Semiquincentennial

As with any other historical event the Midnight Ride of Paul Revere has morphed over time and become mythologized - mostly as a consequence of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem.  Longfellow, by the way, was a poet - not a historian.  The best description of the events of April 18, 1775 are found in Revere's own words which follow.  Misspellings too.

On this date Revere had proven himself one of the patriot's most reliable and trusted messengers having traveled thousands of miles to deliver messages throughout the colonies.  Many of these deliveries included reports of the movement of occupying British soldiers.  In the words of Revere:  Upwards of thirty, chiefly mechanics, who formed our selves in to a Committee for the purpose of watching the Movements of British Soldiers , and gaining every intelegence of the movements of the Tories.  Revere, like other patriots, was a spy.

Three days earlier, April 15, the committee observed that: The boats belonging to the Transports were all launched, and the Grenadiers & light Infantry were all taken off duty.  From these movements, we expected something serious was [to] be transacted.

Old North Church

Consequently, the very next day Revere rode to Lexington to warn that something was afoot.  Of his ride home that Sunday Revere wrote: Returned at Night thro Charlestown; there I agreed with a Col. Conant, & some other gentlemen, that if the British went out by Water, we should Shew two Lanthorns in the North Church Steeple; & if by Land, one, as a Signal; for we were aprehensive it would be dificult to Cross the Charles River, or git over Boston neck. 

We climbed the steeple of the Old North Church from where the lantern signal was relayed to Revere and Dawes about the movement of British troops to neighboring Charlestown on the opposite bank of the Charles River.

The eight bells here are the oldest set of church bells in North America.  They were cast in Gloucester, England in 1744 by Abell Rudhall and installed in the steeple in 1745. As a teenager, Paul Revere was a bell ringer at this church.   

 

View From the Steeple

On Tuesday, the 18th Revere wrote:  It is observed, that a number of Soldiers were marching towards the bottom of the Common.  About 10 o'Clock, Dr. Warren Sent in great haste for me, and beged that I would imediately Set off for Lexington, where Messrs. Hancock & Adams  were, & aquaint them of the Movement, and that it was thought they [Hancock and Adams] were the objets.

Unsure of the British troop movements the patriots initially concluded that the redcoats would attempt to arrest John Hancock and Samuel Adams who were staying at the parsonage in Lexington.  The truth of the matter was that the British troops were mustering  to march on Concord, seven miles beyond Lexington, to seize rebel armament and munitions.

When I got to Dr. Warren's house, I found he had sent an express by land to Lexington; a Mr. Wm. Dawes.  Dawes was back-up; a contingency in the event of a messenger being captured by the British.

Revere walked a couple of blocks to the waterfront and had to row across the Charles River passing under the guns of the British ship Somerset anchored mid-river to guard against anyone crossing.  Dawes, who went by horseback, had to pass through a British checkpoint at Boston Neck and feign innocence in order to pass.  Arriving on the shore, Revere borrowed a horse and like Dawes had to proceed across terrain teeming with British patrols.  A third rider dispatched from Charlestown never made it to Lexington.

Revere continues:  I left Dr. Warrens, called upon a friend, and desired him to make the Signals.  I then went Home, took my Boots & Surtout [overcoat], & went across the Charles River, a little to the eastward were the Somerset Man of War lay.  It was then young flood [tide], the ship; was winding, & the moon was Rising.   

The story gets better.  When Revere and his pals got to his rowboat they lacked a cloth to muffle the sound of the oars.  Afraid to return home one of his accomplices went to his lady friend's house.  After a whispered conversation a window was thrown-open and a flannel petticoat - still warm from the wearer's body - was tossed to the men. 

Arriving in Charlestown, Revere:  Got a Horse of Deacon Larkin.  It was then about 11 o'clock, & very pleasant.  Taking a direct route Revere was blocked by two Officers on Horse-back, standing under the shade of a Tree.  One of the soldiers chased Revere for about 300 Yardes until becoming mired in mud.   

Revere arrived at the parsonage after midnight.  Having left earlier, but traveling further, Dawes showed-up 30 minutes later.  Hancock and Adams were notified of British troops landing at Charlestown by boats.  Mission accomplished, Revere and Dawes set-off to warn the Minute Men at Concord.  Along the way they encountered Dr. Samuel Prescott who joined them.  Halfway to Concord they were stopped by a British patrol.  Prescott escaped and in a stroke of good fortune successfully delivered the warning.  Dawes bluffed the British soldiers but was subsequently thrown from his horse never to arrive at Concord.  Revere was arrested.    

Detained for a short while the British troops eventually released Revere; he returned to Lexington on foot.  Deacon Larkin's horse was the first permanent detainee of the imminent conflict.

Revere was not initially noted in the annals of history as a midnight courier who rowed, rode, was arrested and walked home. He was better-known as a silversmith and manufacturer.  

85 years passed before Longfellow - inspired by a visit to the Old North Church - published Paul Revere's Ride in the January 1861 issue of The Atlantic Monthly.   

That's likely the revisionist tale you know best.....