Meriam's Corner

British Slaughter Point

Meriam’s Corner got its name from the Meriam family, who lived in the nearby house. After deciding to withdraw from Concord and return to Boston, the column of British troops marched past this location on the afternoon of April 19, 1775. The British column was protected by flankers, parties of soldiers moving further out on the sides of the main body to keep any would-be ambushers from getting close. However, at Meriam’s Corner, these flank parties had to rejoin the column to cross a bridge over Elm Brook, leaving the British vulnerable to attack. A company of militia from nearby Reading took advantage of the opportunity to fire on the rear of the British column. Unlike at Lexington or the North Bridge, where colonial militia leaders instructed their men not to fire until fired upon, at Meriam’s Corner, the colonists opened fire on the British without waiting to be attacked. This marked the first offensive action taken by the American colonists in the Revolutionary War.

Today, visitors can explore Meriam’s Corner, preserved as part of Minute Man National Historical Park. Nearby, the North Bridge, the Minute Man Statue, and the Hartwell Tavern offer further insights into the early battles of the American Revolution.