Paul Revere and the world he lived in by Forbes Esther

Author:Forbes, Esther
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Revere, Paul, 1735-1818, Statesmen, Statesmen, Statesmen
Publisher: Boston : Houghton Mifflin
Published: 1999-03-28T16:00:00+00:00

john Hancock's trunk

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in the salt marsh of East Cambridge. The officer in command was Revere's North Square neighbor of the last year — £ firery and profane,' 'aminable and galant,' Major Pitcairn himself. That round and wide-eyed face of his, the way he sat his horse, a trick of turning his head, addressing his men, would all be very familiar to Revere. He must have been amazed to see this Major of Marines. It seems the Major had gone as a volunteer. Near him was Major Mitchell and his officers — perhaps one of them on the Larkin horse.

Colonel Smith had landed his men as quietly as he could, but kept them standing around until two in the morning, which was about the time Paul Revere was captured. They moved rapidly into Cambridge proper without drums, ensigns or breakfast.

When Major Mitchell had joined the main body of troops, the soldiers gathered about him to hear his story. It was 'between 3 & 4 in the morning,' Lieutenant Sutherland says, c he told us the whole country was Alarmed & had Galloped for their lives, or words to that purpose, that they had taken Paul Revierre but was obliged to lett him go after having cutt his girths and Stirrups.' Richard Pope, who seems to have been a non-commissioned officer, also stood about listening to Major Mitchell's account, 'They took three prisoners, one the noted Paul Revere, who assured them that the country was alarmed; that he saw the embarkation, which was then publick. This information was soon after confirmed by Firing of alarum guns, the bells rang, and drums beat to Arms in concord, and were answered by all the villages Round.'

Colonel Smith on Mitchell's advice immediately sent back to General Gage for Percy and the eight hundred men held as reinforcements, for it looked like bloody work ahead. He also ordered Major Pitcairn to go ahead quickly with six light companies and seize the two bridges at Concord. The patrolling officers went back over the road they had just galloped down 'for their lives', probably acting as guides.

So it was Pitcairn, the British officers, and these six companies Paul Revere now saw from the upper window of Buckman's Tavern. What would happen when this orderly flood of scarlet and steel met the frail lines on the Green was not his business. His was to rescue John Hancock's trunk.

He and John Lowell carried it through the militiamen, who waited for they hardly knew what, stonily staring at the approach-

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