Paul Revere #2: The Ride and its consequences
By mid-April 1775, the British army’s “secret” preparations for a mission to the Boston countryside were on sight for everyone to see. The scouting parties had largely finished their work. Soldiers and sailors were mending and replacing equipment, breaking out field equipment, and conducting maneuvers west of town. Naval vessels were being readied. None of this was subtle; the colonists knew something was up.
By April 18, the final preparations – troops drew ammunition and were confined to barracks; ships loaded provisions – made it evident the mission was imminent.
The only remaining question was, are they marching out the Boston Neck (“by land”) or crossing the Charles River (“by sea”). Paul Revere’s spies, who had been watching these preparations since the first scouting party, learned the mission was “by sea” and posted two lanterns in Old North Church steeple (“by sea”) as an alert to riders across the Charles.
Revere was rowed across the Charles before the loading was well underway, met his horse, and set off. At the same time, another rider, William Dawes, left via the Boston Neck with the same mission.
The popular image of a horseman galloping down an empty road shouting “the Redcoats are coming” is wrong. Instead, Revere quietly slipped into town, knocked on the door of his contact, and had a brief conversation, perhaps accompanied by a warming cup of coffee. Then both set off, Revere continuing toward his next contact along the Lexington road, his contact following his prescribed route to alert nearby militias. And the message continued to spread as more and more riders received the message and passed it on.
By this method, Revere alerted probably 40 riders between Boston and Lexington, each of whom, in turn, spread the alarm further. The result was that the militia leaders in dozens of eastern Massachusetts villages received notice that they should muster immediately because a force of Regulars was leaving Boston with possible hostile intentions. People in towns 25 miles (40 km) from Boston were aware of the army’s movements while it was still unloading boats in Cambridge.
For the British, there was chaos and delay on both beaches. By the time they were well underway, any illusion of secrecy was utterly lost. The sound of church bells, drums, alarm guns, and trumpets could be heard in every direction. Lt. John Barker of the 4th (“King’s Own”) Foot commented, “This expedition … from beginning to end was as ill-planned and ill-executed as it was possible to be.”
Nevertheless, the Redcoats encountered no direct confrontations on the march to Lexington. But at Lexington, they encountered a small group of Lexington militia waiting on the Green, somewhat off the line toward Concord. Joseph Warren, the militia commander, told his men, “Stand your ground. Don’t fire unless fired upon. But if they mean to have a war, let it begin here.”
The Redcoat commander ordered the “rabble” to disperse; after a few tense seconds, a shot was fired, then the Regulars fired a volley, killing 8, wounding 10. The British commander sent back to Boston for reinforcements, the officers regained order, and the march continued.
They had still seen no real challenges from the Colonists by the time they arrived in Concord. The Redcoats quickly brushed aside a small group of militia at Old North Bridge and moved on toward their targets, but discovered that the powder and arms had been moved. The mission hadn’t been accomplished but so far hadn’t been especially disastrous either. They turned back toward Lexington and Boston.
The nightmare began at Old North Bridge. Instead of a few dozen timid militia, several hundred now blocked the Redcoats’ march, with more arriving by the minute. And they were hopping mad because of rumors the British had burned farmhouses. The fight started at the bridge and continued all the way to Boston. As the colonists gathered strength, British grew weaker every step. As the British passed or as new American units arrived, they formed the bottom of an endless gantlet. The British Concord force was nearly destroyed as an effective fighting force by the time it reached reinforcements in Lexington. These helped but they were running for their lives again the last few miles into Cambridge.
The rebellion had started, but now what? More repression and provocations? Rebellion and revolution? By who, exactly? The Second Continental Congress appointed Washington general-in-chief and assumed some powers of central government. But there was no army, navy, supply bureau, finance system, or Executive.
Whatever else was intended, war was not supposed to start on April 19, 1775. The Regulars were supposed to make a quick in-and-out raid while the countryside slept and be back in Boston by the time the Minutemen were aroused. The difference was Revere and his intelligence team and riders.
