“Dreadful were the Vestages of war:” Three Human Stories of April 19, 1775

Joel Bohy, military historian and Antiques Roadshow presenter, will give a lecture on Lexington’s Revolutionary War veterans at the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library on November 20, 2025, followed by a signing of his 2025 book, Bullet Strikes From the First Day of the American Revolution.

The lecture will take a closer look at three individuals involved in the beginning of the war: John Robbins of Lexington who was badly wounded on April 19, James Hayward of Acton who was mortally wounded at Fiske Hill in Lexington, and a British soldier who was wounded in Lexington on April 19 and went on to join the Lexington militia and the Continental Army.

This lecture is co-sponsored by Lexington History Museums and the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library, as part of SRMML’s 50th anniversary programming. It will take place in person at the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library and will be live streamed by local community access partner LexMedia. Livestream link will be posted prior to the event.

Schedule:
6:00: Doors open for viewing of special exhibition Protest & Promise: The American Revolution in Lexington
7:00: Lecture
8:00 Book Signing