"THIS DAY PUBLISHED, and to be SOLD at the STORE of Mr. JAMES LOCKWOOD, near the College, in New-Haven, Four different views of the BATTLES of LEXINGTON, CONCORD, etc. on the 19th of April 1775" "Connecticut Journal" December 13, 1775

Thus was advertised the only pictorial record by a contemporary American of the events of 19 April. While historians have noted minor inaccuracies, the general consensus has been that the four prints are a correct, detailed representation of the fights with a real claim to authenticity. But how did they come to be and why is so little known of them and their artists?

In early May, the adventurers traveled for several days, Doolittle interviewing fight participants and Earl sketching landscapes at four locations. Amos instructed the painter as to what activities were to be depicted in each scene and even posed with musket when needed. Only a solitary person - Levi Harrington, Lexington - reported the visit thusly, "...a stranger from Connecticut came here to take a sketch of the village as it appeared on the 19th of April 1775... and he afterwards published a series of copper plate engravings".

By late May, Doolittle and Earl had returned to home where the four paintings ("... taken on the spot") were completed and transformed into copper "neatly engraved" plates used to make a set of prints "plain ones or coloured". Being maiden efforts by both artists, neither placed their name on the advertisement.

The Concord plates (II and III) depicted "A View of the Town of Concord with the Ministerial Troops destroying the Stores" and "The Battle at the North Bridge in Concord"; Lexington plates, "The Battle of Lexington" (I) and "The South Part of Lexington where the first Detachment were joined by Lord Percy" (IV).

Other criticism centered on the fact that no British soldiers had been interviewed and thus the prints were biased and propaganda for the colonials. Small detail errors were pointed out - uniforms and equipment wrong, formations and troop dispositions incorrect. Lexington was upset that its militia was not shown returning fire on the Redcoats. To the complaint that too many activities were depicted at once, Doolittle answered that his intent was to condense time at each location and show as many events as possible in each scene.

Centuries after his first major effort at engraving, Amos Doolittle is receiving the recognition he deserves. Concordians may view the two local scenes from the same vantage points as Earl (Burying Hill looking to Mill Dam; Manse field looking to North Bridge) and see familiar landmarks. Two fascinating artists with different political views came together to provide contemporary views of significant events for America and Concord. In doing so, they provided a window to our Town for 1775, 1998 and the future.