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| Letters of Revere's Apprentice
Discovered By Mohamed A |
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January 8, 1775
Dear Mother,
How are you doing? I still cannot believe father has passed away. When
is the funeral? All of it reminds my of when I had smallpox and I was
bled and had to get a lot of rest and water. Well, General Gage is
still in Boston. It may be cold here but the intensity is boiling.
Soldiers are looking for any reason to use their muskets. I am a
little afraid of what they might do. Thank you again for getting me the
apprenticeship as a silversmith. I am learning many new things. I
never knew how hard it was to be a silversmith. The man I am
apprenticing under is Paul Revere. Master Revere is also a good
cook. Almost every day at mid-time he gets every one some hot
cider. He is very well respected and not only is he a silversmith, but
he is a printer and an engraver. Do you remember the Boston Massacre
that I told you about a couple years ago? Well, he made an engraving
for it and it is in his house it just happens to be right next to my
room which I share with their oldest son. I do not do a lot of work yet
because I am still learning about how to use a forage and how use the
fire with out getting burned I also do not have many
responsibilities because I am still new in the shop and in
Boston.
I have made one friend Oliver. He is a friend of the family and
when I am not working, I am getting tours around Boston by
Oliver. This is a little odd but once while I was walking through Milk
street to the tavern to run an errand I saw Oliver talking to
General Gage trying to plead with him, or it looked that way. Oliver
waved his arm over and over to make his point. I did not talk to Oliver
after I saw that but I have not told anyone because he is still my
friend. There are also a great number of British soldiers walking
aimlessly around Boston. I think they are looking for work. I am pretty
sure they will not get hired by anyone, and if they do it will
not be for any more then two shillings. The merchants here
are mostly Loyalists, probably because they want money. They are
not making as much money as they used to make a couple of years
ago because of all the boycotting that is going on.
On Sundays I am in my room reading and learning on my own while
everyone else goes to church. It is not that I am not allowed to go to
church I just do not. Master Revere dose not mind. Mrs. Revere is a
nice understanding woman who is a even better cook than mister Revere.
I am afraid that something is going happen something big. I have seen
young and old people training with muskets. What is going to happen? I
prey that no one gets hurt. I will Write to you soon.
Sincerely,
Benjamin
April 20,1775
Dear Mother,
Master is on one of his rides again, and they do not know that I know.
He was hired by the town of Boston to deliver massages. Once he had to
go to New York right after he had just helped dump a lot of
tea in to the Boston harbor. I bet father had already told you
about when he and I came here it was called Tea Party and
father was in it. That night he came home with a lot of tea. How did he
get away with all that tea? Well I don’t care it was delicious.
Mrs. Revere is starting to get worried because master left two nights
ago and where ever he went it was not that far away because he
did not take any food with him and he did not take a horse. I know you
would not approve but I followed him. After I left the house to
find out where he was. A while later a saw master get in a boat
and head right across the Charles River. A man named William
Dawns came to us very early in the morning yesterday and told us he
went to Lexington to warn the Patriots John Hancock and Samuel Adams ,
but was captured by a British patrol after leaving Lexington and
finishing the mission. Those Lobsterbacks let him go but took his
horse. He said he had to take a different route so if
Master did not make it he probably would. He and master met up
after master finished that mission. They decided they would go to
Concord and warn the people there about the the regulars. After
being captured right after they left Lexington master asked him to tell
Mrs. Revere and the children that he was all right and would be
home soon. I am going to the shop with the other men and catch up on
the work we missed . This is where I stop my letter. I think master is
a very brave person for going on these missions. I hope he is all
right.
Sincerely,
Benjamin
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Historical References:
Colonial silversmith April
6 2006 www.absoluterts.com/arts/news/2002/02/25/29683. html
Hakim, Joy Making the
Thirteen Colonies. New york: Oxford university press Inc.,
1993
Silversmith colonial
Williamsburg. April 4 2006. www.colonial
Williamsburg.com/Almanac/life/trades. 1 .html
Silversmith. 26
April 2006 www.Laughtergenealogy.com/bin/history/reveres.htm
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