107-545: Boxborough is a town in Middlesex County , Massachusetts , United States. The population was 5,506 at the 2020 census . The town name is often simplified to "Boxboro" on highway signs and official documents. According to the United States Census Bureau , the town has a total area of 10.4 square miles (27 km), of which 10.4 square miles (27 km) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km), or 0.48%,
214-622: A Concord woman who was tending his wound: Nurse: "A little more and you've been killed." Luther: Yes, and a little more and it would not have touched me." Luther died three days later, ostensibly of the wounds he received in these battles. He is buried at the Old Burial Ground in Littleton, Massachusetts . A picture of Luther is featured on the Boxborough seal. Calvin survived the war and went on to be involved in early Boxborough politics. It
321-487: A change in state law. Immediately prior to its dissolution, the executive branch consisted of three County Commissioners elected at-large to staggered four-year terms. There was a County Treasurer elected to a six-year term. The county derived its revenue primarily from document filing fees at the Registries of Deeds and from a Deeds Excise Tax; also a transfer tax was assessed on the sale price of real estate and collected by
428-567: A column of approximately 1,500 regular troops, 200 cavalry, and a group of New French militia—some 3,000 men in all—upriver to Cap-Rouge to monitor the British ships upstream. He further strengthened his defences of the Beauport shore following the abandonment of the British camp at Montmorency, which he regarded as preparations for a descent (amphibious attack) on Beauport. In spite of warnings from local commanders, he did not view an upstream landing as
535-589: A deciding moment in the conflict between France and Britain over the fate of New France , influencing the later creation of Canada . The culmination of a three-month siege by the British, the battle lasted about an hour. British troops commanded by General James Wolfe successfully resisted the column advance of French troops and Canadian militia under General Louis-Joseph, Marquis de Montcalm , employing new tactics that proved extremely effective against standard military formations used in most large European conflicts. Both generals were mortally wounded during
642-465: A disciplined soldiery, painstakingly drilled for as long as 18 months on the parade ground, trained to march in time, change formation at a word, and retain cohesion in the face of bayonet charges and musket volleys. Though his regular regiments (the "troupes de terre" or "metropolitans") were adept at such formal warfare, in the course of the campaign their ranks had been replenished by less professional militiamen, whose talents at forest warfare emphasised
749-502: A disorganised pursuit of the retreating French troops. The 78th Fraser Highlanders were ordered by Brigadier-General James Murray to pursue the French with their swords , but were met near the city by a heavy fire from a floating battery covering the bridge over the St. Charles River as well as militia that remained in the trees. The 78th took the highest number of casualties of all British units in
856-574: A formidable barrier. In addition, a screen of trees along the Montmorency River made an approach on that route dangerous. On 31 July, the first serious attempt by Wolfe's troops to land on the northern shore led to the Battle of Beauport , also known as the Battle of Montmorency. Approximately 3,500 troops, supported by a heavy bombardment, attempted to land but were fired upon in the river shallows. Members of
963-453: A generation later, fought for a Stow company during the Revolution, and gave the land on which the new meeting-house and church was built after the war. Silas was not just a veteran and financial backer, but was also elected as an original selectman. The Wetherbee Family continues to influence Boxborough politics for a century to come. The Taylor brothers were also some of the first settlers in
1070-439: A landing would force Montcalm to fight, as a British force on the north shore of the St. Lawrence would cut his supply lines to Montreal. Initial suggestions for landing sites ranged as far as 32 km (20 mi) up the St. Lawrence, which would have given the French troops one or two days to prepare for the attack. Following the failed British assault on Montmorency , Montcalm altered his deployment, sending Bougainville and
1177-450: A large portion of the river, including a dangerous channel known as The Traverse. Cook's ship was one of the first ships up the river, sounding the channel and guiding the fleet as it moved up; Wolfe and his men landed on the Île d'Orléans on 28 June. The French attempted to attack the fleet by sending seven fire ships downriver to disrupt the landing, but the ships were set afire too early and British sailors in longboats were able to pull
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#17328909354301284-438: A new attack was needed by the end of September, or Britain's opportunity would be lost. In addition, his frustration with Montcalm's defensive stance continued to grow. In a letter to his mother, Wolfe wrote, "The Marquis of Montcalm is at the head of a great number of bad soldiers, and I am at the head of a small number of good ones that wish for nothing so much as to fight him; but the wary old fellow avoids an action, doubtful of
1391-574: A part of the Middlesex County government, was also relatedly forced to relocate to Medford at the time of the closure of the Superior Courthouse building in Cambridge. Of the fourteen counties of Massachusetts, Middlesex is one of eight which have had no county government or county commissioners since July 1, 1998, when county functions were assumed by state agencies at local option following
1498-529: A representative to the General Court, instead continuing to help elect a representative from Stow. Besides the Blanchard family, several other early settlers of Boxborough were instrumental in its establishment as an independent district. John Wetherbee and his family built houses in what would become Boxborough as early as 1717, and some historians consider John the first settler of the area. Silas Wetherbee, born
1605-416: A serious possibility. The British, meanwhile, prepared for their risky deployment upstream. Troops had already been aboard landing ships and drifting up and down the river for several days when Wolfe on 12 September, made a final decision on the British landing site, selecting L' Anse-au-Foulon . L'Anse-au-Foulon is a cove situated west of the city, three kilometres upstream from Cap Diamant . It lies at
1712-488: A shallow horseshoe formation that stretched across the width of the Plains, the main firing line being roughly one kilometre long. Two battalions were deployed, facing north, to cover the left flank and a further two formed a reserve. In order to cover the entire plain, Wolfe was forced to array his soldiers two ranks deep, rather than the more conventional three ranks. On the left wing, regiments under Townshend exchanged fire with
1819-407: A slope. A group of 24 volunteers led by Colonel William Howe with fixed bayonets were sent to clear the picket along the road, and climbed the slope, a manoeuvre that allowed them to come up behind Vergor's camp and capture it quickly. Wolfe followed an hour later when he could use an easy access road to climb to the plain. Thus, by the time the sun rose over the Plains of Abraham, Wolfe's army had
1926-409: A solid foothold at the top of the cliffs of the promontory of Quebec . The plateau was undefended save for Vergor's camp, as Vaudreuil had ordered one of the French regiments to relocate to the east of the city not long before the landing. Had the immediate defenders been more numerous, the British might have been unable to deploy or even been pushed back. An officer who would normally have patrolled
2033-460: A wonderful escape all day, we suffered great loss both in Officers and men but at last drove them under the cover of their cannon which likeways did us considerable loss. Townshend took charge of the British forces and realised that Bougainville's column was approaching from the British rear, having taken some time to arrive from Cap Rouge. He quickly formed up two battalions from the confused troops on
2140-637: Is a county located in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts , United States. As of the 2020 census , the population was 1,632,002, making it the most populous county in both Massachusetts and New England and the 22nd most populous county in the United States . This also makes the county the most populous county on the East Coast outside of New York or Florida. Middlesex County is one of two U.S. counties (along with Santa Clara County, California ) to be amongst
2247-441: Is after descendants of this same Blanchard family that Blanchard Memorial School was named. A closer church served as the motivation for establishing a new district; those who lived in the extreme parts of this area found it difficult to travel all the way to church every week (the community had been built on Puritan ideals, attending church was required at this time). Perhaps the key players in this movement, fresh from fighting in
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#17328909354302354-458: Is held every June at Flerra Meadows in Boxborough. It begins with a 4-mile (6.4 km) road race, followed by a parade and many different festivities. Booths with hamburgers, hot dogs, snow cones etc. line the field and games, bands and volleyball tournaments complete the afternoon. Other Fifer's Day activities typically include pony rides, air balloon rides, and fire engine demonstrations. Middlesex County, Massachusetts Middlesex County
2461-572: Is land and 29 square miles (75 km ) (3.5%) is water. It is the third-largest county in Massachusetts by land area. It is bounded southeast by the Charles River and drained by the Merrimack , Nashua , and Concord rivers, and other streams. The MetroWest region comprises much of the southern portion of the county. These routes pass through Middlesex County As of 2006 , Middlesex County
2568-543: Is open several Sundays a year. Boxborough is also known for Steele Farm, a popular location for sledding and hikes, with dog-friendly conservation trails. There is a good example of a glacial esker , over one mile in length, located in the Beaver Valley Preserve. An annual Harvest Fair is held in September, celebrating Boxborough's agricultural legacy. Boxborough is home to several historical landmarks and sites on
2675-821: Is oversight of the Middlesex House of Correction and Jail in Billerica . It formerly ran the Middlesex Jail in Cambridge , which closed on June 28, 2014. In addition, the Sheriff's Office operates the Office of Civil Process and, the Lowell Community Counseling Centers, and crime prevention and community service programs. The office of sheriff was created in 1692, making it one of the oldest law enforcement agencies in
2782-429: Is required). Flerra Meadows provides soccer fields, as well as a small playground and pond. Liberty Fields has a baseball diamond, multiple soccer fields and a conservation trail in the woods. The Boxborough Mamils , a cycling group, meets regularly at Flerra Meadows for community bike rides in Boxborough and neighboring towns. The Boxborough Minutemen Company is a historical society founded in Boxborough in 1967 with
2889-538: Is water. Boxborough is bordered by Littleton to the north, Acton to the east, Stow to the south, and Harvard to the west. Prior to incorporation in 1783, the area that is now Boxborough was part of Stow, Harvard, and Littleton. As of the census of 2000, there were 4,868 people, 1,853 households, and 1,271 families residing in the town. The population density was 469.7 inhabitants per square mile (181.4/km). There were 1,906 housing units at an average density of 183.9 per square mile (71.0/km). The racial makeup of
2996-476: The 28th Foot and the Louisbourg Grenadiers, had moved to a rise to observe the battle; he had been struck in the wrist early in the fight, but had wrapped the injury and continued on. Volunteer James Henderson, with the Louisbourg Grenadiers, had been tasked with holding the hill, and reported afterwards that within moments of the command to fire, Wolfe was struck with two shots, one low in the stomach and
3103-658: The Articles of Capitulation of Quebec and the city was turned over to British control. The remaining French forces positioned themselves on the Jacques-Cartier River west of the city. The British Navy was forced to leave the St. Lawrence shortly after the capture of Quebec, lest pack ice close the mouth of the river. The next April, before the ice left the rivers, the Chevalier de Lévis, Montcalm's successor as French commander, marched his 7,000 troops to Quebec. James Murray,
3210-654: The Battle of Carillon , the British took Louisbourg in August, causing Atlantic Canada to fall into their hands, and opening the sea route to attack Quebec. The British also captured Fort Frontenac in the same month, costing the French supplies for the Ohio Valley campaign. When some of the Indian supporters of the French made peace with the British, France was forced to draw its troops back. The French leaders, specifically Governor de Vaudreuil and General Montcalm , were unsettled by
3317-634: The Beauport Shore . Montcalm and his staff, Major-General François de Gaston, Chevalier de Lévis , Colonel Louis Antoine de Bougainville , and Lieutenant-Colonel de Sennezergue, distributed some 12,000 troops in a nine-kilometre-long collection of fortified redoubts and batteries from the Saint-Charles River to the Montmorency Falls , along the shallows of the river in areas that had previously been targeted by British attempts to land. Before
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3424-626: The French and Indian War to describe the North American theatre ). The battle, which began on 13 September 1759, was fought on a plateau by the British Army and Royal Navy against the French Army, just outside the walls of Quebec City on land that was originally owned by a farmer named Abraham Martin, hence the name of the battle. The battle involved fewer than 10,000 troops in total, but proved to be
3531-727: The Louisbourg Grenadiers , who reached the beach, attempted a generally undisciplined charge on the French positions, but came under heavy fire; a thunderstorm ended the fight and allowed Wolfe to pull his troops back after taking some 450 casualties to Montcalm's 60. Some French officers felt the Montmorency defeat would be the last British attack; Vaudreuil wrote afterwards that "I have no more anxiety about Quebec. Wolfe, I assure you, will make no progress... He contented himself with losing about five hundred of his best soldiers." He predicted another attack would come within days. Others in
3638-770: The Plains of Abraham . British Army Main Line under Major General James Wolfe Right Wing under Brigadier General Robert Monckton Centre under Brigadier General James Murray Left Flank under Brigadier General George Townshend Colonials French forces engaged in the battle were commanded by Major General Louis Joseph de Saint Véran, Marquis de Montcalm commanding appx. 1,900 regulars, 1,500 militia and natives, and 4 field guns. Right Wing commanded by General Dumas Centre under Major General Louis Joseph de Saint Véran, Marquis de Montcalm Left Wing under General Senezergues Bougainville, tasked with
3745-522: The Superior Courthouse , one of which was formerly in Cambridge (since 2008 relocated to Woburn.) and one in Lowell; and the defunct Middlesex County Hospital in the city of Waltham. The legislation abolishing the Middlesex County executive retained the Sheriff and Registers of Deeds as independently elected officials, and transferred the Sheriff's Office under the state Department of Public Safety and
3852-636: The geographic center of Massachusetts, which is in Rutland , Worcester County ). On July 11, 1997, Massachusetts abolished the executive government of Middlesex County primarily due to the county's insolvency . Middlesex County continues to exist as a geographic boundary and is used primarily as district jurisdictions within the court system and for other administrative purposes; for example, as an election district. The National Weather Service weather alerts (such as severe thunderstorm warning ) continue to localize based on Massachusetts's counties. The county
3959-487: The "Slam Bang Company" was founded by patriotic men of Boxborough, eventually dissolving into the "Boxborough Light Infantry Company." The goals of these groups seem purely honorary, though it is recorded that they met three times a year for annual military training through the nineteenth century. Boxborough is known for its annual Fifer's Day celebration, put on by the Minutemen, which commemorates Luther Blanchard. Fifer's Day
4066-560: The 2010 Census, the median income for a household in the town was $ 115,639 and the average income for a household was $ 147,625. The per capita income for the town was $ 59,551. About 1.5% of families and 2.8% of the population were below the poverty line , including 3.8% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over. Boxborough is part of the Acton Boxborough Regional School District (ABRSD) along with Acton . The town has one elementary school serving K–6,
4173-524: The Battle of Concord, serving as a fifer. At the North Bridge, several minute-men companies engaged with the British troops in a conflict remembered as the shot heard round the world , eventually forcing the redcoats to retreat. Blanchard is remembered by some historians as the first man wounded, but it is hard to confirm considering the nature of the battle. He received a musket-shot to the chest. Historian Lucie Hager documents Luther's witty interaction with
4280-536: The Beauport shore. He arrayed his approximately 3,500 soldiers into place, his best regulars three deep, others six deep and his poorest regiment in column. At approximately 10 a.m., Montcalm, riding his dark horse and waving his sword to encourage his men, ordered a general advance on the British line. As a European-trained military leader, Montcalm's instinct was for large, set-piece battles in which regiments and soldiers moved in precise order. Such actions required
4387-521: The Blanchard Memorial School. Middle school students then attend the R.J. Grey Junior High School from grades 7–8. High school students then attend Acton-Boxborough Regional High School from grades 9–12. Acton-Boxborough Regional High School (ABRHS) is highly ranked within Massachusetts and nationwide. The U.S. Department of Education designated the institution as a Blue Ribbon School in 2009. In 2008, Newsweek magazine ranked ABRHS as one of
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4494-685: The Boston Pops, throughout the British Isles and Western Europe, and at the Edinburgh Military Tattoo's Salute to Australia in Sydney, Australia. Battle of the Plains of Abraham The Battle of the Plains of Abraham , also known as the Battle of Quebec ( French : Bataille des Plaines d'Abraham, Première bataille de Québec ), was a pivotal battle in the Seven Years' War (referred to as
4601-438: The British commander, had experienced a terrible winter, in which scurvy had reduced his garrison to only 4,000. On 28 April, Lévis' forces met and defeated the British at the Battle of Sainte-Foy , immediately west of the city (near the site of Université Laval today). This battle proved bloodier than that of the Plains of Abraham, with about 850 casualties on the French side and 1,100 on the British side. The French had defeated
4708-440: The British successes. However, Quebec was still able to protect itself as the British prepared a three-pronged attack for 1759. James Wolfe expected to lead 12,000 men, but was greeted by only approximately 7,000 regular troops, 400 officers , and 300 gunners. He was supported by a fleet of 49 ships and 140 smaller craft led by Admiral Charles Saunders . In preparation for the fleet's approach to Quebec, James Cook surveyed
4815-402: The British suffered 658 killed or wounded, of these, 61 were killed and 597 were wounded. The French casualties was between 644 to 716 killed or wounded, among those thirteen officers, and a further 350 men were taken prisoner. In the wake of the battle, a state of confusion spread through the French troops. Governor de Vaudreuil , who later wrote to his government and put the full blame for
4922-452: The British, a small fleet of supply ships had arrived in Quebec with much-needed supplies. Those supplies, along with 500 reinforcements, likely aided French resistance during the lengthy siege. Wolfe, on surveying the town of Beauport, found that the houses there had been barricaded and organized to allow for musket fire from within; they were built in an unbroken line along the road, providing
5029-442: The British, but the British were able to withdraw within the walls of Quebec, to which the French laid siege . A lack of artillery and ammunition, combined with British improvements to the fortifications, meant that the French were unable to take the city by storm. Both sides awaited reinforcements from Europe. The first ships to arrive, in mid-May, were part of a British fleet which had defeated Levis' support ships . The success of
5136-542: The Freedom Trail. The Silas Taylor Farm can be found on Flagg Hill. The Silas Wethebee House (est. 1770), or Walnut Farm, can be seen today on Hill Road as part of the "Path of the Patriots." Boxborough has fourteen distinct state, non-profit, conservation or municipal tracts of lands with trails suitable for a number of non-motorized activities. These are maintained by town volunteers and the town employees (mostly where mowing
5243-812: The French failed to take the city and in 1763, following defeat in the Montreal campaign , France ceded most of its possessions in eastern North America to Great Britain in the Treaty of Paris . The decisive success of the British forces on the Plains of Abraham and the subsequent capture of Quebec became part of what was known in Great Britain as the " Annus Mirabilis " of 1759. As the Seven Years' War entered its later stages through 1758 and 1759, French forces and colonies in northeastern North America came under renewed attack from British armies. In 1758 after their defeat in July at
5350-449: The French camp felt the campaign was over. For the remainder of the summer, Wolfe's focus changed, possibly due to frustration with Montcalm's tactics. Wolfe's troops, along with American Rangers , attacked and destroyed small French settlements along the St. Lawrence. An estimated 1,400 stone houses and manors were destroyed, and many colonists killed. The effort was likely an attempt to force Montcalm's army out of its fortifications, but
5457-507: The French rout on the deceased Montcalm, decided to abandon Quebec and the Beauport shore, ordering all of his forces to march west and eventually join up with Bougainville, leaving the garrison in Quebec under the command of Jean-Baptiste Nicolas Roch de Ramezay . Meanwhile, the British, first under the command of Townshend and later with Murray in charge, settled in to besiege the city in conjunction with Saunders' fleet. Within days, on 18 September, de Ramezay, Townshend and Saunders signed
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#17328909354305564-519: The General had, he has changed his mind as to the place he intended to land". In his final letter, dated HMS Sutherland , 8:30 p.m. 12 September, Wolfe wrote: I had the honour to inform you today that it is my duty to attack the French army. To the best of my knowledge and ability, I have fixed upon that spot where we can act with most force and are most likely to succeed. If I am mistaken I am sorry for it and must be answerable to His Majesty and
5671-597: The Northern District at Lowell and another for the Southern District at Cambridge) are each elected to serve six-year terms. Besides the employees of the Sheriff's Office and the two Registries of Deeds, the county had a Maintenance Department, a Security Department, some administrative staff in the Treasurer's and Commissioners' Offices, and the employees of the hospital. The county government also owned and operated
5778-484: The Registries of Deeds. Budgets as proposed by the County Commissioners were approved by a County Advisory Board that consisted of a single representative of each of the 54 cities and towns in Middlesex County. The votes of the individual members of the advisory board were weighted based on the overall valuation of property in their respective communities. The County Sheriff and two Registers of Deeds (one for
5885-742: The Revolutionary War, were pursuing further independence. Boxborough was formed from Harvard, Littleton, and Stow. A member of Middlesex County , Boxborough established a new county line between Middlesex and Worcester. On January 31, 1775, men of this area formed a "Sartain Society" which agreed to purchase the Harvard Old meeting-house to act as a town hall and a church. The people of Boxborough were denied registration to be an independent district three times before being accepted in 1782, then incorporated on February 25, 1783. At first, Boxborough didn't send
5992-487: The St. Charles River. While the regular French forces were approaching from Beauport and Quebec, the Canadian militia and native sharpshooters engaged the British left flank, sheltering in the trees and scrub; the militia held these positions throughout the battle and fell back on this line during the general retreat, eventually holding the bridge over the St. Charles River. Of the British troops, approximately 3,300 formed into
6099-417: The United States. The sheriff is elected to a 6-year term. Notable sheriffs include: Prior to 1960, Middlesex County was a Republican Party stronghold, backing only two Democratic Party presidential candidates from 1876 to 1956. The 1960 election started a reverse trend, with the county becoming a Democratic stronghold. This has been even more apparent in recent years, with George H. W. Bush in 1988 being
6206-486: The area before its incorporation and had men serve during the Revolutionary War. Bennet Wood and Joseph Stone served as the first official Boxborough government, serving as the committee for the Sartain Society, along with moderator Henry Cooledge. Joseph Stone, originally from Harvard, was deeply involved in the area, serving as justice of the peace and a deacon of the congregational church until his death. The Wood Family
6313-637: The area. Silas Taylor served as a captain in the Revolutionary War before serving as the first clerk of the district of Boxborough, as well as an original selectman and assessor. Phinehas Taylor Jr. also served as a captain in the War, going on to serve as the original treasurer and deer-reeve of the district. Other old Boxborough families include the Hager Family, the Wood Family, and the Stone family, each of which settled in
6420-465: The army until daylight, remarking, "It is not to be supposed that the enemies have wings so that they can in the same night cross the river, disembark, climb the obstructed acclivity, and scale the walls, for which last operation they would have to carry ladders." Sentries did detect boats moving along the river that morning, but they were expecting a French supply convoy to pass that night—a plan that had been changed without Vergor being notified. When
6527-420: The battle. An eyewitness with the 78th Highlanders (Dr Robert Macpherson) wrote three days after the battle: The Highlanders pursued them to the very Sally Port of the town. The Highlanders returned towards the main body. When the highlanders were gathered together, they lay'd on a separate attack against a large body of Canadians on our flank that were posted in a small village and a Bush of woods. Here, after
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#17328909354306634-401: The battle; Wolfe died of gunshot wounds just as the French began to retreat and Montcalm died the next morning after receiving a musket ball wound just below his ribs. In the wake of the battle, the French evacuated the city. The French forces would attempt to recapture Quebec the following spring, and in the Battle of Sainte-Foy , they forced the British to retreat within the walls. However,
6741-403: The behaviour of his army." Montcalm also expressed frustration over the long siege, relating that he and his troops slept clothed and booted, and his horse was always saddled in preparation for an attack. After considering and rejecting a number of plans for landings on the north shore, a decision was made in late August by Wolfe and his brigadiers to land upriver of the city. If successful, such
6848-591: The best high schools in the country. Also, the school has ranked in the top ten for the National Academic Decathlon. The area which became the town of Boxborough was first inhabited by the Native Americans of the Nipmuc and Pennacook tribes. It was probably visited by colonists as early as the mid seventeenth century, before the neighboring towns of Stow (1683) and Acton (1735) were founded. However,
6955-512: The boats, loaded with the first wave of British troops, were challenged, a French-speaking officer, either a Captain Fraser or Captain Donald McDonald of the 78th Fraser Highlanders , was able to answer the challenge in excellent French, allaying suspicion. The boats, however, had drifted slightly off course: instead of landing at the base of the road, many soldiers found themselves at the base of
7062-449: The bottom of a 53 m (174 ft) high cliff leading to the plateau above, and was protected by a battery of guns. It is not known why Wolfe selected Foulon, as the original landing site was to be further up the river, in a position where the British would be able to develop a foothold and strike at Bougainville's force to draw Montcalm out of Quebec and onto the plains. Brigadier-General George Townshend wrote that "by some intelligence
7169-589: The cities and towns in which they are located. School districts include: K-12: Secondary: Elementary: Tertiary institutions include: Middlesex County is home to the Middlesex County Volunteers , a fife and drum corps that plays music from the 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. Founded in 1982 at the end of the United States Bicentennial celebration, the group performs extensively throughout New England. They have also performed at
7276-534: The city to Wolfe, he instead elected to confront Wolfe's force directly. Had he waited, the British would have been entirely cut off—they had nowhere to go but back down the Foulon, and would have been under fire the entire way. To an artillery officer named Montbelliard, Montcalm explained his decision thus: "We cannot avoid action; the enemy is entrenching, he already has two pieces of cannon. If we give him time to establish himself, we shall never be able to attack him with
7383-428: The cliffs regularly through the night was unable to on the night of the 12th because one of his horses had been stolen and his two others were lame. The first notice of the landing came from a runner who had fled from Vergor's camp, but one of Montcalm's aides felt the man was mad and sent him away, then went back to bed. Saunders had staged a diversionary action off Montmorency, firing on the shore emplacements through
7490-661: The companies of Littleton and Acton to the Battles of Lexington and Concord . Most of these men, previously farmers, would go on to serve the colonial militia for the remainder of the war. Sons of Simon Blanchard, descendant of some of the earliest settlers of Boxborough (and killed during the Battle of the Plains of Abraham in 1759 during the Seven Years' War), Calvin and Luther Blanchard, are two prominent revolutionary veterans. Luther marched with Captain Isaac Davis's company of Acton to
7597-549: The county was 80.0% white, 9.3% Asian, 4.7% black or African American, 0.2% American Indian, 3.3% from other races, and 2.5% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 6.5% of the population. The largest ancestry groups were: Of the 580,688 households, 31.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.5% were married couples living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 36.9% were non-families, and 27.8% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size
7704-466: The defence of the large area between Cap Diamant and Cap Rouge , was upstream with his troops at Cap Rouge on the night of 12 September, and missed seeing numerous British ships moving downstream. A camp of approximately 100 militia led by Captain Louis Du Pont Duchambon de Vergor , who had unsuccessfully faced the British four years previously at Fort Beauséjour , had been assigned to watch
7811-547: The dissolution of the executive county government, the county comprised two regions with separate county seats for administrative purposes: Since the start of the 21st century, much of the current and former county offices have physically decentralized from the Cambridge seat, with the sole exceptions being the Registry of Deeds and the Middlesex Probate and Family Court, which both retain locations in Cambridge and Lowell. Since
7918-501: The engagement. Captain John Knox , serving with the 43rd Foot, wrote in his journal that as the French came within range, the regiments "gave them, with great calmness, as remarkable a close and heavy discharge as I ever saw". After the first volley, the British lines marched forward a few paces towards the shocked French force and fired a second general volley that shattered the attackers and sent them into retreat. Wolfe, positioned with
8025-420: The field and turned them to meet the oncoming French, a day-saving manoeuvre; instead of attacking with a well rested and ready force, Bougainville retreated while the rest of Montcalm's army slipped back across the St. Charles. During the retreat, Montcalm, still mounted, was struck by either canister shot from the British artillery or repeated musket fire, suffering injuries to the lower abdomen and thigh. He
8132-423: The first landing party succeeded in their mission and the army was able to follow, such a deployment would still leave his forces inside the French line of defence with no immediate retreat but the river. It is possible that Wolfe's decision to change the landing site was owing less to a desire for secrecy and more to his general disdain for his brigadiers (a feeling that was reciprocated); it is also possible that he
8239-650: The first quarter of 2008, the Superior Courthouse has been seated in the city of Woburn ; the Sheriff's Office is now administratively seated in the city of Medford and the Cambridge-based County Jail has since been amalgamated with another county jail facility in Billerica. The Cambridge District Court (which has jurisdiction for Arlington, Belmont and Cambridge); along with the Middlesex County District Attorney's Office, although not
8346-444: The flaming craft clear of the fleet. The following day, Wolfe's troops landed on the south bank of the river at Point Levis , nearly directly across the river from Quebec; an artillery battery was established there in early July that nearly levelled the lower town by bombardment . Despite an air of defeatism among the leadership, the French troops and New French militia defenders focused their preparations for British attacks on
8453-541: The goal of preserving the memory of the town's role in the American Revolution, as well as serving the community. The Minutemen sponsor local activities and businesses, give out scholarships, and participate in historical reenactments. The legacy of the revolution has lived on through several groups similar to the Minutemen Company dating back to the end of the eighteenth century. Following the Revolutionary War,
8560-540: The governmental functions such as property tax assessment and collection, public education, road repair and maintenance, and elections were all conducted at the municipal city and town level and not by the county government. In 2012 the 22-story Superior Court Building in Cambridge which was transferred from the abolished Executive County government was sold by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Due to its transfer from state control, many local residents had tried to force
8667-713: The individual: they tended to fire early and then drop to the ground to reload, thus reducing the effect of concentrated fire at close range. As the French approached, the British lines held their fire. Wolfe had devised a firing method for stopping French column advances in 1755 that called for the centre—in this case, the 43rd and 47th Foot regiments—to hold fire while waiting for the advancing force to approach within 30 yd (27 m), then open fire at close range. The French held their fire and both armies waited for two or three minutes. The French finally fired two disorganized volleys. Wolfe had ordered his soldiers to charge their muskets with two balls each in preparation for
8774-474: The land in Boxborough was not settled until the beginning of the eighteenth century by farmers looking for fertile land to establish farms. Over the next decades, this area would become one of the most productive agricultural farming areas in the county. Several men from the area served in the Seven Years' War . On April 19, 1775, 21 men from Boxborough met at the Boaz Brown house on Hill road before marching with
8881-461: The largest Irish-American population of any U.S. county with a plurality of Irish ancestry. The ranking of unincorporated communities that are included on the list is reflective if the census-designated locations and villages were included as cities or towns. Data is from the 2007-2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. The primary responsibility of the Middlesex Sheriff's Office
8988-566: The last Republican presidential candidate to manage forty percent of the county's votes and Mitt Romney in 2012 being the last Republican presidential candidate to manage even thirty percent of the vote. In 2020, Joe Biden won 71% of the vote, the highest percent for any presidential candidate since 1964. Most municipalities in Middlesex County have a town form of government; the remainder are cities, and are so designated on this list. Villages listed below are census or postal divisions but have no separate corporate or statutory existence from
9095-407: The militia in the scrub and captured a small collection of houses and gristmill to anchor the line. The defenders pushed the British from one house, but were repelled and, in retreat, lit several houses on fire to keep them out of enemy hands. Smoke from these fires wound up masking the British left, and may have confused Montcalm as to the width of the lines. As Wolfe's men waited for the defenders,
9202-472: The militia were inexperienced; the Acadian, Canadian, and indigenous irregulars were more used to guerrilla warfare. By contrast, the British 7,700 troops were almost all regulars . On the morning of 13 September, Wolfe's army formed a line first with their backs to the river, then spread out across the Plains with its right anchored by the bluff along the St. Lawrence and its left by a bluff and thick wood above
9309-464: The narrow road at L'Anse-au-Foulon which followed a streambank , the Coulée Saint-Denis. On the night of 12 September and morning of 13 September, however, the camp may have contained as few as 40 men, as others were off harvesting. Vaudreuil and others had expressed their concern at the possibility of L'Anse-au-Foulon being vulnerable, but Montcalm dismissed them, saying 100 men would hold off
9416-435: The night and loading boats with troops, many of them taken from field hospitals ; this preoccupied Montcalm. Montcalm was taken aback to learn of the British deployment, and his response has been regarded as precipitate. Though he might have awaited reinforcement by Bougainville's column (allowing simultaneous frontal and rear attacks on the British position) or avoided battle while he concentrated his forces, or even yielded
9523-520: The private developers to reduce the overall height of the structure. Even following the abolition of the executive branch for county government in Middlesex, communities are still granted a right by the Massachusetts state legislature to form their own regional compacts for sharing of services and costs thereof. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 847 square miles (2,190 km ), of which 818 square miles (2,120 km )
9630-461: The public for the consequences. Wolfe's plan of attack depended on secrecy and surprise. His plan required that a small party of men should land by night on the north shore, climb the Promontory of Quebec , seize a small road, and overpower the garrison that protected it, allowing the bulk of his army (5,000 men) to ascend the cliff by the small road and then deploy for battle on the plateau. Even if
9737-432: The second, a mortal wound in the chest. Knox wrote that one of the soldiers near Wolfe shouted "They run, see how they run." Wolfe, on the ground, opened his eyes and asked who was running. Upon being told that the French had broken, he gave several orders, then turned on his side and said "Now, God be praised, I will die in peace", and died. With Wolfe dead and several other key officers injured, British troops fell into
9844-453: The steady fire became intense enough that Wolfe ordered his men to lie down amid the high grass and brush. As French troops arrived from Beauport, Montcalm, one of few mounted men on the field, decided that a swift assault was the only way to dislodge the British from their position. Accordingly, he deployed the forces immediately available in and near Quebec City and prepared an immediate attack, without waiting for further reinforcements from
9951-459: The top 25 counties with the highest household income and the 25 most populated counties. It is included in the Census Bureau's Boston – Cambridge – Newton , MA– NH Metropolitan Statistical Area . As part of the 2020 United States census , the Commonwealth's mean center of population for that year was geo-centered in Middlesex County, in the town of Natick (this is not to be confused with
10058-542: The town was 88.82% White , 0.33% African American , 0.02% Native American , 8.48% Asian , 0.37% from other races , and 1.97% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.13% of the population. There were 1,853 households, out of which 42.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.2% were married couples living together, 5.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.4% were non-families. Of all households, 25.9% were made up of individuals, and 3.2% had someone living alone who
10165-465: The troops we have." In total, Montcalm had 13,390 regular troops, Troupes de la Marine , and militia available in Quebec City and along the Beauport shore, as well as 200 cavalry , 200 artillery (including the guns of Quebec), 400 native warriors (including many Odawa under Charles de Langlade ), and 140 Acadian volunteers , but most of these troops did not participate in the action. Many of
10272-595: The two Registries of Deeds. Besides the Sheriff and the two Registers of Deeds, the Middlesex District Attorney, the Middlesex Register of Probate and the Middlesex Clerk of Courts (which were already part of state government before the abolition of Middlesex County government) are all elected countywide to six-year terms. In Middlesex County (as in the entirety of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts),
10379-538: The two Registry of Deeds offices to the Massachusetts Secretary of State's Office. Additionally, all county maintenance and security employees were absorbed into the corresponding staffs of the Massachusetts Trial Court . The legislation also transferred ownership of the two Superior Courthouses to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The hospital was closed. Finally, the office of County Commissioner
10486-661: Was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.10. The median age was 38.5 years. The median income for a household in the county was $ 77,377 and the median income for a family was $ 97,382. Males had a median income of $ 64,722 versus $ 50,538 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 40,139. About 5.1% of families and 7.6% of the population were below the poverty line , including 8.0% of those under age 18 and 8.0% of those age 65 or over. 79.6% spoke English , 4.3% Spanish , 2.7% Portuguese , 1.6% Italian , 1.6% Chinese including Mandarin and other Chinese dialects and 1.5% French as their first language. Middlesex County has
10593-444: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.25. In the town, the population was spread out, with 30.5% under the age of 18, 5.1% from 18 to 24, 34.3% from 25 to 44, 25.3% from 45 to 64, and 4.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 104.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.0 males. According to
10700-485: Was able to make it back into the city, but his wounds were mortal and he died at the wee hours the next morning. A few moments before he drew his last breath, Montcalm asked his surgeon how much time he had to live. "A few hours," he was answered. "All the better," he said, "I will not see the British in Quebec." He was buried in a shell crater left in the floor of the Ursuline chapel by a British shell. In terms of casualties
10807-603: Was also influential in the early politics of Littleton; Bennet's father, Jeremiah, served as collector, selectman, and eventually treasurer. Most of these influential Boxborians were buried in the Old North Cemetery, which has graves dating back to the eighteenth century. On October 16, 2005, the Boxborough Historical Society opened the Boxborough Museum. The museum is located at 575 Middle Road and
10914-480: Was created by the Massachusetts General Court on May 10, 1643, when it was ordered that "the whole plantation within this jurisdiction be divided into four shires. " Middlesex initially contained Charlestown , Cambridge , Watertown , Sudbury , Concord , Woburn , Medford , and Reading . In 1649 the first Middlesex County Registry of Deeds was created in Cambridge. On April 19, 1775, Middlesex
11021-424: Was immediately abolished and the office of County Treasurer was abolished as of December 31, 2002. Any county roads transferred to the Commonwealth as part of the dissolution. The other administrative duties (such as Sheriff, Department of Deeds and court system , etc.) and all supporting staff were transferred under the Commonwealth as well. Records of land ownership in Middlesex County continue to be maintained at
11128-465: Was still suffering the effects of his illness and the opiates he used as painkillers. Some revisionist historians believe Wolfe ordered the attack believing the advanced guard would be repulsed, and anticipated dying gallantly with his men rather than returning home in disgrace. British forces engaged in the battle were commanded by Major General James Wolfe who commanded appx. 8,000 troops, of which only 4,500 men and 1 artillery gun were taken to
11235-403: Was tenth in the United States on the list of most millionaires per county. As of the 2010 United States Census , there were 1,503,085 people, 580,688 households, and 366,656 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,837.9 inhabitants per square mile (709.6/km ). There were 612,004 housing units at an average density of 748.3 per square mile (288.9/km ). The racial makeup of
11342-616: Was the site of the first armed conflict of the American Revolutionary War . In 1855, the Massachusetts State Legislature created a minor Registry of Deeds for the Northern District of Middlesex County in Lowell. In the late 19th century and early 20th century, Boston annexed several of its adjacent cities and towns including Charlestown and Brighton from Middlesex County, resulting in an enlargement and accretion toward Suffolk County . Beginning prior to
11449-565: Was unsuccessful. However, the attacks did reduce the number of suppliers available to the French, especially as the British navy, unable to control the St. Lawrence entirely, was successful in blockading the ports in France. Through the summer siege, illness spread through the British camps. In August, Wolfe himself was bedridden, causing already low morale to slump even further among the British troops. With many men in camp hospitals, British fighting numbers were thinned, and Wolfe personally felt that
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