Database: Paul Revere's Ride (Newspaper)

The raising of the militia.

The recent events, as tumultuous and striking as they are, have earned victorious wreathes had it not been for the efforts of some few riders that gave warning to the towns and raised the minutemen to their duty.

These riders, chief among them Mr. Paul Revere and Mr. William Dawes, were sent out by Dr. Joseph Warren, who had come into the knowledge by sources undisclosed that a regiment of soldiers was to march that night to Lexington, there to arrest leaders of the Sons of Liberty who were there spending the night. The Regulars were then to continue to Concord to secure various arms there hidden about, including at Barrett’s Farm.

Dr. Warren could not risk that his message would fail to be delivered among the townships. He cleverly made fast certain of his aim sending his message by diverse routes at once. To begin, Mr. Dawes left Boston by way of Boston Neck, using guile to pass the roadblock and continue through Roxbury in a circuitous route. Soon after, Mr. Revere entreated Capt. Pulling to light lamps in the tower of Old North, this being the signal to Charlestown that the Regulars were on the march. Revere himself took the chance of a life to row beneath the prow of HMS Somerset to arrive at Charlestown himself and make the ride to Lexington directly. Revere altered his route to evade night patrols along the way. In the event, both riders haply arrived at Lexington to warn Samuel Adams and John Hancock of the approaching Regulars. Joined by Samuel Prescott, Revere and Dawes rode on to Concord but were confronted by soldiers on that road. Dawes lost his horse and made his way back to Lexington on foot. Prescott lead his horse to a daring leap of a wall and continued on to Concord to raise the Minutemen. Revere was captured by the patrol and threatened with his life. He only secured his freedom when the soldiers heard fire from the hills of Concord and ran to join battle.

But Mr. Revere’s adventure was not yet complete. Upon return to Lexington, he was astonished to find John Hancock at the place, preparing to fight the on-coming soldiers as an officer. It fell to Revere to ‘suade Mr. Hancock that his place was not in the field. Mr. Hancock and Mr. Adams then removed themselves to a safer place, but failed to bring along a chest full of congressional papers, of which the discovery by the soldiers would cause difficulties. Mr. Revere returned to take possession of these papers before the soldiers arrived at Lexington Green.