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The Stuff of Legends… Paul Revere and his ride into near-mythical status…
August 8, 2022 by Laura Heilenman · Leave a Comment
Whether it is an Ian Flemming Novel or one by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, there is something about cloak and dagger … slinking through the shadows or breath-catching action which captures the imagination. If one is able to combine these with a real-life story, all the better! I would argue such is the case with The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere. Inspiring both children, from their earliest years in school, to great poets and artists in their time, Paul Revere exhibited both courage and savvy to evade the British in passing along his critical cry of warning. On December 5, 1795, The COLUMBIAN CENTINEL Boston, gives the account of Paul Revere’s legendary ride on the eve of the battle of Lexington and Concord. The best spy account in American History? I’ll let you decide.
Recalling Paul Revere’s ‘midnight ride’…
March 4, 2021 by TimHughes · 2 Comments
As newspaper collectors we relish the opportunity to find newspaper accounts of the intriguing moments in American–if not world–history.
But many events simply did not make it to print.
An account of the pealing of the Liberty Bell in 1776, a detailed account of Washington’s crossing of the Delaware, Nathan Hale’s boast ‘I only regret I have but one life to lose for my country’, and Patrick Henry’s bold pronouncement ‘Give me liberty or give me death!’ are but a few.
Accounts of Paul Revere’s midnight ride rank among them. In our 45 years in the hobby we can recall only two newspapers having but a very brief reference to the ride. It was not until Longfellow’s poem ‘Paul Revere’s Ride’, written in 1860, did the world become familiar with the daring and patriotic mission.
We recently discovered a fascinating nugget on Revere’s ride.
A 1795 issue of the Boston newspaper Columbian Centinel (December 5, 1795) has a supportive letter from when Paul Revere was running for the vacated post of Town Treasurer. The writer makes rather derailed reference to the event in 1775, far more detailed than any account previously found despite being 20 years after it happened. See the photo for the full report.
Such little gems, typically buried inconspicuously among the political reports, advertisements, and varied notices of the day, are what thrill those in the search of notable events in history.