Did you know that Paul Revere was captured by the British in the early hours of April 19, 1775, bringing his infamous “Midnight Ride” to an end?
It happened in Lincoln, Massachusetts, not long after he had left Lexington. Fellow patriots William Dawes and Dr. Samuel Prescott were traveling with Revere when they were stopped by a patrol of British officers tasked with stopping messengers. Dr. Prescott escaped by jumping his horse over a wall, making it to Concord in time to warm the American militia of the approaching British troops. Dawes also got away but Revere was captured and held for an hour or two, during which time he was interrogated at gunpoint.
Revere informed the British that they were in danger, falsely claiming that 500 men would be there by daybreak. The British patrol, frightened by the sound of guns and the ringing of local town bells, released Revere but kept his horse. He walked back to Lexington.
So why has Revere received all the glory when most of us have never heard of Dawes or Prescott? Even though he was captured, Revere’s mission was technically successful because he had already alerted John Hancock and Samuel Adams in Lexington, and the alarm had already spread.
I had the opportunity to visit the site of the capture, marked by a stone monument and plaque. It was an odd sensation to hear and see the cars go by on the adjacent road, given that Paul Revere is synonymous with a ride of a different vehicle. I wondered if he would be stopped by the Massachusetts State Police for speeding in these modern times. Perhaps in his haste he has raced out of the house without his wallet and ID. Would the law enforcement officers make him take a breathalyzer test, walk a straight line? Would they transport him to a dimly lit interrogation room, one single light bulb hanging over a steel table? Would – GASP! – there be handcuffs involved??? A Paul Revere mug shot, I never want to see.
Standing where Paul Revere was captured, I once again felt grateful that events such as this have been recorded for posterity and are preserved for all of us to experience. Though what occurred in this spot was not a good thing, it is important that we are reminded that when things don’t go as planned, the outcome can still be positive, and even if it’s not, you have to get back on the horse.
Unless, of course, the British have taken it from you.
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