Paul Revere Still Rides

It was a crisp April evening in colonial New England when Paul Revere climbed on Deacon Larkins mare and began his long ride to warn the people from Boston to Concord that the "Regulars are commin’." Revere was one of many riders that alerted the New England towns in the first battle of the Revolutionary War, April 19, 1775. But of all that rode that night, Paul Revere has become the treasured folk hero best associated with that defining event, and rightfully so.

His name brings to mind a singular moment of courage when one man risked all in order to prepare the people of New England to defend against the powerful British King. But the real story behind Paul Revere is much better than popular history has taught.

Revere is not remembered for any particularly great writings or speeches. He did not hold a high position in the army or maintain political office. He was a well skilled silversmith with a family that included 16 children from two wives. He grew up in the folds of Boston and helped shaped the small seaport town into a booming New England economy.

The man had an exceptional sense of community and when it came to Boston’s affairs, he was in the middle of everything. He was a natural born leader who could organize events and inspire others to get things done. He was well respected by his peers and called upon often by town leaders. Revere belonged to several community groups, which largely controlled the town’s politics, from the haughty Whigs to the rebellious Sons of Liberty. He was one of few men that could walk comfortably in both circles.

With his hand firmly on the pulse of Boston and by extension New England, Revere sensed the coming conflict with the British and began organizing the people many years before that famous ride. His "fingerprints" can be found on almost every major conflict between the two sides prior to the first battle.

With the Sons of Liberty he helped wage the successful campaign against the Stamp Act, which the British Parliament was forced to rescind. As the violence between colonists and the Regulars increased, Revere used his artistic skills to capture the events through engravings that depicted the mood. The engravings were well circulated and helped shape the colonists minds against the British.

When Parliament had placed a minimal but symbolic tax on the tea imported to America in 1773, Revere, and the only other named participant, Dr. Joseph Warren, organized a band of men, dressed like Indians who dumped the ship’s tea overboard. To insure their actions were not mistaken for vandalism, the clan replaced a lock they broke on a trunk and prosecuted one of the groups members who stole a bit of the tea for himself.

After the Boston Tea Party, Revere began the first of many rides he would make delivering messages to other towns and the Continental Congress. He organized a network of messengers that could spread news across the New England countryside almost as quickly as events occurred. He was so well known and trusted that much of the intelligence on British activities came first to him.

Revere’s role was uniquely important to the effort. There was no one leader of the movement for the various towns, militias, or political organizations — they acted independently. But Revere provided the critical communication between the many independent and diverse groups that allowed them to move together against their common enemy.

The conflict between the Americans and British was very much about principle. The British interest was in forcing the colonists to obey the laws of King George, not start a war. Similarly, the patriots had no ill will against the Crown.

In fact, many considered themselves British. It was a question of liberty. One patriot, who was later recorded as to why he fought against the British, characterized the feelings of most of the Americans by saying, "we always had governed ourselves and we always meant to. They didn’t mean we should."

Each New England town had a well organized militia that was prepared to defend the community. The men of fighting age trained and served in regular, often weekly rotations. Every man, woman and child had a part in the towns defense, and make no mistake, these militia’s were exceptionally well trained.

As tensions increased between the Americans and Regulars, the British increased their efforts to disarm the patriots and set up missions in which they would attempt to confiscate powder supplies. Revere and his friends foiled several of these attempts.

With the British stationed in Boston Harbor, Revere could handily watch the movement of the troops. By April of 1775, he knew the British were preparing a major attack. In preparation he arranged a signal to reach Charlestown, which was located across the Charles River from Boston. Revere worried the British would cut off travelers leaving Boston and stop word of British activities leaking out. From the North Church steeple, Boston’s tallest building, they would raise one lantern if the army traveled by land through the Boston neck, or two lanterns if they crossed the Charles River. Once receiving the signal, Charlestown was prepared to launch several messengers that would warn the countryside.

The signal to Charlestown was given at 10:00 pm April 18, 1775 when Revere learned the British were launching a major mission. Two lanterns were briefly raised atop the church by three of Revere’s trusted patriots. Revere himself crossed the Charles River, just missing being spotted by the British ship HMS Somerset. Once he reached the Charlestown landing, Deacon Joseph had a strong trusted mare, Brown Beauty, which Revere set upon down Lexington Road.

The British were well aware of Revere’s alert network and had placed many patrols throughout the countryside to stop the riders. In the quiet of the night Revere met two of them. Brown Beauty out ran them both but forced Revere to divert and take a longer route into Lexington. Once there he went to the home of Lexington’s clergyman Jonas Clarke. Clarke’s home was guarded by more than ten Lexington militiamen as he was hosting Sam Adams and John Hancock, whom the British were hoping to capture.

Revere and later Dawes, a second rider sent out from Boston by a different route, decided that such a large mission must be to secure the large arsenals of powder and supplies held in Concord. Revere and Dawes climbed back on their horses towards Concord to continue with the warning. As they left Lexington, the town’s bells rang, calling out the militia.

Revere and Dawes were joined on the road by a third volunteer, Dr. Samuel Prescott. Prescott knew the countryside and people and agreed to help alert the farmhouses along the road. As they made their way, the three were ambushed by British Regulars. The riders bolted taking different escape routes. Prescott out ran the British in the trees. Dawes made safety in a nearby farm, but Revere was soon surrounded by more than ten Regulars.

Already that night, the patrol had captured three other riders, but Revere, whose name was well known among the troops, was considered quite a catch.

They began interrogating Revere, which Revere soon turned it to his advantage. He explained how he had already alerted the countryside and that the British troops would be facing an ambush at Lexington. He told details of the British plans and showed he knew more about the mission than those on patrol. He advised them to flee from Lexington or they would surely be slaughtered. Revere had in mind to redirect them away from Adams and Hancock. But the Regulars decided to return to Lexington with their prisoners.

As they approached the town, a loud volley of gunfire was set off. It frightened the patrol and they began to believe Revere’s story. They released their prisoners after taking their horses, and fled from the scene. Unknown to Revere, the gunfire came not from the start of a bloody battle but most likely from the militia men discharging their muskets before entering the tavern. They had responded to the towns call, but having seen no sign of the troops, determined Revere’s message was a false alarm. Before entering the tavern they discharged their weapons, as was custom.

Revere returned to Lexington on foot and to Clarke’s home in order to check on Adams and Hancock’s safety. He was surprised to find they were all still there. Hancock was determined to join the fighting and the others refused to leave without him. The group finally convinced Hancock they should leave and Revere helped escort the two to a nearby town.

Revere returned to Lexington moments before the Regulars arrived. Hancock and Adams had left a trunk in the attic of Buckhorn Tavern full of important papers on the patriot movement, and Revere went back to secure it. When he and Hancock’s steward reached the tavern, the Lexington men were inside waiting for a report from a second scout. The scout returned shortly in a panic. He informed them that the Regulars were just outside the town. Despite Revere’s early warning, Lexington was taken by surprise.

As the militia was frantically assembling on the training green the uniform Regulars marched upon them. No one can say for sure who fired the first shot, but once waged, the British fired instinctively. The Lexington men were stunned. Some stood dazed as shots were fired around them. Others ran for cover.

The British officers worked to bring the troops to order. When they did, the troops were informed for the first time their mission was not Lexington, it was the large powder reserve stashed in Concord. General Gage had kept the mission secret so as not to lose the element of surprise. The Regulars then reorganized and marched through the shocked streets of Lexington on the road to Concord, but not before firing victory shots in the air.

This was the last time the New England militia would be caught off guard. By the time the British reached Concord, Paul Revere’s message had sounded in every corner of New England, even though Revere himself had never reached his final destination. But Revere’s network, once set off, moved through New England like rolling thunder. Dr. Prescott had completed the ride that Revere had set out on and had reached Concord many hours before. Each town he rode through sent out their own set of messengers to alert neighboring towns. In this manner, all of New England was warned, and all of New England turned out in this first battle for American liberty.

The British were met by a formidable band of Americans. The British suffered massive losses at Concord. Out numbered and out maneuvered the British retreated down Battle Road where they fought fresh militia troops that came from the different New England towns. They were extremely vulnerable to the patriots who had cover alongside the road and could pick away at the Regulars. But more importantly, the militia troops fought with remarkable order and strategy. By the time they faced the Lexington militia again, they fought a determined breed of men who showed no signs of fear.

When they finally reached safety on Bunker Hill, the British Regulars had suffered 272 casualties while the American’s lost 50 men and had 39 wounded.

Paul Revere had faithfully moved the massive trunk out of the Tavern and into the woods when the fighting had started. After the battle, he spent the next seventeen days helping raise an army of 8000 men while his wife Rachel was kept in Boston for a short period as a prisoner of the British.

Revere served in various functions in the army during the Revolutionary War. He also remained politically active and helped organize the Boston Mechanics to convince the people of Massachusetts to adopt the Federal Constitution.

In his later years, his son took over the silver shop while Revere opened a foundry that cast church bells and rolled copper sheets. He eventually moved his business to Canton and the Revere Copper and Brass Company became one of New England’s largest manufacturing companies. Revere died a successful businessman, surrounded by more than 50 grandchildren on a day much like the day he made his famous ride, May 10, 1818.

The people Revere called out in the defense of liberty that historic evening were not of great wealth, or of superior combat skills, or backed by a powerful government. They were common people with limited resources. Yet, they understood what many Americans have forgotten today. Their rights were only as good as their willingness to defend them, and when Paul Revere delivered the message that the "Regulars are commin’," defend them they did.

Revere the man has since long left this country, but his warning is still being sounded in America today. For us it is not Regulars we fear, it is the government of our own making. We are not fighting in a blood revolution, but a revolution of ideas and constitutional principles. Still, Revere’s message remains the same. They are coming for our liberty, for our land, and for our country.

Paul Revere still rides.