Paul Revere and William Dawes

Lexington Green

The British

The Minutemen

Before the War

The lines of this poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow commemorate Paul Revere's famous ride from Boston to what is now Chelmsford. Paul Revere, a Boston silversmith, had heard that the British were to land in Boston that night. Therefore, Revere, William Dawes and Dr. Samuel Prescott rode through the country side, to warn the colonial militia an alert to them, about the British' Plan.

Paul Revere was a well known silversmith in Boston. Revere became involved with the Sons of Liberty early in the Political turmoil of before the Revolution. Although he was just a messenger, Revere served on many important groups and committees. He was a member of the Committee of Correspondence, which ran many important exchanges between colonies.

Revere was known for being especially Anti-British in sentiment.
William Dawes was Revere's accomplice on his famous ride. Dawes was sent by patriot leader Dr. Joseph Warren, to warn the people at Lexington. Warren sent Dawes first and then Revere to accomplish this very important mission. William Dawes arrived in Lexington shortly after 12:30 a.m. on the 19th, about a half an hour after Revere. The two men left for Concord at about 1:00 a.m. Samuel Prescott joined them as they were leaving. The British soon captured the three men, but Dawes and Presscott escaped. In the process of escaping, Dawes was thrown from his horse. The horse then ran away. Dawes was forced to walk back to Lexington. Prescott rode on to Concord.

April 16,1776, saw Paul Revere riding to Lexington to warn John Hancock and Samuel Adams. General Thomas Gage, the British Military Governor of Massachusetts had put a warrant up for the arrest of John Hancock and Samuel Adams. Gage also had plans to confiscate the arms stored at Concord. It was on this date that Revere arranged to signal Patriots if the British moved by land or sea.

Paul Revere, William Dawes, and Samuel Prescott rode together, under the direction of Dr. Joseph Warren, to warn Samuel Adams and John Hancock about the approaching British. In addition to warning Adams and Hancock, these brave men alerted the towns people as well. Of the three men only Prescott made it to Concord. It is due to these men that our militia was ready for the British troops, when they marched into Lexington and on to Concord.

Bibliography
"Dawes, William." Discovery School.com http://www.DiscoverySchool.com
"Paul Revere." American Revolution Home Page 1998-1999 http://www.dell.homstead.com/revwar/files/REVERE.HTM
Forbes, Esther. Paul Revere and the World He Lived in. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1969
Hawke, David. The Colonial Experience. USA: Bobbs Merrill Company, 1996
Wadsworth Longfellow, Henry. "Paul Revere's Ride"

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