The term “information warfare” may not have been coined in 1775, but America’s Founding Fathers absolutely understood the importance of controlling the narrative. When the smoke and chaos cleared on that fateful, bloody morning of April 19, 1775, the politically-savvy Patriot leaders immediately realized the all-important question of “Who fired first?” on Lexington Green would forever distinguish for the world between the aggressors and defenders in the American Revolution.
Refusing to sit back and allow the occupying British forces to control the narrative, the Provincial Congress formed a committee within days, including Marblehead merchant and future congressman and vice president, Elbridge Gerry, to gather depositions to convey to London the American version of events at Lexington and Concord. Compiling the accounts was only half the battle, though. They knew they must get their version of events across the Atlantic before British commander General Thomas Gage’s.