Francis Smith
Major General Francis Smith was a British Army officer. Although Smith had a lengthy and varied career, he is best known as the British commander during most of the Battle of Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts on 19 April 1775. Smith was Lieutenant Colonel of the 10th Regiment of Foot. He was given overall command of the expedition to Concord, which consisted of twenty one companies of Light infantry and grenadiers totaling around 700 men, whose orders were to search the town for contraband supplies and weapons, particularly artillery. The vast majority of the colony's inhabitants considered themselves loyal Britons and apart from a handful of hard-liners on both sides there was a strong desire to avoid the upheaval of civil war. Smith's departure was widely observed by Boston Whigs, and several messages were slipped out of the city to alarm the countryside. After being alerted to the possibility that there was opposition on the road, Smith ordered some light infantry to move forward while he stayed with the main body of the expedition, thus he was not present at the skirmish in Lexington.
As he marched towards Concord, Smith remained unaware how quickly the militia could assemble. Already within a five-mile radius of his force seventy-five companies of militiamen, many of them minutemen, were either mustering or marching with many others also on the move from further away. Once Smith reached Concord, he sent various troops to secure strategic points around the town. Not far west of Lexington, Smith was wounded in the thigh in an ambush by Lexington militia, led by John Parker in what has been called "Parker's Revenge". Smith gave up his horse so that more badly wounded men could use it. Smith's conduct was highly praised by Gage in his dispatches to London reporting the outbreak of fighting. He was promoted to full colonel at the year's end and later promoted to brigadier general. When General William Howe and the British Army sailed to New York in August, Smith commanded a brigade during the British victory at the Battle of Long Island. The 10th Regiment served in America until 1778 and then returned to England after 19 years service overseas. Smith returned to America in 1779 and was promoted to major general.
As he marched towards Concord, Smith remained unaware how quickly the militia could assemble. Already within a five-mile radius of his force seventy-five companies of militiamen, many of them minutemen, were either mustering or marching with many others also on the move from further away. Once Smith reached Concord, he sent various troops to secure strategic points around the town. Not far west of Lexington, Smith was wounded in the thigh in an ambush by Lexington militia, led by John Parker in what has been called "Parker's Revenge". Smith gave up his horse so that more badly wounded men could use it. Smith's conduct was highly praised by Gage in his dispatches to London reporting the outbreak of fighting. He was promoted to full colonel at the year's end and later promoted to brigadier general. When General William Howe and the British Army sailed to New York in August, Smith commanded a brigade during the British victory at the Battle of Long Island. The 10th Regiment served in America until 1778 and then returned to England after 19 years service overseas. Smith returned to America in 1779 and was promoted to major general.
