[NonValueAdded]

no mention of Dawes here, or did I skip it?

No, you didn't miss it - in a rush to trash Revere, Dawes was flushed down the memory hole. If they acknowledged Dawes, then they'd have to agree that Paul Revere did ride that night.

The premise that Revere was a composite is ridiculous. There is plenty of evidence that he played an important role that night. Now, perhaps it was just sloppy writing or editing, and what J. L. Bell meant was that the poem was the composite. Otherwise, he'd be saying that Paul Revere was a fictional character.

Plenty of unsung heroes played an important role on those historic days in April 1775. But it is hardly Paul Revere's fault that they went unsung. Why must they take it out on him?

My choice for headline would have been "Bissell got swept under the rug"

[gusopol3]

can’t really say LOL— more like GOL(groaning out loud); but that can be fun

[Gondring]

Now, perhaps it was just sloppy writing or editing, and what J. L. Bell meant was that the poem was the composite.

After having the same reaction as you, and re-reading the sentence a couple of times, I figure that's what was meant. But what a ridiculous trashing of Revere just to point out that Bissell wasn't given his due.

Now I shall take Bell to task for not giving credit to the horses...were the names of any of them mentioned, especially after dying for the cause?! :-)