Midnight Ride of Paul Revere

The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere was written in 1860, 85 years after the actual events it describes. Why do you think the poem is full of so many myths and distortions?

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was one of the most popular poets in American history. He wrote Paul Revere’s Ride in 1860, 95 years after the actual ride. Current events at the time influenced Longfellow’s approach to his famous poem. During that time the Independence war was receding from memory and the civil unrest which lead to the American Civil War was beginning. A critical time in American history had started, a time in need of patriotism, when a unifying cause was needed to avoid the break up of the Union. The author's intentions were political, he wanted to remind his readers of the sacrifices their parents went through and to build awareness to fight slavery and protect the Union. To appeal his audience he combined narrative fiction with the music of verse. Longfellow romanticized his character to inspire and lift spirits.

At the opening of the poem the author addresses children though that was not his intended audience. Paul Revere’s Ride was first published in The Atlantic Monthly, a literacy and cultural commentary magazine and not a children’s magazine. By invoking children he tried to address the urgency and importance of passing on the legacy to the new generation since “hardly a man is now alive who remembers that day and year”. He felt the need to preserve the memory of this patriotic act.

From the beginning he meant to write a poem and not a historical account. He meant to retell the story taking the liberty to dramatize Revere’s individuality, patriotism and the fight for independence. Longfellow created a national icon from a local folk hero hardly known outside Massachusetts. He also dramatized Revere’s ride creating a national myth.

During most of the nineteenth century Longfellow’s poem was considered a historical account and evidence of what happened the night of April 18, 1775 and many textbooks were written based on Longfellow’s poem. During the 20th century textbook writers and historians tried to portray a more objective account of the facts. They argued about the inaccuracies of the poet’s account and what were the real events, they tried to demythologize the poem. Nevertheless, Longfellow's poem has become so successful and ingrained in every American mind that readers no longer remember it as a poem but as a national legend. It is a reminder of the patriotism that led to independence and a part of the American culture.

Even though the poet took many liberties in describing the event he also got many facts right. Starting with the date, April 18th, 1775 and the objective of his ride: to spread the alarm and to warn the country-folk to be up and to arm. He successfully completed his ride to warn Hancock and Adams.

Let me tell you the story of Paul Revere,He saved John Hancock’s career and Sam Adams’s beer.

It was the year 1775, The Brits wanted to steal some ammo and supplies.

General Gage, the commander of the British troops in Boston, heard rumors that the colonists were amassing ammunition and guns in a storehouse in

Concord, a small town outside of Boston. He also heard that two of the rebel ringleaders- Sam Adams and John Hancock- were hiding in nearby Lexington.

Sam Adams had led the Boston Tea Party, and Hancock, the richest man in New England before the war, helped organize and fund the rebellion. Gage

planned to march out to Lexington and Concord, arrest Adams and Hancock, and then seize the ammunition.

But Paul Revere and the Sons of Liberty expected this move. Revere, a silversmith and maker of false teeth by day, set up a system of signals that

would alert him if the British started to move.

At night Revere is like, "Yo don’t even fear,Just hang a lantern from the church when they’re coming near.

One if by land, two if by sea,Then I’ll speed off, mad speedy through the country."

In order to reach Lexington and Concord, the British had to cross the Charles River. Revere told a church deacon in Boston to watch troop movement and hang one lantern in the belfry if the British were coming by land, two lanterns if they were coming by sea. Revere and his horse were waiting on the other side of the Charles for the signal.

Midnight comes around, Paul’s getting antsy,Hands be twitching more than Muhammad Ali’s.

Two lights ignite, Paul’s like "Oh yikes,"Hops on his ride, he and Dawes ride through the night.

Late at night on April 18, 1775, the deacon in Boston hung two lanterns from his church. Revere and another rider, William Dawes, saw the sign and sped off on horseback to warn the townspeople. They were later joined by a third rider, Samuel Prescott.

His voice in the darkness, his knock at the door,And his words that shall echo forevermore:

"The British are coming, the British are coming!Kiss your youngins! Grab your guns!"

Historically, why wouldn’t Revere have been yelling out “The British are coming, the British are coming!”?

The British marched down into Lexington, And thanks to Paul Revere, we were expecting them.

Captain said, "Don’t fire unless you’re fired upon,But if they mean to have a war, we’re going to bring it on!"

The colonies didn't have a standing army. Instead they relied on local militias and Minutemen, farmers who could grab a musket and assemble in a minute's time. Hearing Revere's call, a group of Minutemen assembled in Lexington to confront the British. The British (also known as redcoats or lobster-backs because of the bright red uniforms they wore) were clearly superior in training and numbers.

The British marched down into Lexington, And thanks to Paul Revere, we were expecting them.

Captain said, "Don’t fire unless you’re fired upon,But if they mean to have a war, we’re going to bring it on!"

Captain Parker's actual words were, "Stand your ground; don't fire unless fired upon, but if they mean to have a war, let it begin here."No one knows who fired the first shot, but it became known as the "shot heard 'round the world" because of its far-reaching consequences.

A shot rang out through the morning,The revolution was dawning, it’s daunting.

They killed us in Lexington, moved on to Concord,But we started putting medal on them like they’re honored.

Somehow the rag-tag bunch of Lexington Minutemen weren't able to kill even a single British soldier, despite the fact that the British lined up in a straight line to fire and were wearing bright red coats. The British moved on to Concord, expecting another easy battle. In Concord, however, hundreds of Minutemen took position behind stone walls, houses, barns, and trees (in a kind of primitive guerrilla-fighting style).

We were ducking out of trees like some Vietnamese,Dressed in brown bringing redcoats to their knees.

They were all lined up like in a soup line,We polished them off like they were shoe shine.

The British were sitting ducks. Retreating to Boston, the Redcoats took more fire from Minutemen snipers hidden in trees and behind houses. By the end of the first day of the Revolutionary War, the British counted 73 dead, and 174 wounded.

Midnight Ride of Paul Revere VocabularyBelfry –

Middlesex village –

Moorings –

British man-of-war –

Barrack –

Grenadiers –

Stealthy tread –

Sombre (somber) –

Sentinel --

Impetuous –

Girth –

Spectral –

Steed –

Tranquil –

Alders –

Gilded –

Aghast –

Bleating --

Fact vs. Myths of Paul Revere’s Ride:FactMyth

The sole credit for the success of the ride was given to Revere only. He rode alone.

Revere was accompanied by two other riders, Williams Dawes and Samuel

Prescott.

All the events described in the poem occurred on the night of April 18, 1775.

The poem distorted the occurrence of events. The planning of the signals “one, if by land, two, if by sea” happened on April 16th, two days before the actual ride. The

dead bodies in the Old North Church courtyard occurred the day after the

initial battle at Lexington.

The signal in the North Church “One, if by land, and two, if by sea” was meant for him.

The signal was from him to the Patriots.

Fact vs. Myths of Paul Revere’s Ride:FactMyth

He climbed the tower of the Old North Church the night of the ride.

Two days before the Midnight Ride he went to Charlestown and met Colonel Conant with

whom he set up the plan to place the lanterns that would signal what route the British were

taking. He did not climb the tower.

Revere rode triumphantly into Concord. He rode to Lexington to warn Samuel Adams and John Hancock but never made it further to

Concord because he was captured but soon released by the British soldiers. Another

messenger Dr. Samuel Prescott, rode from Lexington to Concord to warn the residents.

His ride through the night was enjoyable and uneventful.

He was captured and interrogated by the British and then let go.