A Momentous Day: April 19, 1775
That day—full of fear and anticipation, hope and dread, leaving the past, with hearts, minds, bodies and a vision for a free future—is remembered with Ralph Waldo Emerson’s poem, “Concord Hymn.”
Alerted by two lit lanterns at the Old North Church in Boston, riders including Paul Revere, Samuel Prescott, and William Dawes rode to warn the militia and Minutemen from local towns that the British Army was on the move to Lexington and Concord, seeking stores of arms.
Skirmishes along the way and the Battle at Lexington Green culminated in the Battle of Concord’s “Old North Bridge,” sending the British into retreat.
Emerson’s grandparents, the Reverend William Emerson and Phebe Bliss Emerson, witnessed the struggle from their home—now known as the Old Manse—located adjacent to the North Bridge.
The Shot Heard 'Round the World by Domenick D'Andrea.
1836 Battle Monument at the Old North Bridge in Concord, MA. Photo by Jay Sullivan.
Ralph Waldo Emerson was asked to compose a poem for the dedication of a commemorative monument on July 4, 1837. The white granite obelisk was erected on the east bank of the Concord River. The bridge had since fallen into disrepair and was no longer there.
His poem, titled “Concord Hymn,” was sung at the dedication to the tune of the “Old Hundredth.” (Attributed to Louis Bourgeois, 1551.)
By the rude bridge that arched the flood,
Their flag to April’s breeze unfurled,
Here once the embattled farmers stood
And fired the shot heard round the world.The foe long since in silence slept;
Alike the conqueror silent sleeps;
And Time the ruined bridge has swept
Down the dark stream which seaward creeps.On this green bank, by this soft stream,
We set today a votive stone;
That memory May their deeds redeem,
When, like our sires, our sons are gone.Spirit, that made those heroes dare
To die, and leave their children free,
Bid Time and Nature gently spare
The shaft we raise to them and thee.
We invite you to listen to the “Concord Hymn” as performed by the choir of the First Parish Church in Concord, Massachusetts on YouTube or directly from this page.
Emerson’s words continue to resonate today as we remember, reflect, honor, and express gratitude in this April, 248 years hence.
— I. Bornstein, Emerson House guide
