James Barrett (July 31, 1710 – April 11, 1779) was an American

colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

in the

Concord, Massachusetts Concord () is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. In the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the town population was 18,491. The United States Census Bureau considers Concord part of Greater Boston. The town center is n ...

militia A militia ( ) is a military or paramilitary force that comprises civilian members, as opposed to a professional standing army of regular, full-time military personnel. Militias may be raised in times of need to support regular troops or se ...

during the

Battles of Lexington and Concord The Battles of Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775 were the first major military actions of the American Revolutionary War between the Kingdom of Great Britain and Patriot (American Revolution), Patriot militias from America's Thirteen Co ...

that began the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...

. His

farm A farm (also called an agricultural holding) is an area of land that is devoted primarily to agricultural processes with the primary objective of producing food and other crops; it is the basic facility in food production. The name is used fo ...

was the storage site of all the town of Concord's militia

gunpowder Gunpowder, also commonly known as black powder to distinguish it from modern smokeless powder, is the earliest known chemical explosive. It consists of a mixture of sulfur, charcoal (which is mostly carbon), and potassium nitrate, potassium ni ...

, weapons and two pairs of prized bronze cannons, according to secret British intelligence. On the morning of April 19, 1775, the

British Regulars British Regulars is a term commonly used to describe the Napoleonic-era British foot soldiers who were known for their distinct red uniform and well-disciplined combat performance. These soldiers were members of the regular army, as compared to ...

were ordered by General

Thomas Gage General Thomas Gage (10 March 1718/192 April 1787) was a British Army officer and colonial administrator best known for his many years of service in North America, including serving as Commander-in-Chief, North America during the early days ...

to march from

Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

to the town of Concord, about 20 miles inland, and seize the cannon and raid the arsenal at the provincial farm. The

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

met resistance at both

Lexington, Massachusetts Lexington is a suburban town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, located 10 miles (16 km) from Downtown Boston. The population was 34,454 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The area was originally inhabited by ...

and

Concord Concord may refer to: Meaning "agreement" * Harmony, in music * Agreement (linguistics), a change in the form of a word depending on grammatical features of other words Arts and media * ''Concord'' (video game), a defunct 2024 first-person sh ...

. Before the British arrived and searched, the stores had been concealed in a field nearby, and the British never found them. He is survived by the numerous members of the Barrett family found worldwide. He is buried in Old Hill Burying Ground, Concord, Massachusetts. Col. James Barrett's farm has appeared in works such as: "

Sons of Liberty The Sons of Liberty was a loosely organized, clandestine, sometimes violent, political organization active in the Thirteen American Colonies founded to advance the rights of the colonists and to fight taxation by the British government. It p ...

", Season 1, Episode 2, "The Uprising" and

Assassin's Creed III ''Assassin's Creed III'' is a 2012 action-adventure game developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft. It is the fifth major installment in the ''Assassin's Creed'' series, and a direct sequel to 2011's '' Assassin's Creed Revelations' ...

References

1710 births 1779 deaths Continental Army officers from Massachusetts Military personnel from Concord, Massachusetts People of Massachusetts in the French and Indian War People from colonial Massachusetts Burials at Old Hill Burying Ground {{US-army-bio-stub https://www.ign.com/wikis/assassins-creed-3/James_Barrett