ABSTRACT
A Minuteman was to be 25 years old or younger and was chosen from the ranks of local militia for his enthusiasm, reliability, and physical strength. The Minutemen had been a part of the colonial military since the mid 1600s. The Minutemen were active in the French and Indian War in the 1750s, and by the time the American Revolution arrived, there had been six generations of Minutemen fighting in Massachusetts. The British were quite surprised by the fighting techniques of the Minutemen. The Minutemen had learned how to fight during the French and Indian War, and they used irregular warfare. The guns used by the Minutemen were usually their own hunting rifles. Officers in the Royal Armies were warned to take off their brass medals and emblems because sharpshooting Minutemen would aim for the men in gold. The Minutemen were far outnumbered by the British soldiers, but the Minutemen had the advantage of knowing the terrain well.
