The seminal battle of the Revolutionary War, as seen through a Globe photographer's lens
Send questions or suggestions to the Starting Point team at
. If you'd like the newsletter sent to your inbox,
.
TODAY'S STARTING POINT
Early on the morning of April 19, dawn's light revealed that all sides had come armed and ready.
British redcoats, marching in formation to the beat of a drum, wielded muskets tipped with bayonets, powder horns and cartridge boxes slung at their waists. The stern-faced militiamen blocking their advance, who had begun massing on the grassy common of the small town of Lexington earlier that morning, held guns of their own.
Advertisement
And about 20 feet away, perched on a riser, a Boston Globe photographer armed with a Canon 1D X Mark ll raised his camera and started shooting.
History remembers the 1775 battle of Lexington, sparked by a single shot of unknown origin, as the first military engagement of the American Revolution. For decades, reenactors on both sides have acted out the skirmish, an effort to stop the British Army from reaching a military supplies stockpile in the nearby town of Concord that left eight colonists dead.
Last month, the battle's 250th anniversary saw reenactors dressed as British regulars facing off against a motley crew of colonists before tens of thousands of spectators. Many of the reenactors there that day — like Michael Graves of Chelmsford, a University of Massachusetts Lowell biology professor
Advertisement
Luckily, John had a veteran of his own to consult: Joanne Rathe Strohmeyer, a now-retired colleague who photographed the Lexington reenactment for years. 'She told me it was going to go from darkness to dawn really quickly, which it did, and to just keep shooting when the troops raise their guns,' says John. 'The gun blast was loud and brilliant and she was so right.'
John took the above photo,
(For the photographers reading this: The ISO was 4000 and the shutter speed was 1/1000 at f-stop 2.8 using a 70-200 mm zoom lens at a focal length set of 70mm. John shot on automatic exposure using a 1-stop underexposure.)
That image isn't the only one from the Lexington reenactment in the Globe's April Photos of the Month. Another of John's shots —
Advertisement
Reenactments also weren't the only annual rites that Bostonians observed last month. In one of the Globe's other best photos, David Ryan captured a German runner named Marc Tortell starting off the 129th Boston Marathon in Hopkinton in high spirits, arms akimbo and orange hair spiked into a peppy crown. And there was Opening Day at Fenway Park, during which Stan Grossfeld photographed Hall of Famers Carl Yastrzemski and Carlton Fisk, members of the 1975 team, saluting fans.
Here are those celebratory photos from last month. I recommend checking out the rest of
Caption
Minutemen reenactors fired back at advancing British troops on Lexington Battle Green during the 250th anniversary of the historic first battle of the American Revolution.
(John Tlumacki/Globe Staff)
1
of
5
🧩 6 Across:
| ☀️ 72°
POINTS OF INTEREST
Lisa Boyce holds a photograph of her late husband, Kevin, who died of a tick-borne disease.
Suzanne Kreiter/Globe Staff
Boston and Massachusetts
Health disparity:
Patients taking weight-loss drugs in Massachusetts
Hidden danger:
After a rare tick-borne virus killed her husband, she wants people to understand that illnesses transmitted by the pests
Kitty Dukakis:
A video of former governor Michael Dukakis
Mixed reviews:
After almost $19 million and two years of construction,
Hurry up and wait:
Speeding trains have gotten into accidents on the Green Line. But the T still
RIT in the T:
Rochester Institute of Technology is 400 miles from Boston, yet
Trump administration
Plane dealer:
The Trump administration plans to accept a luxury jet from Qatar to use as Air Force One, which critics said violates the Constitution's ban on foreign gifts. (
Trump's agenda:
House Republicans unveiled legislation that would cut Medicaid to help pay for Trump's tax bill. The cuts, in the form of new work and eligibility requirements, would cause 8.6 million people to lose health insurance, an estimate found. (
Israel-Hamas war:
Hamas agreed to release an American-Israeli hostage. Trump called it a 'good faith' step toward ending the war in Gaza. (
No-fly zone:
President Trump's transportation secretary plans to reduce the number of flights in and out of Newark airport as it struggles with radar outages and delays. (
'Constantly anxious':
Immigration lawyers
Trump vs. Harvard:
From hospitals to startups, the university helps fuel Greater Boston's economy,
Arrested development:
Trump's cuts to federal research grants
Higher ed:
Steel and lumber tariffs
The Nation and the World
Supreme Court:
From medical care for transgender minors to birthright citizenship, here are the major cases
India vs. Pakistan:
Both countries claimed victory after a ceasefire took hold yesterday, bringing the two nuclear-armed nations back from the brink of war. (
Russia-Ukraine war:
Ukraine's president said he'd meet with Russia's leader in Turkey this week to negotiate peace, but called for a ceasefire to begin today. (
BESIDE THE POINT
By Teresa Hanafin
🏨
Understated style:
TripAdvisor readers say
🧠
Minds at ease:
More employees want mental health benefits as part of a company's medical package, with flexible work schedules and financial counseling at the top of the list. (
⭐️
Good food:
The Michelin Guide and its anonymous inspectors are coming to Boston, and restaurant critic Devra First thinks
Advertisement
🥘
Distinctive cuisine:
Speaking of good food, reporter Alexa Gagosz went to New England's largest Taiwanese festival recently.
🐑
Man or beast:
New Zealand is one of a handful of countries in the world that still has more sheep than people. But humans are catching up. (
📚
Meet the writer:
Sara Franklin is at the Boston Athenaeum, Ria Brodell is in Somerville, and
Thanks for reading Starting Point.
This newsletter was edited by
❓ Have a question for the team? Email us at
✍🏼 If someone sent you this newsletter, you can
📬 Delivered Monday through Friday.
Ian Prasad Philbrick can be reached at
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Yahoo
Burial service to be held June 9 for Gravette WWII soldier killed in D-Day invasion
GRAVETTE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — After more than 80 years, a Northwest Arkansan hero is returning home. Private Rodger Dean Andrews, a World War II soldier from Gravette, will be laid to rest with full military honors at 2:00 p.m. Monday, June 9, at Bethel Cemetery in Gravette, according to the Benton County Sheriff's Office (BSCO). His remains, recently identified after decades of uncertainty, will arrive in Northwest Arkansas the evening of Sunday, June 8 and be received by Epting Funeral Home in Bentonville. On Monday, the BCSO Motor Division will escort Private Andrews to his final resting place, joined by Military Honors and the Patriot Guard. The procession will depart Epting Funeral Home (709 N. Walton Blvd, Bentonville) at 1:15 p.m. and follow this route: South on N. Walton Blvd Right on SW 14th Street (Highway 102) Right on Highway 59 through Decatur Right on Bethel Road in Gravette Left into Bethel Cemetery 'Community members are encouraged to line the route and pay their respects to honor the life and service of Private Rodger Dean Andrews, a true American hero,' BSCO said in a Facebook post. HISTORY: Grant Hardin's 12-day escape joins the state's most infamous escapes The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced in a news release on October 2 that U.S. Army Private Rodger D. Andrews, 19, was accounted for on June 5. Andrews was assigned in June 1944 to Company C of the 37th Engineer Combat Battalion in the European Theater. On June 6, 1944, American, Canadian and British forces came ashore on the beaches of Normandy in France during Operation Overlord. The release said that at some point during the battle, Andrews was killed, but due to the chaos, it is not known what happened to him. Private Rodger Dean Andrews' remains were recovered after D-Day but went unidentified for decades. In 2014, his family requested renewed efforts. A belt with his initials helped prompt a review, and in 2019, the remains were exhumed. Scientists confirmed his identity through dental and anthropological analysis. A rosette will now mark his name at the Normandy American Cemetery. Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders said during her remarks at the 2025 Memorial Day Observance at Camp Robinson in North Little Rock that U.S. Army Private Rodger D. Andrews, 18, will be laid to rest at a family plot on June 9, more than 81 years after his death. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Business Insider
a day ago
- Business Insider
I'm 92 and still live independently. I make sure to stay active, and I don't eat a lot of red meat.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Mira Armstrong, a 92-year-old from Porepunkah, Australia. It has been edited for length and clarity. I built my home with my husband, Bruce, in 1956. Now that I'm 92 years old, I still live independently. I hope I croak it here. I was born in Poland in 1933 during the Depression. My father was a shoemaker and in the army reserve. When World War II broke out, he was taken prisoner and sent to Germany. My mother, siblings, and I followed. I got a rough start to life Life was pretty tough. We lived in a derelict, abandoned farmhouse and weren't allowed to go to school because we weren't German citizens. While German children were at school, we'd scavenge at the dump — once, we even found an old gramophone. Toward the end of the war, I remember hearing American planes overhead. An old German man cycled through our village, sounding a siren as they approached. They never bombed our village, only cities and factories. I remember watching thousands of British airmen being marched past on foot. They stopped and ate grass because they were so hungry. I wish I knew how to speak English back then, but I didn't. We moved to Australia after the war, and things changed After the war, we were moved from one displaced persons camp to another. Europe was in chaos. We spent some time in Italy, then came to Australia aboard the SS Skaugum. My father got a job in the ship's kitchen and was finally able to buy toothpaste. We'd cleaned our teeth with ash during the war. When we arrived in Melbourne on March 28, 1950, I was 17. It felt like heaven. Everything was so strange and unusual. We were finally free. My family eventually settled in Porepunkah, Victoria, and I met my husband, Bruce, at the local swimming hole. One day, he waited in his truck to pick my sister and me up from work, and that was it. We were married in 1954 — I was 21, Bruce was 24. Longevity could be hereditary — my mum lived to 97. She was hardworking and survived many hardships, too. But I have also made a few lifestyle choices that may have helped. Being active has always been a priority When I was younger, I used to cycle 24 kilometers to and from work, even to church in high heels. I did everything fast, whether it was housework or heaving hay bales around our farm. When Bruce and I built our house, we dug the foundation holes and the well by hand. We had five kids, and I was constantly busy. I worked in hospitality and retail, never behind a desk. These days, I still walk a lot, mainly around the house and outside, and I like to garden. I eat a balanced diet, and I don't drink or smoke I eat everything — probably because I remember the starvation during the war. Once, we went for four days without food. For breakfast, I have porridge or Weetabix. I eat soup full of veggies, wholemeal toasties, chicken, fish, and walnuts. There's not a lot of red meat in my diet. My vice is fruit, though I have to be careful because I'm borderline diabetic. I never smoked or drank, and I only recently started drinking coffee. Staying social and volunteering is key Our home was always social — full of friends and family. I enjoy spending time with my eight grandkids and eight great-grandkids. I've also done a lot of volunteer work: 29 years with Meals on Wheels, 14 years with the op shop, and years of church work. I get bored easily, and I enjoy giving back. My faith has given me comfort in tough times Bruce died in 1977 shortly after a trucking accident. He was 47 years old, I was 44. I still had three boys at home and about 70 cows to manage on our farm. It was a horrendous time, and I went through hell. I did three part-time jobs and took care of everything on autopilot. After Bruce died, I started cursing God and stopped going to church. Then, in 1992, my youngest son, Graham, was killed in a road accident. It was very difficult, and that's when I returned to church. My faith has brought me comfort ever since. I make sure to keep my mind active I keep my mind active with puzzles and reading. I enjoy thrillers, and hot romances, too. After Bruce died, I'd read romance novels through the night. In the morning, I didn't even remember what they were about. These days, I enjoy feeding the birds and gardening. For what it's worth, these habits may have led to my longevity, and they've surely contributed to my enjoyment of life. But my No. 1 tip for a long life? Don't die!
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
John D.H. Harris John D.H. Harris passed away May 4, 2025 at
Jun. 6—John D.H. Harris John D.H. Harris passed away May 4, 2025 at a local hospital. He was in poor health for some months prior. Survivors are wife of 41 years, Mary Harris, son David Minall (Tracey), daughter Pam Gilsenan, grandchildren Leanne Minall (Tom), Ross Minall, Liam Gilsenan, Kerry Gilsenan. Katharine Ofcarzik (Rick). John was born April 1933 in Surrey, England. He received a Technical degree in England and rose to chief engineer at Decca Radar in London with a specialty in telecommunications. He emigrated to the U.S. in 1968 and began working in various technical fields, leading to a long career in General Instrument. He was remarkable for his contributions to many branches of creative engineering: if you ever used high definition television, a satellite dish, an IBM machine, a programmable thermostat, or driven a GM or Ford card with computerized dashboard, you have met John Harris. After retiring from GI, he worked for a local firm producing medical research equipment, including Laser Tweezers. In his own LLC company, he completed diverse projects for Los Alamos, Sandia, as well as for private individuals and companies. He was coding on his computer well up until poor health overtook him. At home, he also crafted model airplanes and grew tomatoes. Friends and acquaintances recall John as a warm and generous man, with a British wit and sense of humor that never quit. He was dedicated to high technology that has improved daily life for mankind. And no job was too small for him to lend a hand. John loved the East Mountains. It reminded him of England and Wales. He will remain with us in the East Mountains where he wished to stay. A Celebration of Life service is planned and will be announced in the near future.
