Revere Revisited: The Truth Behind the Legendary Ride

The romanticized tale of Paul Revere's midnight ride, immortalized in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's 1861 poem, turns out to have a few inaccuracies.

Paul Revere Wasn’t Alone

In reality, Paul Revere wasn’t the only rider that night. William Dawes and Samuel Prescott also set off on horseback to warn the colonists of the British approach. The trio was separated during their ride; Revere was temporarily detained by the British in Lexington, while Dawes lost his way after falling off his horse. These details tend to make the story less dramatic than Longfellow’s version suggests.

Revere’s Borrowed Horse

Another interesting twist is that Revere didn’t own a horse at the time of his famous ride. It is believed that a Charlestown merchant, John Larkin, lent Revere a horse named Brown Beauty. The horse was later seized by the British during their pursuit.

The Legendary Phrase Never Happened

Contrary to what Longfellow’s poem suggests, Revere never shouted the iconic phrase, "The British are coming!" during his ride. The operation was meant to be as secretive as possible, as many British troops were scattered throughout the Massachusetts countryside. In fact, colonial Americans still considered themselves British at the time, so Revere likely warned the rebels about the “Regulars” – a term for British soldiers – rather than making the loud proclamation attributed to him.

In the end, it was Samuel Prescott, a young physician who would die years later during the war, who successfully alerted the people of Concord. It seems Longfellow, like many storytellers, took some liberties with the facts to create a more compelling narrative.