Francis Smith was an experienced and highly revered soldier who served in the British army. Smith is perhaps best known for his involvement in the Battles of Lexington and Concord, which marked the official beginning of the Revolutionary War. Unbeknownst to Smith, the British were heavily outnumbered and did not have the element of surprise in their favor. Smith’s strategy was to limit the military engagement with the Americans because he did not want a serious conflict; however, his orders were largely ignored. By the time Smith arrived, eight patriots had been killed. Smith is credited for handling a tough situation in a way that limited the number of British casualties by utilizing an organized retreat strategy. Smith was promoted to major general following his efforts at the Battles of Lexington and Concord. During his nineteen years of service overseas, he also participated in the Battle of Long Island and the Battle of Rhode Island.