Antique Real Photo Postcard, circa pre-1907. The Line of the Minutemen Historical Marker & Meeting Houses in Lexington, Massachusetts. Undivided back, postmarked 1913 from Westfield, MA. Condition: This is an original photo postcard, not a copy or reproduction. It has corner wear including bent tip and soft upper right corner, postal ink on front, light in contrast. Comments: Line of the Minutemen, April 19,1775. Marker reads: Stand your ground, Don't fire unless fired upon, But if they mean to have a war let it begin here -- Captain Parker. Minutemen were civilian colonists who independently organized to form well-prepared militia companies self-trained in weaponry, tactics, and military strategies from the American colonial partisan militia during the American Revolutionary War. They were also known for being ready at a minute's notice, hence the name.[1] They provided a highly mobile, rapidly deployed force that allowed the colonies to respond immediately to war threats. The minutemen were among the first to fight in the American Revolution. Their teams constituted about a quarter of the entire militia. They were generally younger and more mobile, and served as part of a network for early response.