St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1875-04-23

HANGING THE LANTERNS IN l1I5.
On the 18th of April, l775. which was
Easter Tuesday. Paul Revere agreed
with Robert Newman, the sexton of the
Old North Church. upon a method of
letting him know if the suspected
movement of the British troops toward
Concord was to he carried out. Revere
was to be on the CharlestOwn side of
the river. while Newman was to remain
in the city to ascertain the movements
OF the troops. and warn him, by means
of lanterns hung from the church stee-
Pile. if anything was on foot. Several
English officers were quartered i'll Mr..
Newman's house on Salem street. OPP
positc Bennett. so he had to depend up
on the services of Il friend to obtain the
information he wanted. His friend
succeeded in learning the intentions of
the British and communicated them to
Mr.. Newman, who eluded the vigilance
of his unwelcome guests, took down
the church keys, and with two lanterns
went to the church. He went in, locked
the door and stealthily cIept up the
stairs to the belfry. If the British
moved by land, one lantern waS to he
hung out if 10y boats. two. Accord
ingly he hung his two lanterns from the
steeple, came down as quickly as posi-
BILE. jumped ont of il back window, ran
to his house and went directly to bed.
The English discovered what had
been done almost Immediately, and
suspected some design like the true
one. They hurried to Ntwmam's house.
where they found him in sound
sleep. (!) He WAS tried, but no evi
dence could he found to prove that he
hung the lanterns. ana he was acquitted.
Revere saw the signals from the
CharleStown shore.aud hurricdly mount
ing galloped through Medford and Lex
ington to Concord, giving the alarm as
he passed each house that the redcoats
were coming. The soldiers. who made
their march in the night 80 itS to effect
Il surprise, found that the news of their
coming had reached the roloni>ts long
before they did. aud that they were
ready. In this way the brave act of
Robert Newman became III reality tn,
opening act of the Revolutionary war.
TIE SCENE AT THE CHURCH LAST NIGHT.
As this was the beginning of the
events which the centennial celebrates
.
as nearly as possible. an enact repetition
of the hanging of the lanterns. The
report that this WIS To he done MAS
widely circulated and an enormous
crowd gathered around the church last
night.
The general expectation SCENE It"
be that these would Ice put ont about
seven o'clock, but this proved to he ii
mistake. Ii WAS Just eight when MI
Samuel Haskell Newman, Il son ct
Robert Newman. the old sexton. accom-
panied 10y Mr.. Charles D"Wncr. the
present sexton, climbed the steps which
his father assembled just one hundred
Years ago. and taking the two lanterns
hung them out OH the front OF the tow
Ell. As the two lights, one of which
was led and the other white. made thrI
appearance. Il mighty shout >Wrllcd up
from the crow d filling the streets below.
Ii Was repeated once. and then there
followed Il dead silence. 81 ute; that il
almost seemed a. if the great crowd
WIS waiting to catch the sound ui the.
hoot beats "t Paul Revc!,> h"i>r " hich
followed the lighting OF tho l.trlcru>
one hundred Years ago. he hum of
the crowd began again a. til" people
stood for Il few moments Watching the
lights and then slowly dispersed.
The light of the two lanterns WAS
shortly supplemented 10y the aid OF a
calcium burner. which VAS turned in
various directions, 50 ;tS Ia give the in
habitantS of all the city and the neigh
boring towns TIN. new that the C.n!ru-
NAL had begun. The ligliG thus thrown
~ - a. Ia. i,.-
distance. and large numbers of people
gathered at various points i'll Charlie,
town. Chelsea aud Cambridge. and on
the bridges Ia watch it. The Ian ern>
were left III the sIccplc until the rXcr-
ci>.-> in the church were concluded. 10y
which time the crowd III the streets had
mostly disappeared.
ct CETERA.
The chimes were rung almost con
tiuuou>ly for the two hours preceding
the hanging of the lanterns. almos, all
the tunes run~ being the old ones large
~ III iise Il hundred Years ago. An cX-
ctptinn was the first tune which they
pealed ont. ".America. followed direct
~ 10y "Cornnatiun." These bells are
the same which were in the church in
no. They are eight in number and
were bought in England and placed in
the tower whcIc they now hang. in l74i.
They are also. us the inscription on one
of them quantity announces, 1.-THE first
ring of bells east for the British Empire
in North America. \. -. l1l4.
Mr.. Samuel Haskell Newman. who
hung ont the lanterns last night. is the
son OF Robert Newman. the brave >cx-
Years after the event. and is now seven
~ tW" Years of age. Robert Newman
died the year after his son WAS born. 50
that the latter's information is derived
entirely from friends.
TIE EXERCISES IN THE CHURCH.
The interior of the church WAS deco
rated simply. but extensively, with
banners and bunting. all of American
colors and combinations. Two large
tl;lys hung against and covered the front
wall, forming together an immense
arch. Flags and small strips of bunting
were draped about the reading desk
and the pulpit. The bust of Washing
ton was decorated with bunting taste
fully arranged. and small flag over
hung the vestry door. Besides music,
there was an elaborate address 10y Geo.
b. Loring, and briefer addresses by
Gov. Hawley of Conn, and others.
Concord.
Upon the eve. of the event which has
called to the quiet town of Concord the
Chief Magistrate of the Nation and his
Cabinet. and distinguished personages
from civil and military life. it is fitting
to look back. one day at least. upon the
preparations which will become in