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Letters Found from 1775 Tell
More about Paul Revere's Ride by Scott A.
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17th of April 1775
To My Dearest Mary,
Today I awoke and knew it would be a busy one. I had a lot of
customers in my masters shop. My first customer came in and wanted some
pipe tobacco. He took the last bit of tobacco I had to offer
because the port has been closed and no goods can be imported into
Boston. From then a steady stream of people came in and wanted
everything from candles to spices for cooking to advice. I had to
give medical advice for a fever for Mr. Jackson’s youngest son because
Dr. Warren has been busy in another secret Sons of Liberty meeting.
It is too bad that Master Smith has been so ill with pneumonia, but it
is also good because I get to have the experience of running the
shop. Since this is the last year of my apprenticeship, I have
confidence in my skills and can not wait to become an official
apothecary. It is comforting to know that my master is just in
the next room resting in his bed. If I have a question about something
I do not know, I have him in the next room. I know something
about cuts and sickness because of my master. He tells me what I
need to know in case this happens.
During the day, one of my master’s dearest friends, Paul Revere, came
in for some medical advice . He never comes in for medical attention.
Mr. Revere only comes into, to discuss how unfair the King’s laws are
and the soldiers occupying our town. He has this crazy idea to help the
fellow Bostonians. He usually likes to
fix his aliments by himself. But he had a wound, and I helped to repair
it.
The strangest thing happened. He asked me to assist him by
hanging lanterns on the North Church. I agreed to help him and he
told me to come to a meeting at the Green Dragon Tavern to receive more
information. I am excited to help my fellow Bostonians. I feel I
should help my friend, Paul Revere, because I will feel more
considerate to my fellow townspeople.
With much love your brother,
Philip
19th of April 1775
To my Dearest Mary,
Yesterday was the most exciting day of my life. I hung the
lanterns up on the North Church for Paul Revere. Paul Revere told me to
go and spy on the soldiers to see how the troops were traveling. I feel
so scared. One reason why I’m sacred is because I thought I was going
to get caught. I didn’t and was proud of what I was doing. It was
important for us to know how the soldiers were traveling. If they went
by sea, that was the way Paul Revere was going and there was a good
chance Paul would have gotten captured. If they were going by land, it
would have effaced the way Paul was going because he had to cross the
river and he would have been seen by the troops. We really needed to
know the way the troops were going so I sneaked around.
After much sneaking around by me, I found out that the troops were
coming by sea. So I had to run to the North Church and hang up two
lanterns to let Paul know that they were coming by sea. I got so
scared the soldiers were going the way Paul Revere was going.
Those darn Bloody Backs. So we sent another messenger named
William Dawes through land just encase the troops caught Paul
Revere. Revere got caught on his ride to Lexington by a
century. Thank goodness Samuel Preston was there and was able to
ride on to Concord to warn the Patriots in town that the Lobster Backs
were on their way.
They let Paul Revere go without a horse so he had to walk a little to
get another horse from a friend. After Paul got his new horse, he
finally made it to Lexington. He warned the Patriot and
townspeople that the British were coming their way. If Paul
had not warned the townsfolk, they would have had no idea that they
were going to be attacked by the soldiers.
There has been a lot of activity going on in town as you probably
know. I will be anxious to speak with Father to know his feelings
about the recent happenings in Boston. I hope you and father and mother
will feel good that I am doing this for our freedom. I miss you and
mother and father so.
With much love your brother,
Philip
25th April 1775
My Dearest Mary,
Everywhere I turn now in Boston, all I see is those darn Red
Coats. Soldiers are everywhere. War is about to break out
here as it has in lexington. I will have to fight and aid our
militia and the townspeople when they are injured. I feel proud of what
I have done for our fellow townspeople and I feel scared.
I feel proud of the mission I carried out for the Sons of Liberty
cause. Thank God Paul Revere and William Dawes got to Lexington and
warned Samuel Adams and John Hancock because they are the leaders of
Son of Liberty. Thank God Samuel Preston made it to Concord and warned
them.
Now I think more and more people are coming to see me because I am
going to help people in the war. So I have to wake up earlier, and it
will be my honor to help my fellow Patriots. I think it is my duty to
help the Bostonians. I miss you with all my heart.
With much love your brother,
Philip
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Historical References:
Carnage, Julie. Colonial America Almanac. 1993. NY.
Colonial Williamsburg.
url:ht.://www.colonialwilliamsburg.com/almanac/life/trade/
tradeafo.cfm March 31, 06
Day, Nancy. The World Book
Encyclopedia. 1999. NY
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