Omaha daily bee., 1910-04-20
Patriots Day

been in Virginia. in Pennsylvania, in
South Carolinia-in any one Of thirteen
colonies. TIL same spirit of protest against
tyranny and oppression was rife every
where, and the British might have met
the same resistance at any other point.
Seldom has the first gun in any war been
fired under more peculiar circumstances.
IL still is a disputed question q. to which
side actually did fire the first shot. The
british were under orders, it was claimed.
not to fire first. Certainly the Ameri-
cans were. Some Of the Americans
claimed that the British started firing.
All of the British declared that the Amer
leans did it. The most probable theory
seems to be that, after all, the real first
shot was nothing more than flash in the
pan Of an antiquated flintlock musket In
the hands Of a Minute man. In his
nervousness he accidentally pulled the
trigger, but only the cap exploded. The
British commander accepted is as a shot.
However, T" ana 'iordefed hfs mhn Ia, fire
The first gun Of the revolution may have
been a flint lock flzzle. but the Stars
and Stripes OF today is a living witness
that a bad beginning did not make a bad
ending.
Patriots day as a legal institution had
its origin in the old time Fast day in
Massachusetts. For many years the gov
ernor of that commonwealth annually pro-
claimed a Fast day. Gradually in practice
the Fast day by proclamation became a
feast day by observance, a Fast day OBJ
served chiefly by its dissertation. Then
the legislature took up the matter and de-
eiared that the Fast day should be abol-
ished and Patriots day substituted. This
was done, and In 1894 Patriots day was
celebrated for the first time. The celebra-
lions this year promise TO be more ex-
tehsive than ever. All over New England
and in many parts of the country it win
be observed.
1t is one OF the condolences Of history
that nearly all OF the Important wars in
which the United States has had a part
have begun in April. The Revolution
began April 10. The embargo act leading
up TO the war of 1912 was passed by con
gress in April; the Black Hawk Indian war
began April q. and the war with Mexico
April a. Sumter was fired on in April,
and the first hloodshed of the Civil war
occurred on the ninety-sixth anniversary
OF the first bloodshed OF the Revolution.
The Spanish war began on April %,
The man who said that II he could
write the ballads of a nation he would not
care who did anything else. might have
had Concord and Lexington In mind when
be said IL. 'Listen, my children. and you
shall hear the midnight ride OF Paul Re-
we're" has kept Concord and Lexington
fresh in the minds OF many who almost
forget Saratoga n Yorktown. Revere
has left his own version OF that famous
ride. He wrote It for the Massachusetts
Historical society in 1893. At the line Of
fhh ride ba WAS An - 80 IL v-o-
not a novice in the business OF express
rldiDgn having heen employed by the Sc
lectmen OF Boston to carry the news OF the
Tea party to New York. and at other times
to carry messages to the Continental con
gress at New York and Philadelphia. In
the winter OF lT7f-5 he and thirty other
mechanics organized themselves into an
association for watching the British
troops. Every man OF them swore upon a
Bible at each meeting that he would not
divuige anything hat transpired, except
to certain prominent and authorised per-
sons.
When it was discovered that the British
intended to advance. another messenger
was sent ahead to notify John Hancock
g9d Samuel Adams. The lantern signals
fof Old North Church tower had been ar
ranged previously. When Revere made his
landing at Charlestown he got a horse from
Deacon Larken, ana it was on this steed
that he made the famous ride. When he
came to a place where a riminal had
been hanged in chains he was a~ccosted by
two British officers, who tried to stop
him One rode in front and the other be-
hind him. suddenly. he lodged into a by
path and into another road, losing the
pufsuer in a clay pond. Ike reached Lex
ington In a few minutes after midnight
Hancock and his affanced bride were
stSying at the house Of the Rev. Mr.. Clark.
After notifying them Revere started on to
Concord. accompanied by two other riders.
While these two were Off arouslng the
Dopulace. Revere was captured by a num-
Der OF British officers. who threatened to
blow out his brains II they thought he was
not telling the truth. At Lexington his
coed horse was taken from him. a poor
mount given HIM instead, and he was set
free
Tn British were victorious Ia the hstle
skiFmish az Lexington. but when they
reached Concord the fortunes of the day
we've retrieved By the Americans s.Flm
'FalInvr nofflera fnr ncaia -. 49, -