Cobblestones Home : Colonial Lives : Memoir of Paul Revere

April 19, 1775
The dawn was breaking as the British soldiers approached Lexington Green. About seventy of us went out to meet them. When I looked out at the Green I saw the most powerful nation in the world marching toward us, and I wanted to run. We waited until they started shooting. Then the captain of the British army shouted at us to “ Put down your ammunition!’’ Some men did, but most of us waited. They started firing at us again, and we returned their fire. About forty-five of our men were killed before we watched them march on to Concord, another five miles away. The British were able to defeat our troops in Concord, They looted all of our supplies and ammunition. About fifty of us regrouped at the North Bridge where over two hundred Redcoats were stationed to defend the bridge. They started to fire upon us and we fought back. We were joined by over four thousand patriots from around Boston.

Click play to hear my story

April 17, 1775
   Today was an ordinary day. I was hearing rumors that the British were coming to Boston, but I thought they were not true. As I was making shoe buckles the door of my shop opened and there were British officers who had come to order dishes. I did not really care for them but I treated them as I treated my other customers. After they left I continued working on the snuffboxes and gold buttons ordered by the minister. When the door of my shop opened, my patriot friends, with Sam Adams in the lead, had arrived. They noticed the painting I had hung on the wall of my shop. Usually Sam Adams bought the paintings, trading them for some butter and he also paid me by eggs. Later in the day I went and carved a picture frame for one of Mr. Copley’s fine paintings. I walked back home and fell asleep in my bed.

April 18,1775
    The next morning I woke up and ate some corn and berries and sat down and drank some green tea. Then I heard a knock on my door. I answered it and saw it was my best friends, John Hancock and Sam Adams. We talked about the rumors we were hearing about the British. When they left, I opened my shop and made the final adjustments on the false teeth I was carving for my friend. That was an unusual job for a silversmith but I liked it. Later in the day I rode my horse because I was not a good horseman and needed additional practice. I returned home with the wind rushing through my face.

     I have heard that the British are marching to Lexington and Concord and they are going to invade there. I went to Dr. Joseph Warren’s home. He is one of my patriotic friends and he gave me two missions. First he told me to go to Lexington and warn John and Sam Adams that the British were marching to Lexington to seize arms and gunpowder. As I was about to leave for Boston I felt worried for the people of Lexington and my job was to make them not to be unharmed. I went to my other friend’s house and I got two lanterns and we headed off in boat. I almost thought I was going to be sea sick when it was rocking back and forth on the Charles River as we made our way towards Charles town. From there we borrowed some horses and rode the thirteen miles from Lexington. On the way to Lexington I was worried how were we going to beat the strongest nation in the world! Then suddenly British soldiers jumped out of nowhere. They were hiding behind a tree trying to ambush me, but luckily my horse was faster than theirs. When they first came out I almost jumped off my horse. As we took another route to Lexington and they were out of sight I galloped toward Lexington which was about another mile away. When I got there I approached John and Sam’s house, and I started banging on their door. Finally they opened the door, and I told them that the Redcoats were coming to invade Lexington and Concord. They got away safely by horse. Then we rang the bell for the militia to get ready! Thank God the men are trained for a fight on a moment’s notice.

I rode towards Concord to warn them too. As I was heading there, I encountered into Dr. Prescott and William Dawes. I told them that the British were coming, and they helped me to spread the word. When I was going to Concord, the British soldiers once again stopped me. This time I was taken as a prisoner, but thankfully Dr.Prescott got away to warn the town. Later in the day the Brits let me go.

April 19, 1775
   The dawn was breaking as the British soldiers approached Lexington Green. About seventy of us went out to meet them. When I looked out at the Green I saw the most powerful nation in the world marching toward us, and I wanted to run. We waited until they started shooting. Then the captain of the British army shouted at us to “ Put down your ammunition!’’ Some men did, but most of us waited. They started firing at us again, and we returned their fire. About forty-five of our men were killed before we watched them march on to Concord, another five miles away. The British were able to defeat our troops in Concord, They looted all of our supplies and ammunition. About fifty of us regrouped at the North Bridge where over two hundred Redcoats were stationed to defend the bridge. They started to fire upon us and we fought back. We were joined by over four thousand patriots from around Boston. We were successful in defeating the British. We killed about five hundred Redcoats, before they retreated from the fight. Finally the British saw how determined we were to fight for our Freedom!

Epilogue
   After the war he learned the trade of gold and silversmith. The company he founded in 1801 is still running and locates in New York, Rome and Bedford, Massachusetts. And died on May 10, 1818 when he was 18. Today Paul Revere appears in 5,000 saving bonds and also appears in the back of Samuel Adams.

Top of Page

Home