The Ontario Argus. (Ontario, Or.) 1???-1947, 1920-07-01
SHARES HONORS
WITH REVERE
William Dawes Had Glorious Part
in Events That Led to
independence.

Der OF the church, who rode to Lex.
lngton and other Mlddlesex villages on
the same errand on which Paul Re
we're rode, the fame OF the latter per.
petuated In the poem by LongfellOw,
the Boston Globe states.
The Daughters Of the American Rev.
olutlon and Rev. MIR. Gordon are ~
like opinion that for too many years
the other brave rider has remained In
Oblivion. and recently the u. A. X.
appointed an organizing regent to form
In Massachusetts chapter to be
named the Mai. William Dawes. Jr.,
chapter u. A. II.
Here are the circumstances ~ the
thrilling ride made by Dawes:
For some days before April 10. lTT5.
II had been known that the British
were preparing 20 move. The destlnn.
tion was suspected to be- Concord, for
az that place were stores NJ war ma.
terlal. and also Hancock and Adams
and other revolutionary leaders.
Warren Ready 20 Flash News.
There had been number Of false
alarms. ard. while Warren kept the
patriot leaders well Informed. he nat.
urnlly waited until Information hnd he.
come complete and attack certain he.
fore sending out to nrouse the country
lie had trusty men for two routes ~
exit from Boston and signal lights nr.
ranged 10 Gull ont the men on the other
side ~ the Charles river II direct com
munIcntlon with the country people
should fail.
on the afternoon ~ the day before
the attack Warren learned that the
British were about ~ move. The whole
town was on watch. every citizen n
detective. and Warren sas kept well
Informed
He waited until the British began
actually tu move il,rii boats aud then
he sent out Dawes NJ once by the land
route over The Neck and across the
river NJ the brighton bridge to Cam.
bridge and Lexington. Then he sent
Revere out by the water route through
Chnrlestown 10 Lexington 10 arouse
the country and especially 10 acqunlnt
Hancock md Adams ~ the movement.
Revere Beat Him There.
Revere arrived In Lexington half
hour before Dawes and the latter met
Revere on the green when he arrived,
nnwes had started on his ride NJ once
after receiving his orders from War.
ren and had eluded the gunrd NJ the
Neck with difficulty. coming out by
the longer route ~ Brighton bridge
and the Cambridge road and ar0using
NIL the houses In his path,
After little DELAY for refreshments,
Pevere and Dawes rode on "a Concord,
About halfway along near Hnrlwell's
tavern. they met British officers,
Tinwes chnsed by the soldiers, dashed
IN 10 nm empty farm house. shouting:
"Hello. hoys. I've got twO NJ theml"
His pursuers were frightened and made
an Dawes got "a Concord about two
o'clock that morning and probably
took part IN the hattie ~ that day.
Revere never got 10 Concord bridge Al
all.
Whipped a British Soldier.
Of his two wives for he was twice
married. his children often heard the
tale while the events were fresh In
the minds Of all.
About the time Of his marriage In
i-dS he became major IN the Ancient
aud Honorable Artillery company,
The British troops garrlsOned In the
town soon became u great annoyance
aud Dawes was not man To submit
tamely 20 insult.
One night he and his wife were re-
turning through COrnhlll about dusk
and he had moved few steps In ad'
vance with an acquaintance, when a
British soldier caught Mrs. Dawes mp
In his arms and attempted 10 carry
her on bodily. Her husband, how
ever, turned upon him and gave him
a beating.
As IL became more evident that III
OppressOrs must be met In the Ope
field he secured the country I'm the a
tempt TO organize and aid the Revolt
tiOn. On these rides he sometime
borrowed dress of farmer, and hn
a bag OF meal behind his back on Oh
horse.
Defisd General Gage.
About this time he undertook the a.
daci0us and well-planned exploit whic'
saved the cannon Of Capt Adlon PAD
docks company In the Ancient an
Hon0rnbleS from the British. Some o
the mechanics OF the company were de
termined 10 prevent the surrender o.
their two small field pieces 10 Genera
Gage. William Dawes was thei
lender.
The men forced their way into th'
guard house and carried the cannon
on 10 the free school ON what is now
Mason street, where they were hidden
for a fortnight In a wood box under
the masters feet.
Soon after the affair OF the cannon
came the memorable ride and the siege
OF Boston began. Dawes at once Joined
the Continental troops at Cambridge
and. II is said. fought at Bunker Hill.
When Boston had become unsafe he