>>20752934
Letter from Paul Revere to Jeremy Belknap, circa 1798 more. 1/3
(I tried my best to make readable)
Dear Sir,
Having a little leisure, I wish to fullfill my
promise, of giving you some facts, and Anecdotes, prior to the Battle of Lexington, which I do not remember to have seen
in any history of the American Revolution.
In the year 1773 I was imployed by the Select men of the Town of Boston to carry the Account of the Destruction of the Tea to New-York; and afterwards, 1774, to Carry their dispatches to New-York and Philadelphia for Calling a Congress; and afterwards to Congress, several times.* [This asterisk points to a note in the left margin written by Jeremy Belknap: "Let the narrative begin here." ] In the Fall of 1774 & Winter of 1775 I was one of upwards of thirty, cheifly mechanics,who formed our selves in to a Committee for the purpose of watching the Movements of the British Soldiers,
and gaining every intelegence of the movements of the Tories. We held our meetings at the Green-Dragon Tavern. We were so carefull that our meetings should be kept Secret; that every time we met, every
person swore upon the Bible, that they would not discover any of our transactions, But to Messrs. Hancock, Adams, Doctors Warren, Church, & one or two more.
About November, when things began to grow Serious, a Gentleman who had Conections with the Tory party, but was
a Whig at heart, aquainted me, that our meetings were discovered, & mentioned the identical words that were spoken among us the Night before. We did not then distrust Dr. Church, but supposed it must be
some one among us. We removed to another place, which we thought was more secure: but here we found that all our transactions
were communicated to Governor Gage. (This came to me through then Secretary Flucker; He told it to the Gentleman mentioned above). It was
then a common opinion, that there was a Traytor in the provincial Congress, & that Gage was posessed of all their Secrets. (Church was a member of that Congress for Boston.) In the Winter, towards the Spring, we frequently took Turns, two and two, to Watch the Soldiers, By patroling
the Streets all night. The Saturday Night preceding the 19th of April, about 12
oClock at Night, the Boats belonging to the Transports were all launched, & carried under the Sterns of the Men of War. (They had been previously hauld up & repaired). We likewise found that the Grenadiers
and light Infantry were all taken off duty.
From these movements, we expected something serious was [to] be transacted. On Tuesday evening, the 18th, it was observed, that a number of Soldiers were marching towards the bottom of the Common.
About 10 o'Clock, Dr. Warren Sent in great haste for me, and beged that I would imediately Set off for Lexington, where Messrs. Hancock & Adams were, and acquaint them of the Movement, and that it was thought they were the objets. When I got to Dr. Warren's house, I found he had sent an express by land to Lexington - a Mr. Wm. Daws.
The Sunday before, by desire of Dr. Warren,I had been to Lexington, to Mess. Hancock and Adams, who were at the Rev. Mr. Clark's. I returned at Night thro Charlestown; there I agreed with a Col. Conant, & some other Gentlemen, in Charleston, that if the British went out by Water, we would shew two Lanthorns in the North Church Steeple;
& if by Land, one, as a Signal; for we were aprehensive it would be dificult to Cross the Charles River, or git over Boston neck. I left Dr. Warrens, called upon a friend, and desired him to make the Signals. I then
went Home, took my Boots and Surtout, and went to the North part of the Town, where
I had kept a Boat; two friends rowed me across Charles River, a little to the eastward where the SomersetMan of
War lay. It was then young flood, the Ship was winding, & the moon was Rising. They landed me on Charlestown side. When I got into Town, I met Col. Conant, & several others; they said they had seen our signals. I told them what was Acting, & went to git me a Horse; I got a Horse of Deacon
Larkin. While the Horse was preparing, Richard Devens, Esq. who was one of the Committee of Safty,came to me, & told me, that he came down the Road from
Lexington, after Sundown, that evening; that He met ten British Officers, all well mounted, & armed, going up the Road. I set off upon a very good Horse; it was then about 11 o'Clock, & very pleasant. After I had passed Charlestown Neck, & got nearly opposite where Mark was hung in chains, I saw two men on Horse back, under a Tree.
When I got near them, I discovered they were British officer….
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