"To Cultivate a Martial Spirit and Disposition" -
Essex County Prepares for the Revolutionary War
Alexander Cain

In October 1774, the Massachusetts Provincial Congress instructed towns throughout the colony to prepare for imminent conflict with England. In response, Essex County, in particular, shifted into a wartime stance, forming minute companies, stockpiling weapons, ammunition, and supplies, and setting up a defense network ready to mobilize if British forces advanced from Boston. Join Alexander Cain as he explores Essex County's reaction to the British threat and delves into the formation of the Massachusetts militia and the minute-man system just before the battles of Lexington and Concord. As part of his lecture, Cain will also discuss some of the key Essex County families who rose up in support of the common cause.

Alexander Cain has authored numerous research articles and presentations on the American Revolution, including the Battles of Lexington, Concord, and Bunker Hill, the Siege of Boston, and the experiences of New England and New York loyalist refugees during the Burgoyne Campaign. In addition, he has published two books: We Stood Our Ground: Lexington in the First Year of the American Revolution and I See Nothing but the Horrors of a Civil War: The Loyalists of McAlpin’s Corps of American Volunteers. He is also the creator of the blog and podcast Historical Nerdery (historicalnerdery.com). Currently, he is in the process of writing his upcoming book, “For God’s Sake, Fire!” - The Massachusetts Militia System on the Eve of the Battles of Lexington and Concord, which he anticipates will be released in 2027. Alex is the Executive Director of Apprenticeship Pathways at North Shore Community College in Danvers, Massachusetts. He leads an educational initiative that introduces high school students and incumbent workers to apprenticeship opportunities in Allied Health. He resides in Massachusetts with his wife, Paula, and they have two adult children, John and Abigail. The fact that they are named after John and Abigail Adams is purely a coincidence.