Paul Revere and north Church Essay

Submitted By tiff_lei
Words: 937
Pages: 4

Looking back on my life, I can say my greatest claim to fame was the time I rode to warn the minutemen at Lexington that the British were coming. I remember it like yesterday. As part of the Sons of Liberty, it was the job of the self-appointed patrolmen to keep account of the British movements. I believe that night alone with my alarming news, brought war to our colonies that set the tone for our fight for independence. Let me tell you my story. The British’s movements on the night of the 15th caused suspicion of our patriots. By the 18th of April, '75, Tuesday, Dr. Joseph Warren sent two messengers (Dawes and I) to Lexington around 11:00 p.m., and fearing we might be captured, arranged to tell other patriots in Charlestown by displaying lanterns from the North Church spire. I soon received word from Boston that the enemy was moving, and were headed our way. Soon afterwards, the signal was given; two lanterns were hung in the upper window of the tower of the North Church. One was showing that the British were coming by sea, and the other by land. I then left to inform Hancock and Adams who I knew were at the Rev. Clark's home in Lexington, that the enemy was coming. About midnight, I rode up to Rev. Clark’s home. I was told that the family had just gone to bed, and had requested that they might not be bothered "by any noise about the house. I replied, " Noise!' said I, you'll have noise enough before long. The regulars are coming out.' "About half an hour later Mr. Dawes arrived, who came from Boston: we set off for Concord, and was joined by a young man named Prescott. When we had got about half way from Lexington to Concord, we were stopped by the British. The other two took off in another direction. Just as I reached the pasture, out came six officers, who caught and searched me. They began to question me. I was told they would not hurt me and that they were waiting on deserters down the road. I told them I knew better, and knew what they were after; one of them put his pistol to my head, and said he was going to ask me some questions, if I did not tell him the truth, he would blow my brains out. I told him I was not afraid; He said to me we are now headed towards your friends, and rode to Lexington. When the troops came into sight behind the Meeting House; they made a short stop, when one gun was fired, I turned my head, and saw the smoke in front of the troops. They immediately shouted, ran a few paces, and then fired. At this time I could not see our Militia. This was the "battle" of Lexington; fifty militia exchanged a few shots with eight hundred of the British, who then marched on to Concord, only to find, after a bloody encounter, that the most valuable of the stores they had come to seize or destroy had been already removed to a place of safety. My fellow colonists were grateful to me for my warning three days earlier. Secondly, one of my most unusual accomplishments came after we had evacuated Boston in 1776. The use of my dentistry skills was called upon when the body of Gen. Warren was dug up from his unmarked grave by his friends. I was able to identify his body because I had set his artificial tooth with some wiring that I had used to fasten it. Now that’s something you can sink your teeth into! To give you a little background on