BY JEFF CHUDZINSKINorth Country This Week

CANTON -- St. Lawrence County legislators want to celebrate the more than 300 Revolutionary War patriots buried in St. Lawrence County cemeteries.

Legislators passed a resolution during the Full Board meeting on April 7, taking a moment to remember the Minutemen who made their way to the county following the war.

In total, 13 minutemen are known to be buried in the county.

"Following the Seven Years' War, Great Britain Found herself in debt. Wanting to collect payments from her colonies for the protection of their land, proposed a set of taxes to parliament; the proposal was passed by Parliament and sent to the Governors of the colonies to collect," legislators said.

Following the passing of taxes in parliament, the taxes hindered commerce and daily life in the colonies, becoming known as the "Intolerable Acts."

"Colonists, feeling unheard and burdened under the weight of taxes without representation, threw British tea into the Boston harbor," legislators said.

That act, known at the "Boston Tea Party," set in motion further restrictions by the British as they levied further restrictions on colonists. Eventually, British troops were sent to the colonies to quell the unrest.

"Colonel Gage, fearing rebellion, decided to seize weapons and ammunition being stored in Concord, Massachusetts," legislators said.

Shortly thereafter, local militias rose up, with Paul Revere playing a key role in spreading the word on British movements, officials said.

Armed conflict broke out around 5 a.m. on April 19, 1775, when 800 British Regulars were met by roughly 70 militia members in Lexington. The conflict led to one wounded British soldier and eight militiamen being killed before dispersing toward Concord, officials said.

"By the time the British arrived at the North Bridge more than 220 militia from Concord and surrounding towns had gathered to face the British Regulars," legislators said.

Battle commenced in Concord, leading to three British soldiers being killed, along with nine wounded before they eventually retreated back to Boston, officials said.

An ambush was then sprung as the Regulars reached Battle Road, eventually leading to a rallying cry for independence by the militias who took part.

British Regulars then returned "to the safety of their gunships anchored in and around Boston Harbor" by 8 p.m. on April 19, 1775, officials said.

In total, 73 British troops were killed, with many more wounded, while 49 patriots were lost, according to the resolution.

"These nearly 4,000 men, who were ready at a moment’s notice on April 19, 1775, became known as Minutemen and were the beginnings of the Continental Army and the American Revolutionary War had begun," officials said.

"Those brave men who answered the call to defend their land against the British Regulars on April 19, 1775, and became Minutemen are: Ephraim Mathews, Canton; Isaac Stacy, Dekalb; Asa Sprague, DeKalb; John Legg, Oswegatchie; Tubal Nash, Canton; Simeon Nash, Stockholm; Ebenezer Keeler, Madrid; Stephen Chandler, Potsdam; Eliphalet Smith, Edwards; Nathan Eastbrook, Potsdam; Caleb Matteson, Oswegatchie; Joseph Bailey, Potsdam; and William Carpenter, Ogdensburg," legislators said.

The search continues to discover more Minutemen buried in St. Lawrence County, officials said.

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