I guess there’s a new kerfuffle related to Sarah Palin. This video was linked at NRO “without comment” by Andrew Stiles. It’s more evidence that she’s some kind of historical illiterate, or something, as she supposedly claims that Paul Revere rode to warn the Brits.
Admittedly Palin’s wording is incredibly garbled and she did not give a very articulate response. Here’s the thing: her comments are completely accurate. Here’s a letter written by Paul Revere himself:
“I observed a Wood at a Small distance, & made for that. When I got there, out Started Six officers, on Horse back,and orderd me to dismount;-one of them, who appeared to have the command, examined me, where I came from,& what my Name Was? I told him. it was Revere, he asked if it was Paul? I told him yes He asked me if I was an express? I answered in the afirmative. He demanded what time I left Boston? I told him; and aded, that their troops had catched aground in passing the River, and that There would be five hundred Americans there in a short time, for I had alarmed the Country all the way up. He imediately rode towards those who stoppd us, when all five of them came down upon a full gallop; one of them, whom I afterwards found to be Major Mitchel, of the 5th Regiment, Clapped his pistol to my head, called me by name, & told me he was going to ask me some questions, & if I did not give him true answers, he would blow my brains out. He then asked me similar questions to those above. He then orderd me to mount my Horse, after searching me for arms.”
Again, though spoken in mangled English, Palin’s comments are pretty much right on the money. Revere was in fact warning the British, but more as a way of bragging.
But hey, it’s so much easier to call Sarah Palin an idiot than bother with facts.