith's men reached Charlestown.
Militiamen from all over New England had heard about the fighting at Lexington and Concord. Many arrived too late to join the battle. They gathered outside Boston and surrounded the city. This cut off Boston's land connections, but not its sea connections. Many people didn't realize it at first, but the fighting had started the American War of Independence. This was the civil war that many on both sides had tried to avoid.
Siege of Boston
General Gage praised Smith's actions in his reports to London about the fighting. Smith was promoted to full colonel by the end of the year. Later, he was promoted to brigadier general.
On the night of March 4, 1776, during a snowstorm, British guards near Boston Neck heard digging across the bay on Dorchester Heights. This was reported to Smith. However, he did not report it to his own commanders at the Province House. By dawn on March 5, the Americans had built strong defenses on the heights. Because of this, the British decided to leave Boston and sail to Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Later Battles: New York and Rhode Island
When General William Howe and the British Army sailed to New York in August 1776, Smith commanded a group of soldiers. They fought in the British victory at the Battle of Long Island. In August 1778, he led his group at Quaker Hill in Newport, Rhode Island, during the Battle of Rhode Island.
The 10th Regiment served in America until 1778. Then, after 19 years overseas, they returned to England. Smith himself returned to America in 1779 and was promoted to major general. His son, Robert Smith, later became the Minister of War under King George.
How He Is Remembered
Francis Smith is mostly remembered for his part in the fighting at Lexington and Concord. How people see him has changed over time as the battles have been studied more closely. Early stories often showed him and his officers as wanting to kill the colonial militiamen.
The first reports of the fight helped start the war. But the importance of Lexington and Concord as a historical event grew much more in the 100 years after America became independent in 1783.
The story of the fight on Lexington Green slowly changed. It went from being seen as a massacre of loyal citizens by British soldiers. It became seen more as an unavoidable clash between two sides. This new idea became popular in the late 1800s. It fit with America's desire to show itself as a strong, new country.
More recent studies often focus on how both British and militia officers were careful not to shoot first. They also highlight the clear orders given by both sides to avoid fighting.
There is still some confusion about exactly what happened at Lexington Green. Many different stories exist about who fired the first shot. No matter who fired first, Smith and Pitcairn have often been criticized for not handling their troops well.
While Smith has often been criticized for his decisions, he has also been praised. He managed to lead his soldiers through many attacks during the retreat from Concord. He brought them safely to General Percy's reinforcements without his group completely falling apart. Historian John Galvin, who wrote about Lexington and Concord, said that Smith was "cool and courageous" even though he was sometimes slow and lacked imagination.
