Midnight Ride of Paul Revere

Longfellow

[Paisan]

240 years ago, tonight, an American Patriot, Paul Revere, threw aside all misgivings about his own personal safety and freedoms, and embarked upon a most famous undertaking...

LISTEN, my children, and you shall hear Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere, On the eighteenth of April, in Seventy-five; Hardly a man is now alive Who remembers that famous day and year. 5 He said to his friend, ‘If the British march By land or sea from the town to-night, Hang a lantern aloft in the belfry arch Of the North Church tower as a signal light,— One, if by land, and two, if by sea; 10 And I on the opposite shore will be, Ready to ride and spread the alarm Through every Middlesex village and farm, For the country folk to be up and to arm.’

[Paisan]

I spent more than 40 years in Massachusetts. My favorite place to visit, and I visited there quite often, was the North Bridge in Concord. It is, for me, the holiest of American shrines. For it was here that American patriots stood their ground and fired the opening shots of the American Revolution.

[left that other site]

I remember memorizing this in 5th grade.

We used to giggle when saying “Middlesex”, because we knew there wasn’t any “middle-sex”...you were either a BOY or a GIRL!

This is the absolute truth. I remember having the discussion with my friends!

[Politicalkiddo]

“...because we knew there wasn’t any “middle-sex”...you were either a BOY or a GIRL!”

Out of the mouth of babes. ;)

[This I Wonder32460]

God Bless both Patriot riders, William Dawes and Paul Revere.

[left that other site]

Indeed. I grew up in Massachusetts, and spent many pleasant times on the Freedom Trail and Lexington and Concord.

[left that other site]

We thought we were being very clever and naughty to come up with that! :-)

[FatherofFive]

For it was here that American patriots stood their ground and fired the opening shots of the American Revolution.

And now Massachusetts is leading us to communism

[ought-six]

Tomorrow:

“By the rude bridge that arched the flood,
their flags to April’s breeze unfurled;
there the embattled farmers stood
And fired the shot heard ‘round the world.”

[Paisan]

leading us to communism

Only in Boston, Worcester and Springfield. The rest of the state is just as traditional and Conservative as any other place in the country

[treetopsandroofs]

"God Bless both Patriot riders, William Dawes and Paul Revere."

And Samuel Prescott, who completed the ride.

A source

[PapaNew]

Thank you for this post. Inspiring. Hope there’s enough of us aa brave if and when the time comes. Are we still the land of the free? We will only be the land of the free if we are the home of the brave, for freedom always has its enemies, and right now, freedom’s greatest enemy is the huge, powerful, and largely unconstitutional $4 trillion federal government.

We have visited Boston twice and loved seeing the North Church and surroundings, but I didn’t even think of the North Bridge in Concord. I don’t know that much about it, but next time, we’ll have to visit Concord and Lexington.

Thanks again for the reminder of what today commemorates.

[Politicalkiddo]

Yeah. Everyone knows Paul Revere. The other two got stiffed by this poem.

[Paisan]

who completed the ride.

Correct.

Revere was “detained” in Lincoln, before he could even get to Lexington.

Thankfully, ‘other’ patriots took up the torch and spread the word.

[ansel12]

Only in Boston, Worcester and Springfield. The rest of the state is just as traditional and Conservative as any other place in the country

Didn't Obama win EVERY county, and EVERY congressional district in 2008?

I think it remained the same in 2012 didn't it?

[FatherofFive]

The rest of the state is just as traditional and Conservative as any other place in the country

Right. That's why they elected Ted Kennedy all those years. Real conservative state.

[Paisan]

Didn’t Obama win EVERY county, and EVERY congressional district in 2008 ?

Don’t get me started.

Democratic Voter Malfeasance is a topic that elevates my blood pressure...

[Politicalkiddo]

“Revere was “detained” in Lincoln, before he could even get to Lexington.”

I think I recall reading he was drunk, too.

[ansel12]

Clearly Massachusetts is not conservative and traditional.

[Mercat]

Mr. Mercat and I were in Lexington and Concord in December 2009. There was one block in downtown Lexington that was decorated for Christmas and a small museum which had a special display of Christmas trees based on children’s books but no decoration outside and nothing else in town. We were commenting on that as we drove back to our son’s when we saw one big house with tons of lights and even an inflated Santa. No other houses were decorated. LOL