When the first shot of the American Revolution rang out in Lexington, Massachusetts on April 19th, 1775, militiamen throughout the New England colonies were summoned to immediately band together to march for the relief of Boston and for the patriot cause. “The bearer, Israel Bessel, is charged to alarm the country quite to Connecticut, and all persons are desired to furnish him with fresh horses as they may be needed.” – Massachusetts Committee of Safety at Watertown This was known as the Lexington Alarm. And my 5th great grandfather, Asher Hinman, was one of the 3,700 men from Connecticut dedicated to this struggle. In his early 30s, he set off from the town of New Hartford as a sergeant in Captain Seth Smith’s company to aid in the rebellion, and fend off any further atrocities by the British troops. In just 3 days’ time, when his company had only reached Hartford about 22 miles away, his service came to an end, as the immediate crisis had been extinguished, and their presence ...