The recent unearthing of five musket balls at Minute Man National Historical Park in Concord, Massachusetts, adds a significant chapter to America’s early history. These projectiles are believed to have been fired by colonial militia members at British forces during the North Bridge fight, which was a pivotal event in the American Revolutionary War, often referred to as “the shot heard round the world.
The musket balls were found in an area where British soldiers assembled to resist a river crossing. Analysis of the artifacts reveals that they were fired from across the river, not dropped during reloading operations, according to the National Park Service (NPS. The North Bridge battle site is located within Minute Man park and signifies the point when local militia leaders ordered their members to shoot at their own government’s soldiers for the first time on April 19, 1775.
Jarrad Fuoss, a Minute Man park ranger and historic weapons specialist, confirmed this discovery to Fox News Digital. He explained that each of the musket balls discovered is made of lead, which was a prevalent material during that period; others could be composed of different metals.
The brief battle at North Bridge resulted in 18 casualties—dead or wounded men—according to the NPS’s website. In addition, three British soldiers were killed in the conflict and are buried in Concord.
Daughters of the American Revolution spokesperson shared their excitement about the historic musket ball discovery with Fox News Digital, stating that discoveries like this help stimulate interest in American history. They expressed delight in how it sheds more light on the story of the Revolutionary War, particularly as preparations for celebrating the 250th anniversary of America’s independence progress.
Fuoss also expressed his excitement about the discovery’s timing, which occurred just before the nation commemorates the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution in April 2025. The park is currently updating some infrastructure, and the archaeologists who found the musket balls were conducting compliance activities as part of this project.
We were not expecting to find them,” Fuoss told Fox News Digital. We weren’t looking for them—we were just trying to make sure there was nothing going to be damaged.” The NPS has been reached out to for additional comment on this exciting historical discovery.
