The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-05-29
FAMOUS RIDE
OF HISTORY
.----------------a-----
Little Known Eighty Years
After Paul Revere
Made 1t.
HERE is THE THE. TRUE STORY
His Own Account Of What Hap
pcncd on That Ever Mem
orable Night.
HERE is THE TRUE STORY

Although the midnight ride Of pa,,!
Revere is probably to-da. the most pop
ular story OF adventure in American his
tory, Yet IT ~ an actual fact that for so
years after1t occurred no ono knew any
thing about the incident save friends OF
the Revere family and a few particulars
~ we'll informed STUDENTS OF the original
sources OF history.
II Ia also a fact that but for an ali toc
brief account Of the episode left BY Re-
we're hinnseif, in his own handwriting,
and still preserved in the library of the
Massachusetts, Historical Society, nro-
sided over by pr. Samuel A. Green. tho
patriotic stimulus Of the story would In
all probability have been lost to this and
future generations.
Miss Rebecca Lash, who died lately,
and was the only surviving person for.
many years past who ever personally
knew Paul Revere, and who was for
years almost a next door ncighbor to
him at the North End, told the Globe
some years ago that she never heard of
Rcvcrcs ride To Lexington until shc was
well advanced toward old age.
j
poet, 50 years ago. that revivifed the
long forgotten story and moulded It into
n form that enabled It to take a perina-
nent hold upon the popular 1agination
and render the transformations, matter
of-fact Paul Revere through all future
ages one OF the most romantic figures
in American history. And there Is slight
doubt that Longfellow received his IN
SEPARATION for the story from reading the
simple account in Revere's own writing
In the library Of the Historical Society.
though either inadvertently or else for
the purpose OF adding to the dramatic
Interest he slightly dlsorted the facts,
REyERE'S OWN STORY.
Here follows Revere's own account Of
his midnight ride:
..In the year 1913 / W1s employed by
the selectmen OF the town OF Boston to
carry the account Of the destruction Of
the Tea to- New York. and afterwards,
l774, to carry their dispatches to New
York and Philadelphia. for calling con-
gress. and afterward to congress several
times
in the fall Of 1174 and winter of Ito
was one of upward of 80. chiefly me-
chanics, who formed ourselves into
committee for the purpose Of watching
and gaining every intelligence OF the
movements Of the Tories. We held our
meetings Of the Green dragon Tavern.
We were so careful that our meetings
should be- kept secret that every time
We met every person swore upon the
Bible that he would not discover any
Of our transactions, but to Messrs Han
cock, Adams, Drs. Warren. Church and
one or two more.
ripc vi
frequently took turns. two and two, to
watch the soldiers. by patrolling the
streets all night. The Saturday night
preceding the 10th Of April, about y
O'Clock at night, the oats belonging 10
the transports were all launched and
carried under the sterns Of the men-of-
war. They had been previously hauled
up and repaired. We likewise found
that the grenadlers and light Infantry
were all taken off duty.
From these movements we expected
something serious was to be transacted.
On Tuesday evening, the 18th. 1t was
observed that number of soldiers were
marching toward the bottom of the Com
mon. About 10 o'clock DR.. Warren sent
In great haste for me- and begged that l
would Immediately set off for Lexington,
where Messrs. Hancock and Adams were,
and acquuaint them with the movement.
and that it was thoght they We're tho
objects. When ! got to DR.. Warren's
house found he had sent an express by
land to Lexington, Mr.. William Dawes.
THE Sunday before by desire OF Or.
Warren, l had been to Lexington. to
Messrs. Hancock and Adams. who We're
at the Rev. Mr.. Clark's. I returned that
night through Charestown. There
agreed with Col. Conant and some
other gentlemen, that II the British Went
out by water we would show two Ian
thorns in the North Church steeple, and
If BY land, one. as signal, for we were
apprehensive 1t would be difficult to
cross the Charles River oraget over Bos-
ton Neck