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J. L. Bell
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The Road to Concord: How Four Stolen Cannon Ignited the Revolutionary War (Journal of the American Revolution Books) Kindle Edition

by J. L. Bell (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 102 ratings
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With a Clash Between American Rebels and Royal Authorities Heating Up, Radicals Smuggled Cannon Out of Boston—and the British Came Looking for Them

In the early spring of 1775, on a farm in Concord, Massachusetts, British army spies located four brass cannon belonging to Boston’s colonial militia that had gone missing months before. British general Thomas Gage had been searching for them, both to stymie New England’s growing rebellion and to erase the embarrassment of having let cannon disappear from armories under redcoat guard. Anxious to regain those weapons, he drew up plans for his troops to march nineteen miles into unfriendly territory. The Massachusetts Patriots, meanwhile, prepared to thwart the general’s mission. There was one goal Gage and his enemies shared: for different reasons, they all wanted to keep the stolen cannon as secret as possible. Both sides succeeded well enough that the full story has never appeared until now.

The Road to Concord: How Four Stolen Cannon Ignited the Revolutionary War by historian J. L. Bell reveals a new dimension to the start of America’s War for Independence by tracing the spark of its first battle back to little-known events beginning in September 1774. The author relates how radical Patriots secured those four cannon and smuggled them out of Boston, and how Gage sent out spies and search parties to track them down. Drawing on archives in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada, the book creates a lively, original, and deeply documented picture of a society perched on the brink of war.
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  1. Part of series
    Journal of the American Revolution Books
  2. Print length
    297 pages
  3. Language
    English
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    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publisher
    Westholme Publishing
  6. Publication date
    September 1, 2016
  7. File size
    5819 KB
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Journal of the American Revolution Books
Journal of the American Revolution Books
Bundle price: Kindle price
$84.19
Bundle price: Kindle price
$128.88
Bundle price: Kindle price
$264.64
Bundle price: Kindle price
$368.74
By clicking the above button, you agree to the Kindle Store Terms of Use

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Editorial Reviews

Review

“Here is the suspenseful story of how a handful of mechanics in 1774 smuggled Boston’s brass cannon out of town from under the noses of the British troops. J. L. Bell is a historical detective par excellence who has recovered an important, little-known episode of the onset of the American Revolution.” —Alfred F. Young, author The Shoemaker and the Tea Party: Memory and the American Revolution

“In this well-researched narrative, Mr. Bell provides an interesting twist on the usual account of the British march to Concord on April 18-19, 1775. Mr. Bell’s retelling of the story from the point of view of missing cannon demonstrates in a compelling and convincing manner why General Gage was especially anxious that his troops reach Concord.”—Patrick M. Leehey, Research Director, Paul Revere House, Boston



"The strength of Bell’s work is his depth of research . . . . Historians, students of the American Revolution, and artillerists (past, present, and future) will find The Road to Concord interesting and an excellent read. Bell uncovers a piece of little-known history and provides the reader a window into the makings of the American War for Independence."—Military Review

About the Author

J. L. BELL is the proprietor of boston1775.net, a popular website dedicated to the history of the American Revolution in New England. A Fellow of the Massachusetts Historical Society and American Antiquarian Society, he is author of the National Park Service’s study of George Washington’s work in Cambridge, and has delivered papers to the Massachusetts Historical Society, the Organization of American Historians, and historic sites around greater Boston.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B01JGO5VD6
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Westholme Publishing; 1st edition (September 1, 2016)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 1, 2016
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 5819 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 297 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 102 ratings

About the author

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J. L. Bell

J. L. Bell

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I’m a writer specializing in the history of the American Revolution in New England. I grew up in a suburb of Boston during the Bicentennial years, and the stories we celebrated during that time stuck with me. But I’m even more excited to find stories and details that aren’t so well known or may never have been told before.

The easiest way to sample my writing is to check out my website at Boston1775.net. I update that site daily with doses of history, analysis, and unabashed gossip about Revolutionary New England. The most lucrative way to sample my writing (for me) is to buy “The Road to Concord,” my take on what set off the Revolutionary War.

In addition, I’ve contributed chapters and articles to a number of other books: “Children in Colonial America” by James Marten; “Reporting the Revolutionary War” by Todd Andrlik; and volumes of the “Journal of the American Revolution” and the “Dublin Seminar for New England Folklife.” I’m an assistant editor and one of the writers of “Colonial Comics: New England,” edited by Jason Rodriguez.

We’re now passing through the Sestercentennial, or 250th anniversary, of the events that led up to the creation of the U.S. of A. as an independent republic. In 1766 Americans celebrated how Parliament had repealed the Stamp Act, the first big rift between Britain and its North American colonies. Everyone felt the crisis was over. No one knew what was coming up. That’s the big story I find so fascinating.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
102 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the book amazing, well-written, and entertaining. They also appreciate the depth of analysis and factual research.

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ReadabilityResearch quality
23 customers mention "Readability"23 positive0 negative

Customers find the book amazing, well-written, and entertaining. They appreciate the excellent, easy-to-follow maps. Readers mention the book is an excellent resource for anyone with an interest in the arms race and politics.

"...From prologue to epilogue, it's a delightful read that anyone interested in the American Revolution is sure to enjoy immensely...." Read more

"...This book is beautifully written, thoroughly documented and is must reading for anyone interested in the beginning of the American Revolution...." Read more

"...Great read and a great conversation starter. I highly recommend this one folks." Read more

"...It is well written and sourced, but doesn't feel like a dry, academic paper. I would recommend it to any AmRev history buff. Great read!" Read more

19 customers mention "Research quality"19 positive0 negative

Customers find the research quality of the book incredibly researched and fascinating. They appreciate the depth of analysis and the factual presentation of the research. Readers also describe the book as interesting, refreshing, and intriguing. They mention it includes challenges to myths that occurred early after the war.

"...The book is incredibly well written and thoroughly researched, and J.L.'s storytelling makes for an easy read...." Read more

"...This book is beautifully written, thoroughly documented and is must reading for anyone interested in the beginning of the American Revolution...." Read more

"well researched and interesting story." Read more

"This is a top tier book on the events leading up that fateful April morning in 1775...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

T. Frantz
5.0 out of 5 stars Hollywood, it's time to turn this book into a movie.
Reviewed in the United States on August 9, 2016
Verified Purchase
Being familiar with J.L. Bell and his admirable knowledge of the American Revolutionary, I expected this book to be among the best books I've read on the American Revolution.

In the end, The Road to Concord managed to exceed my expectations.

The book is incredibly well written and thoroughly researched, and J.L.'s storytelling makes for an easy read. Mr. Bell is one of the few historians whose excitement and interest in the topic shines through on the page, as he helps you to paint clear and vivid mental imagery. He even manages to work in perfectly timed pops of humor throughout the book.

The Road to Concord is an incredibly intriguing story and overflowing with little known facts. From prologue to epilogue, it's a delightful read that anyone interested in the American Revolution is sure to enjoy immensely. I always feel much more informed after reading something J.L. has written!
8 people found this helpful
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Hugh T. Harrington
5.0 out of 5 stars A must read for anyone interested in the start of the American Revolution
Reviewed in the United States on June 14, 2016
Verified Purchase
I thought I knew the story of the build-up to Lexington/Concord pretty well. However, J.L. Bell has demonstrated in this outstanding book that I still had a lot to learn. I had never considered the vast quantity of artillery of all sizes, conditions and ages that were in the hands of the British, the various militia organizations and privately owned. The quest for cannon by both sides and the intrigues, spying, stealing and hiding the cannon is fascinating. In particular there are four brass cannon that Gates was determined to regain. This book is beautifully written, thoroughly documented and is must reading for anyone interested in the beginning of the American Revolution. The text is augmented with excellent, easy-to-follow maps. The research involved is staggering. The result is an exceptional book that deserves to be read. I could not have hoped for more.
23 people found this helpful
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Matthew Crawford
4.0 out of 5 stars History is amazing
Reviewed in the United States on January 27, 2020
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This is a story that needs to be told more. I could not believe I have never heard of this event before Bell wrote it down. Great read and a great conversation starter. I highly recommend this one folks.
One person found this helpful
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T. Rector
5.0 out of 5 stars well researched
Reviewed in the United States on August 9, 2024
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well researched and interesting story.
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Matt
5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent book!
Reviewed in the United States on February 4, 2021
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This is a top tier book on the events leading up that fateful April morning in 1775. Coming at it from the perspective of the arms race for artillery puts it all in an interesting and not commonly talked about context. It is well written and sourced, but doesn't feel like a dry, academic paper. I would recommend it to any AmRev history buff. Great read!
One person found this helpful
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mike Hollis
3.0 out of 5 stars Too much information
Reviewed in the United States on July 21, 2016
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I'm sorry to be such a pill but I just didn't find this compelling reading. Apparently, very well researched but I found myself skipping whole passages and pages that just seem to reemphasize the same point over and over. I was once told that a good storyteller tells the audience what they need to know to advance the story not everything the storyteller knows. I will give kudos to the author for including maps which were helpful but are often not included due to copyright issues. I wanted to like it more but it just didn't grab me.
3 people found this helpful
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John Adams
5.0 out of 5 stars The Beginning of Our Independence
Reviewed in the United States on July 27, 2016
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I loved this book . It gave me a sense of how the original Colonists went about their daily lives, stage a revolt and managed to defeat the most powerful Army and Navy in the world. All the Colonists wanted was to be treated as equals to their British homeland citizens. I was amazed at how organized the mostly self-governing patriots were especially in their local councils and Colonial legislatures; J.L. Bell has captured the spirit of those times and kept me on edge as the story of the start of the Revolution evolves. Mr. Bell has a wonderful blog: boston1775.blogspot.com/.
As a genealogist and a person interested in history, I have discovered so much by visiting this site. You won't be disappointed in this book and you can read it in a few days.
9 people found this helpful
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R Smith
4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting read on arcane subject
Reviewed in the United States on March 2, 2018
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Well researched book about this little known facet of the opening months of the American Revolution. Not for the non specialist reader.
One person found this helpful
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