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THE RIDE OF PAUL REVERE ​ ​ PAUL'S RIDE ​ media type="custom" key="5077883"

In the spring of 1775 patriot leaders took refuge in outlying communties fearing arrest by British officials. A trusted messenger named Paul Revere also stayed in the city of Boston. He tended to his business interests as unnoticealbe as possible and kept an eye on the soldiers stationed in the city. In mid-April Revere became suspicious when he noticed that British landing crafts were being drawn out of the water for repairs(a clear indication that something was going on) On the 16th he made a trip Concord, a key community because it was the temporary home of the Provincial Congress and also a storehouse for militia guns,powder and shot. He warned the residents that the redcoats(British) were likely to be dispatched in the near future to seize the town's arms supply. Revere's warning was taken to heart and the town's people began to hide arms and valuables in barns, wells amd neighboring swamps.



On his way home he met with patriot leaders in Charleston and agreed on a plan to provide notice about the route the British took to reach Concord. This was a necessary precaution because there was considerable doubt that Revere or others would be able to get out of Boston at the crucial time. Revere agreed to arrange the placement of signal lanterns in the belfry of Old North Church where they could have been easily seen across the Carles River.If one lantern was displayed, the British would be advancing by land over the Boston Neck,then north to west to Concord. If two lanterns were hung,the redcoats would have chosen to cross the Charles River by boat to Cambridge then west to their target.



Revere went back to Boston, but in the early evening of April 18, he received word from a stable boy that the British were preparing boats for crossing the Charles River. In short time, two other sources confirmed the initial report. At about 10 p.m. Joseph Warren decided that warning had to be given to Sam Adams and John Hancock(who were wanted by the British authorities). Paul Revere was accompanied by William Dawes, a young shoemaker and Dr.Samuel Prescott, a resident of Concord. As insurance against Dawe's capture or detention, Revere took the water route out of Boston, but his effort almost failed at the beginning. Revere had forgotten cloth rags to quiet the sound of the oars for the passage across the Charles River. Any noise created the risk of alerting the crew of the Somerset,a man-of-war anchor on the river(They say the crossing was successful when a helpful boatman acquired a petticoat from his girlfriend and used the garment to wrap the oars).

On arriving in Charlestown and gaining his mount, Revere narrowly escaped capture by two British soldiers and had to alter his route to the north. He went to Lexington where he found Hancock and Adams at the home of Jonas Clark. Revere was joined by William Dawes, who had successfully slipped past the guards on the Boston Neck and Prescott.Before the trio could ever cover the 5 miles between Lexington and Concord, they encountered a roadblock by the Britsih.Responding to the urgency of the moment, they proceeded to break through. Prescott used his intimate knowledge of the country side to his advantage and successfully eluded capture. He was the only one of the three to complete the journey and deliver the warning to Concord.



Dawes initially appeared to have escaped his persuer but was thrown from his horse and captured.Revere was taken prisoner and during his interrogation deliberately provided greatly inflated numbers of militiamen awaiting the British at Concord.

During the ride back to Lexington, Revere and his captors heard shots fire and church bells ring throughout the area, events gave some credence to Revere's report of colonial preparations. Fearing for their safety, the British released Revere, but took the precaution of giving him a tired horse to slow his return to Lexington.

Revere later joined John Hancock and Sam Adams to their retreat into the countryside,but made a fratic return to a Lexington tavern where Hancock had unknowingly left some valuable documents. As dawn broke, Revere departed with the valuable documents in hand and rode past militiamen in the process of assembling. A short time later he could hear shots and see smoke inthe distance, the opening round in the struggle for independence had been fired.