▁Franz ▁Ferdinand ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 4 ▁( which ▁began ▁World ▁War ▁I ) ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁other ▁events . ▁ ▁Sk irm ish ▁at ▁the ▁North ▁Bridge ▁▁ ▁The ▁phrase ▁comes ▁from ▁the ▁opening ▁st anza ▁of ▁Ralph ▁Wal do ▁Em erson ' s ▁" Con cord ▁H ymn " ▁( 1 8 3 7 ) ▁and ▁refers ▁to ▁the ▁first ▁shot ▁of ▁the ▁American ▁Revolution ▁at ▁the ▁Old ▁North ▁Bridge ▁in ▁Con cord , ▁Massachusetts , ▁where ▁the ▁first ▁British ▁soldiers ▁fell ▁in ▁the ▁batt les ▁of ▁Lex ington ▁and ▁Con cord ▁on ▁April ▁ 1 9 , ▁ 1 7 7 5 . ▁Histor ically , ▁no ▁single ▁shot ▁can ▁be ▁c ited ▁as ▁the ▁first ▁shot ▁of ▁the ▁battle ▁or ▁the ▁war . ▁Sh ots ▁were ▁fired ▁earlier ▁that ▁day ▁at ▁Lex ington , ▁Massachusetts , ▁where ▁eight ▁Americans ▁were ▁killed ▁and ▁a ▁British ▁soldier ▁was ▁slightly ▁wounded , ▁but ▁accounts ▁of ▁that ▁event ▁are ▁confused ▁and ▁contradict ory . ▁The ▁North ▁Bridge ▁sk irm ish ▁did ▁see ▁the ▁first ▁sh ots ▁by ▁Americans ▁acting ▁under ▁orders , ▁the ▁first ▁organized ▁vol ley ▁by ▁Americans , ▁the ▁first ▁British ▁fatal ities , ▁and ▁the ▁first ▁British ▁retre at . ▁ ▁The ▁towns ▁of ▁Lex ington ▁and ▁Con cord ▁have ▁deb ated ▁over ▁the ▁point ▁of ▁origin ▁for ▁the ▁Revolution ary ▁War ▁since ▁ 1 8 2 4 , ▁when ▁the ▁Mar quis ▁de ▁La f ay ette ▁visited ▁the ▁towns . ▁He ▁was ▁wel com ed ▁to ▁Lex