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/PAUL REVERE'’S RIDE By

Henry WapswortH LONGFELLOW

Together with

Revere’s own Account

With Illustrations by Adrian J. Iorio and Frederick J. Alford

. BOSTON AND NEW YORK HOUGHTON MIFFLIN AND COMPANY The Riverside Press, Cambridge

19907

COPYRIGHT 1907 BY HOUGHTON MIFFLIN & COMPANY

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Published October 1907

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NOTE 3

In issuing for the first time Longfel- low’s popular ballad of Paut REVERE’s RIDE as a separate volume, the publishers have provided illustrations and decora- tions of an appropriate old-time char- acter, and have taken occasion to add Paul Revere’s own account of the events

of the night before the 19th of April, TS:

BAL WAS ENC. | DO SO LIsT of LIST ef ILLUSTRATIONS

Paul Revere Frontispiece

After a crayon drawing from life by Saint Mémin Facing

Hang a lantern aloft in the belfry arch Of the North Church tower as a signal light

3 Through every Middlesex village and farm. . . « 5 Silently rowed to the Charlestown shore 7 Across the moon like a prison bar . 9 Marching down to their boats on the shore . . . . II And startled the pigeons from their perch. . « . 13 And the moonlight flowing over all . . . . «2 15

Wrapped in silence so deep and still . . . «. » .17

For suddenly all his thoughts are bent On a shadowy something far away

Booted and spurred, with a heavy stride On the opposite shore walked Paul Revere

But mostly he watched with eager search The belfry-tower of the Old North Church .

A second lamp in the belfry burns .

A hurry of hoofs in a village street Kindled the land into flame with its heat The Mystic, meeting the ocean tides

It was twelve by the village clock, When he crossed the bridge into Medford town

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He saw the gilded weathercock Swim in the moonlight as he passed . « « «© 6 © 35

And felt the breath of the morning breeze. . . « « 37 Who at the bridge would be first to fall . . . « « 39 From behind each fence and farm-yard wall. . . . 4! A voice in the darkness, a knock at the door. . . « 43

The midnight message of Paul Revere . . . « «45

PAUL REVERE’S RIDE

\ Co my children, and you shall hear Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere, On the eighteenth of April, in Seventy- five ; |

} Hardly a man is now alive

‘ Who remembers that famous day and

year.

\. He said to his friend, “If the British march “ By land or sea from the town to-night, 0, Hang a lantern aloft in the belfry arch 5, Of the North Church tower as a signal light, —

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(Q One, if by land, and two, if by sea; ‘‘ And I on the opposite shore will be, ‘Ready to ride and spread the alarm “Through every Middlesex village and

farm, For the country folk to be up and to

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arm.

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Then he said, “ Good night!” and with

mufHed oar

Silently rowed to the Charlestown shore,

Just as the moon rose over the bay,

Where swinging wide at her moorings lay

The Somerset, British man-of-war ;

A phantom ship, with each mast and

spar

Across the moon like a prison bar,

And a huge black hulk, that was magnified

By its own reflection in the tide.

:

Meanwhile his friend, through alley and

street, Wanders and watches with eager ears, Till in the silence around him he hears The muster of men at the barrack door, The sound of arms, and the tramp of feet, And the measured tread of the grena- diers, Marching down to their boats on the

shore.

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Then he climbed the tower of the Old North Church, By the wooden stairs, with stealthy tread,

To the belfry-chamber overhead,

And startled the pigeons from their perch

On the sombre rafters, that round him made

Masses and moving shapes of shade, —

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By the trembling ladder, steep and tall,

To the highest window in the wall,

Where he paused to listen and look down 7

A moment on the roofs of the town,

And the moonlight flowing over all.

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Beneath, in the churchyard, lay the dead,

In their night-encampment on the hill,

Wrapped in silence so deep and still

That he could hear, like a sentinel’s tread,

The watchful night-wind, as it went

Creeping along from tent to tent,

And seeming to whisper, “All is well!”

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A moment only he feels the spell

Of the place and the hour, and the secret dread Of the lonely belfry and the dead ; For suddenly all his thoughts are bent On a shadowy something far away, Where the river widens to meet the bay, — A line of black that bends and floats On the rising tide, like a bridge of boats.

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Meanwhile, impatient to mount and

ride, Booted and spurred, with a heavy stride On the opposite shore walked Paul Revere: Now he patted his horse’s side,

Now gazed at the landscape far and near,

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Then, impetuous, stamped the earth, And turned and tightened his saddle- girth ;

But mostly he watched with eager search The belfry-tower of the Old North Church,

As it rose above the graves on the hill,

Lonely and spectral and sombre and still.

2s 23 &D*

And lo! as he looks, on the belfry’s height

A glimmer, and then a gleam of light!

He springs to the saddle, the bridle he turns,

But lingers and gazes, till full on his sight

A second lamp in the belfry burns!

HN

ANY iN i

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A hurry of hoofs in a village street,

A shape in the moonlight, a bulk in the dark,

And beneath, from the pebbles, in pass- ing, a spark

Struck out by a steed flying fearless and fleet :

That was all! And yet, through the

gloom and the light,

The fate of a nation was riding that night ;

And the spark struck out by that steed, in his flight,

Kindled the land into flame with its heat.

He has left the village and mounted the

steep, And beneath him, tranquil and broad and deep, Is the Mystic, meeting the ocean tides ; And under the alders that skirt its edge, Now soft on the sand, now loud on the ledge, Is heard the tramp of his steed as he rides.

It was twelve by the village clock, When he crossed the bridge into Med-

ford town.

He heard the crowing of the cock, And the barking of the farmer’s dog, And felt the damp of the river fog,

That rises after the sun goes down.

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It was one by the village clock,

When he galloped into Lexington.

He saw the gilded weathercock

Swim in the moonlight as he passed,

And the meeting-house windows, blank and bare,

Gaze at him with a spectral glare,

As if they already stood aghast

At the bloody work they would look

upon.

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It was two by the village clock,

When he came to the bridge in Concord town.

He heard the bleating of the flock,

And the twitter of birds among the trees,

And felt the breath of the morning breeze

Blowing over the meadows brown.

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And one was safe and asleep in his bed Who at the bridge would be first to fall, Who that day would be lying dead, Pierced by a British musket-ball.

You know the rest. In the books you have read,

How the British Regulars fired and fled, —

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How the farmers gave them ball for ball,

From behind each fence and farm-yard wall,

Chasing the red-coats down the lane,

Then crossing the fields to emerge again

Under the trees at the turn of the road,

And only pausing to fire and load.

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So through the night rode Paul Revere; And so through the night went his cry

of alarm

To every Middlesex village and farm, — A cry of defiance and not of fear, A voice in the darkness, a knock at the

door,

Anda word that shall echo forevermore!

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For, borne on the night-wind of the Past,

Through all our history, to the last,

In the hour of darkness and peril and need,

The people will waken and listen to hear

The hurrying hoof-beats of that steed,

And the midnight message of Paul

Revere.

PAUL REVERE’S OWN ACCOUNT

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ACCOUNT (2

¢ SSSA SO

PAUL REVERE’S OWN ACCOUNT OF HIS FAMOUS RIDE, GIVEN IN A LETTER TO THE REV. DR. JEREMY BELKNAP, COR- RESPONDING SECRETARY OF THE MASSACHUSETTS HIS- TORICAL SOCIETY

Dear Sir, — Having a little leisure, I wish to fulfil my promise of giving you some facts and anecdotes prior to the battle of Lex- ington, which I do not remember to have

seen in any History of the American Revo-

lution.

In the year 1773, I was employed by the Selectmen of the town of Boston to carry the account of the Destruction of the Tea to New York; and afterwards, 1774, to carry their despatches to New York and Philadelphia for calling a Congress; and afterwards to Con- gress several times. In the fall of 1774 and

Note. The original letter was undated. As first printed (in an imperfect form) by Dr. Belknap in the Collections of the Society it bore the date Jan. 1, 1798, but it may have been written some years earlier.

SAD 2 Ns

=) PAUL REVERE’S OWN ACCOUNT GC

winter of 1775, 1 was one of upwards of

thirty, chiefly mechanics, who formed our- selves into a committee for the purpose of watching the movements of the British sol- diers, and gaining every intelligence of the movements of the Tories. We held our meet- ings at the Green Dragon tavern. We were so careful that our meetings should be kept secret, that every time we met every person swore upon the Bible that they would not dis- cover any of our transactions but to Messrs. Hancock, Adams, Doctors Warren, Church,

and one or two more.

7S 51 &*

About November, when things began to

grow serious, a gentleman who had connec- tions with the Tory party, but was a Whig at heart, acquainted me, that our meetings were discovered, and mentioned the identical words that were spoken among us the night be- fore. We did not then distrust Dr. Church, but supposed it must be some one among us. We removed to another place, which we thought was more secure; but here we found that all our transactions were communicated to Governor Gage. (This came to me through the then Secretary Flucker; he told it to the

PAUL REVERE’S OWN ACCOUNT ©

gentleman mentioned above.) It was then a common opinion, that there was a traitor in the Provincial Congress, and that Gage was possessed of all their secrets. (Church was a member of that Congress for Boston.) In the winter, towards the spring, we frequently took turns, two and two, to watch the soldiers, by patrolling the streets all night. The Saturday night preceding the 19th of April, about 12 o’clock at night, the boats belonging to the transports wereall launched, and carried under the sterns of the men-of-war. (They had been previously oe we; and ae ) We like-

wise found that the grenadiers and light infan-

try were all taken off duty.

From these movements, we expected some- thing serious was to be transacted. On Tues- day evening, the 18th, it was observed that a number of soldiers were marching towards the bottom ofthe Common. About 100’clock, Dr. Warren sent in great haste for me, and begged that I would immediately set off for Lexing- ton, where Messrs. Hancock and Adams were, and acquaint them of the movement, and that it was thought they were the objects, When I got to Dr. Warren’s house, I found he had

ERS 54

CS PAUL REVERE'S rant ACCOUNT (4

sent an express by land to Lexington, —a Mr. William Dawes. The Sunday before, by desire of Dr. Warren, I had been to Lexing-

ton, to Messrs. Hancock and Adams, who

were at the Rev. Mr. Clark’s. I returned at night through Charlestown; there I agreed with a Colonel Conant and some other gentle- men, that if the British went out by water, we wouldshow two lanthorns inthe North Church steeple ; and if by land, one, as a signal ; for we were apprehensive it would be difficult to cross the Charles River, or get over Boston

Neck. I left Dr. Warren, called upona friend,

ESS 55 @&D*

and desired him to make the signals. I then

went home, took my boots and surtout, went to the north part of the town, where I had kept a boat; two friends rowed me across Charles River, a little to the eastward where the Somerset man-of-war lay. It was then young flood, the ship was winding, and the moon was rising. They landed me on the Charlestown side. When I got into town, I met Colonel Conant, and several others ; they said they had seen our signals. I told them what was acting, and went to get me a horse;

I got a horse of Deacon Larkin. While the

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zd, PAUL REVERE'S

(K2 ss py

ACCOUNT

horse was preparing, Richard Devens, Esq., who was one of the Committee of Safety, came to me, and told me that he came down the road from Lexington, after sundown, that evening ; that he met ten British officers, all well mounted, and armed, going up the road.

I set off upon a very good horse; it was then about eleven o’clock, and very pleasant. After I had passed Charlestown Neck, and got nearly opposite where Mark was hung in chains, I saw two men on horseback, under a tree. When I got near them, I discovered they were British officers. One tried to get ahead

=) PAUL REVERE’S OWN ACCOUNT @é<

of me, and the other to take me. I turned my horse very quick, and galloped towards Charlestown Neck, and then pushed for the Medford road. The one who chased me, en- deavoring to cut me off, got into a clay pond, near where the new tavern is now built. I got clear of him, and went through Medford, over the bridge, andupto Menotomy. In Medford, I waked the Captain of the minute men; and after that, I alarmed almost every house, till I got to Lexington. I found Messrs. Hancock and Adams at the Rev. Mr. Clark’s; I told them my errand, and inquired for Mr. Dawes ;

ESS) 58 @*

BS ry SM) PAUL REVERE'S OWN ACCOUNT Gi they said he had not been there; I related the story of the two officers, and supposed that he must have been stopped, as he ought to have been there before me. After I had been there about half an hour, Mr. Dawes came; we refreshed ourselves, and set off for Concord, to secure the stores, &c. there. We were over- taken bya young Dr. Prescot, whom we found to be a high Son of Liberty. I told them of the ten officers that Mr. Devens met, and that it was probable we might be stopped be- fore we got to Concord ; for I supposed that after night, they divided themselves, and that

*ES 59 &D*

FY

PAUL MRE ACCOUNT G&

two of them had fixed themselves in such

passages as were most likely to stop any in- telligence going to Concord. I likewise men- tioned that we had better alarm all the inhabit- ants till we got to Concord ; the young Doctor much approved of it, and said he would stop with either of us, for the people between that and Concord knew him, and would give the more credit to what we said. We had got nearly half way: Mr. Dawes and the Doctor stopped to alarm the people of a house: I was about one hundred rods ahead, when I saw two men,

in nearly the same situation as those officers

<4) PAUL REVERE’S OWN ACCOUNT

were, near Charlestown. I called for the Doc- tor and Mr. Dawes to come up; in an instant I was surrounded by four ; — they had placed themselves in a straight road, that inclined each way ; they had taken down a pair of bars on the north side of the road, and two of them were under atree in the pasture. The Doctor being foremost, he came up; and we tried to get past them ; but they being armed with pis- tols and swords, they forced us into the pas- ture;— the Doctor jumped his horse over a low stone wall, and got to Concord. I ob-

served a wood at a small distance, and made

FESS 3

4) PAUL REVERE’S OWN ACCOUNT @&3

for that. When I got there, out started six officers, on horseback, and ordered me to dis- mount ; —one of them, who appeared to have the command, examined me, where I came from, and what my name was? I told him. He asked me if I was an express? I answered in the affirmative. He demanded what time I left Boston? I told him; and added, that their troops had catched aground in passing the river, and that there would be five hun- dred Americans there in a short time, for I had alarmed the country all the way up. He immediately rode towards those who stopped

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3 AA S10 PAUL REVERE'S OWN ACCOUNT Of

us, when all five of them came down upon a

[a

full gallop; one of them, whom I afterwards found to be a Major Mitchel, of the sth Regiment, clapped his pistol to my head, called me by name, and told me he was going to ask me some questions, and if I did not give him true answers, he would blow my brains out. He then asked me similar ques- tions to those above. He then ordered me to mount my horse, after searching me for arms. He then ordered them to advance, and to lead me in front. When we got to the road, they turned down towards Lexington. When

EAS 63 &D*

SAD) SA) PAUL REVERE’S OWN ACCOUNT

we had got about one mile, the Major rode up to the officer that was leading me, and told him to give me to the Sergeant. As soon as he took me, the Major ordered him, if I at- tempted to run, or anybody insulted them, to blow my brains out. We rode till we got near Lexington meeting-house, when the mi- litia fired a volley of guns, which appeared to alarm them very much. The Major inquired of me how far it was to Cambridge, and if there were any other road? After some con- sultation, the Major rode up to the Sergeant, and asked if his horse was tired ? He answered

him, he was — (he was a Sergeant of Grena-

diers, and had a small horse)—then, said he, take that man’s horse. I dismounted, and the Sergeant mounted my horse, when they all rode towards Lexington meeting-house. I went across the burying-ground, and some pastures, and came to the Rev. Mr. Clark’s house, where I found Messrs. Hancock and Adams. I told them of my treatment, and they concluded to go from that house to- wards Woburn. I went with them, and a Mr. Lowell, who was a clerk to Mr. Hancock. When we got to the house where they intended

CIGGG SAN ALP SiG Bes CSS SSE

\). PAUL REVERE’S OWN ACCOUNT @&~

to stop, Mr. Lowell and myself returned to

Mr. Clark’s, to find what was going on. When we got there, an elderly man came in; he said he had just come from the tavern, that a man had come from Boston, who said there were no British troops coming. Mr. Lowell and myself went towards the tavern, when we met a man on a full gallop, who told us the troops were coming up the rocks. We after- wards met another, who said they were close by. Mr. Lowell asked me to go to the tavern with him, to get a trunk of papers belong- ing to Mr. Hancock. We went up cham-

PAUL REVE REVERE’S OWN N ACCOUNT (4

ber; and while we were getting the trunk, we saw the British very near, upon a full march. We hurried towards Mr. Clark’s house. In our way, we passed through the militia. There were about fifty. When we had got about one hundred yards from the meeting-house, the British troops appeared on both sides of the meeting-house. In their front was an officer on horseback. They made ashorthalt; when I saw, and heard,a gun fired, which appeared to be a pistol. Then I could distinguish two guns, and then a continual roar

of musketry ; when we made off with the trunk.

OG

cope. PAUL REVERE'S OWN ACCOUNT Sx

As I have mentioned Dr. Church, perhaps it might not be disagreeable to mention some matters of my own knowledge, respecting him. He appeared to be a high Son of Lib- erty. He frequented all the places where they met, was encouraged by all the leaders of the Sons of Liberty, and it appeared he was re- spected by them, though I knewthat Dr. War- ren had not the greatest affection for him. He was esteemed a very capable writer, especially in verse ; and as the Whig party needed every strength, they feared, as well as courted him. Though it was known that some of the liberty

Rae SS SS

WN ACCOUNT Ge

30 PAUL REVERE’

songs, which he composed, were parodized by him, in favor of the British, yet none dare charge him with it. I wasa constant and crit- ical observer of him, and I must say, that I never thought him a man of principle; and I doubted much in my own mind whether he was a real Whig. I knew that he kept com- pany with a Capt. Price, a half-pay British officer, and that he frequently dined with him, and Robinson, one of the Commissioners. I know that one of his intimate acquaintance asked him why he was so often with Robinson

and Price? His answer was, that he kept com-

OWN ACCOUNT (3

pany with them on purpose to find out their plans. The day after the battle of Lexington, I met himin Cambridge, when he shew me some blood on his stocking, which he said spirted on him from a man who was killed near him, as he was urging the militia on. I well remem- ber, that I argued with myself, if a man will risk his life in a cause, he must be a friend to that cause; and I never suspected him after, till he was charged with being a traitor.

The same day I met Dr. Warren. He was President of the Committee of Safety. He

engaged me as a messenger, to do the out

PAUL REVERE'S OWN ACCOUNT

Rte

of doors business for that committee: which gave me an opportunity of being frequently with them. The Friday evening after, about sunset, I was sitting with some, or near all that committee, in their room, which was at Mr. Hastings’s house in Cambridge. Dr. Church, all at once, started up — Dr. Warren, said he, I am determined to go into Boston to-morrow — (it set them all a staring) — Dr. Warren replied, Are you serious, Dr. Church? they will hang you ifthey catch youin Boston. He replied, I am serious, and am determined

to go at all adventures. After a considerable

x 71 G*

SAD)

ACCOUNT 4

oe

conversation, Dr. Warren said, If you are determined, let us make some business for you. They agreed that he should go to get medicine for their and our wounded officers. He went the next morning; and I think he came back on Sunday evening. After he had told the committee how things were, I took him aside and inquired particularly how they treated him. He said, that as soon as he got to their lines,on Boston Neck, they made him a prisoner, and carried him to General Gage, where he was examined, and then he was sent to Gould’s barracks, and was not suffered to

go home but once. After he was taken up,

for holding a correspondence with the Brit- ish, I came across Deacon Caleb Davis ;— we entered into conversation about him ; — he told me, that the morning Church went into Boston, he (Davis) received a billet for General Gage — (he then did not know that Church was in town) — when he got to the General’s house, he was told, the General could not be spoke with, that he was in private with a gentleman; that he waited near half an hour, when General Gage and Dr. Church

came out of a room, saree! together, like

a a © PAUL REVERE’S OWN ACCOUNT &

persons who had been long acquainted. He appeared to be quite surprised at seeing Dea- con Davis there; that he (Church) went where he pleased, while in Boston, only a Major Caine, one of Gage’s Aids, went with him. I was told by another person, whom I could depend upon, that he saw Church go into General Gage’s house, at the above time ; that he got out of the chaise and went up the steps more like a man that was acquainted than a prisoner.

Some time after, perhaps a year or two, I fell in company with a gentleman who studied

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CA PAUL REVERE’S OWN ACCOUNT &

with Church; in discoursing about him, I re- lated what I have mentioned above; he said, he did not doubt that he was ‘in the interest of the British ; and that it was he who informed General Gage ; that he knew for certain, that a short time before the battle of Lexington, (for he then lived with him, and took care of his business and books), he had no money by him, and was much drove for money ; that all at once, he had several hundred new British guineas; and that he thought at the time, where they came from.

Thus, Sir, I have endeavored to give you 3.75 GZ"

ACCOUNT

a short detail of some matters, of which per- haps no person but myself has documents or knowledge. I have mentioned some names which you are acquainted with; I wish you would ask them, if they can remember the circumstance I :allude to.

I am, Sir, with every sentiment of esteem, your humble servant,

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BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY

I

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