Paul Revere
Paul Revere was an American patriot who, in
1775, carried news to Lexington of
the approach of the British. He warned the
patriot leaders, Samuel Adams and
Johh Hancock of their danger and called
the citizens of the countryside to arms.
This was the inspirations of
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem "Paul
Revere's Ride". (Martin 266-267)
In 1175, King George III instructed
General Thomas Gage, the British
commander in chief in Massachusetts, to enforce
order among the rebellious
colonist. Gage then orders Lieutenant Colonel Francis
Smith to move to
Concord with a detachment of 700 men. Once there they were to
destroy
supplies and arrest Adams and Hancock for Treason. On the evening
of
April 18, 1775 Smith assembled his force on the British Common. His
orders were
secret, but the patriots had learned of them. Revere and William
Dawes were sent
to warn Adams and Hancock in Lexington and the patriots in
Concord. An
arrangement was made for a signal to be flashed from the Old
North Church in
Boston. Two lanterns meant that the British would be
coming by water, and one,
by land. Revere directed this signal to be sent to
friend in Boston. ("Paul
Revere's Ride: Explanation:) Revere borrowed a
horse and left Boston around 10
p.m. He arrived in Lexington at midnight.
Around 1 a.m. Revere Dawes, and Dr.
Samuel Prescott left for Concord. On
their way they were surprised by the
British Calvary patrol. Prescoot and
Dawes escaped, but Revere was captured.
Only Prescoot got to Concord.
Revere was released, without his horse, and
returned to 1 Lexington. There he
joined Adams and Hancock, and they fled to
safety in Burlington. Revere
returned to Lexington to rescue valuable papers in
Hancock's trunk. On
April 19, when the British arrived in Lexington they found
the minutemen
waiting. "Paul Revere's Ride" was published 88 years
after the actual event.
Longfellow suggests that we are dealing with the stuff
of a legend. Although,
the poem is close to the actual event, there are a few
differences. The poem
suggests that Revere will be awaiting the signal outside
of Boston. However,
it was Revere who brought word to Newman that the British
were coming by
water. Revere left Boston and began his ride after speaking to
Newman.
Newman's signal light was actually intended for Dawes. Longfellow
combined
the roles of Revere and Dawes to emphasize Revere's heroic statute. No
matter
how the story is told, the ride of Paul Revere is important in
American
history and literature. Longfellow, suggests that Revere's message
will continue
to inspire Americans to defend the cause of liberty. ("Paul
Revere's Ride:
Explonation") Paul Revere Paul Revere was an American
patriot who, in 1775,
carried news to Lexington of the approach of the
British. He warned the patriot
leaders, Samuel Adams and Johh Hancock of
their danger and called the citizens
of the countryside to arms. This was the
inspirations of Henry Wadsworth
Longfellow's poem "Paul Revere's Ride".
(Martin 266-267) In 1175, King
George III instructed General Thomas Gage,
the British commander in chief in
Massachusetts, to enforce order among
the rebellious colonist. Gage then orders
Lieutenant Colonel Francis
Smith to move to Concord with a detachment of 700
men. Once there they were
to destroy supplies and arrest Adams and Hancock for
Treason. On the
evening of April 18, 1775 Smith assembled his force on the
British
Common. His orders were secret, but the patriots had learned of
them.
Revere and William Dawes were sent to warn Adams and Hancock in
Lexington and
the patriots in Concord. An arrangement was made for a signal
to be flashed from
the Old North Church in Boston. Two lanterns meant that
the British would be
coming by water, and one, by land. Revere directed this
signal to be sent to
friend in Boston. ("Paul Revere's Ride: Explanation:)
Revere borrowed a
horse and left Boston around 10 p.m. He arrived in
Lexington at midnight. Around
1 a.m. Revere Dawes, and Dr. Samuel
Prescott left for Concord. On their way they
were surprised by the British
Calvary patrol. Prescoot and Dawes escaped, but
Revere was captured. Only
Prescoot got to Concord. Revere was released, without
his horse, and returned
to 1 Lexington. There he joined Adams and Hancock, and
they fled to safety in
Burlington. Revere returned to Lexington to rescue
valuable papers in
Hancock's trunk. On April 19, when the British arrived in
Lexington they
found the minutemen waiting. "Paul Revere's Ride" was
published 88 years
after the actual event. Longfellow suggests that we are
dealing with the
stuff of a legend. Although, the poem is close to the actual
event, there are
a few differences. The poem suggests that Revere will be
awaiting the signal
outside of Boston. However, it was Revere who brought word
to Newman that the
British were coming by water. Revere left Boston and began
his ride after
speaking to Newman. Newman's signal light was actually intended
for Dawes.
Longfellow combined the roles of Revere and Dawes to emphasize
Revere's
heroic statute. No matter how the story is told, the ride of Paul
Revere
is important in American history and literature. Longfellow, suggests
that
Revere's message will continue to inspire Americans to defend the cause
of
liberty. ("Paul Revere's Ride: Explonation")