The Battles of Lexington and Concord have long been considered the
beginning of the American Revolution. However, Vermonters know that the
first blood was actually shed in Westminster in March 1775. Over a month
before Lexington and Concord, Westminster Whigs endured an attack from
their own Loyalist sheriff and his men that left two dead. In response,
the county rose in revolt in what became known as the Westminster
Massacre. This bloody event set the stage for Vermont's separation from
New York and its position as a mainstay of American independence
throughout the entire war. Jessie Haas and the Westminster Historical
Society vividly retell the story of the real first battle of the
American Revolution and Windham County's important role throughout the
war.