Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1931-01-01
Tells Different
Story About Famous
Paul Revere Ride
Anniversary of the Birth Of the Famous
Boston Silversmith Recalls Colorful
Episode OF American History.

Listen, my children, and you shall
hear
OF The midnight ride of Paul Revere.
In these famous words the beloved
poet, Longfellow, began his own &C
count of an important and colortul
incident in American history. This eN-
cellent story-poem IS universally
known among the school children OF
the country, but it seems that the ven
cradle bard allowed his sense OF the
dramatic to obscure. the facts IN the
case. with the result that a somewhat
fictitious story has been perpetrated III
an interesting but inaccurate epic For.
instead of reaching Concord, as Long
fellow relates, Paul Revefe was cap,
tured by the English iuss outside OF
Lexington.
The Division Of Information and Pub
Hcation Of the George. Washington b.
centennial Commission, apparently as
particular with regard to the truth as
was the great Father of His Country
has issued statement in recognition
Of the one hundred and ninety-sixth
birthday anniversary, on january Isl,
Of the patriot Mercury which tells
the story Of Paul Revefes immortal
midnight ride z
The year LIS opened upon very
critical situation -iiFI-tfIe American
Colonies, and even the=nlast hopeful
were becoYing .eenqiHred- that an
armed conflict whit the mother country
was British truups==t4efe
stationed in Boston. which was eof1std-=
cred the hot bed of rebellion, but the
presence of these soldiers only made
worse an already hopeless condition
The citizens Of Boston vigorously pro-
tested England's action in stationing all
army there, and committees were
formed TO keep vigilant eye OH the
Redcoats and all their movements. One
purpose Of these committees was to
prevent the capture of John Hancock
and Samuel Adams, whom the English
regarded as seditionists and who were- at
that time really the leaders Of the
Massachusetts, resistance to the author
ity of Parliament.
Paul Revere, Boston silversmith,
whose father was d Huguenot refugee
to the colonies was a member oil one
Of these committees which reported dl-
rectIy 10 Adams and Hancock. In the
early part of April, ITS, the move
ments fthe British troops aroused
the suspicious of the patriot vigllantes,
who became convinced that the capture
of their leaders was intended. Revere
had visited Lexington a few days be-
fore his memorable ride took place and
on his way back to Boston had stopped
In CharlestoWn to arrange with friend
the means to be employed in apprais-
ing the latter Of the movements of the
soldiers. Adams and Hancock were in
Lexington and if their capture were
intended the men had to be informed
beforehand.
On the night Of April is, DR.. Joseph
Warren learned that eight hundred
troops under 1t Col Francis Smith
were leaving with the double objec-
tive Of capturing Hancock and Adams
and destroying the military stores at
Concord which the patroits had been
collecting. The future hero of Bunker
Hill Immediately dispatched William
Dawes for Lexington, from which place
he was to proceed to Concord. Warren
then sent for Revere, whom he in
structed to ride to these villages by
another route The patriot silversmith
sought out a friend and requested him
to place two lanterns in the tower OF
North Church as signal to the watch
ers in Charlestown, then proceeded to
the Charles River where boat await
ed him. In this craft, with muffled oar
locks, he was rowed to the opposite
shore, passing under the guns OF the
British man-of war, Somerset, ano
avoiding by five minutes the soldiers
who had been sent to detain him
In Charlcstown Revere found tina
his signals had been seen, and pro-
curing a horse, he Immediately set OF
for Lexington. He had just passed
Charlestown Neck when he saw two
mounted British officers waiting unde
tree. AS these men rode toward him
Revere took flight and succeeded II
eluding his would-be captors after ONT
OF them had been caught in q cla
pond In letter written to frien
sometime later, Revere, describing nj
ride, said that from bere-on n
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