News of the “unprovoked attacks” by British Regulars at Lexington and Concord—and the ensuing guerrilla war unleashed against them by 4,000 vengeful colonists—spread throughout New England like a whirlwind. The resulting death and destruction, stemming from British efforts to confiscate “rebel ordnance,” prompted an immediate reaction: an estimated 12,000 militiamen converged on Boston. They joined with those who had fought on April 19 and laid siege to the city, effectively trapping the British Army inside.
Despite their numbers, the colonial militias lacked heavy artillery—cannons, howitzers, and mortars—most of which were made and imported from Europe. They also had limited supplies of gunpowder. In contrast, British forces were well-equipped with artillery capable of devastating any hostile force that challenged them.
