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Post by Allen Wiener on Apr 18, 2010 12:53:27 GMT -5
Listen, my children and you shall hear of the midnight ride of Paul Revere. On the 18th of April in '75 hardly a man is now alive who remembers that famous day and year. (Longfellow)
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Post by sloanrodgers on Apr 18, 2010 14:33:08 GMT -5
Well, especially the year. Nice poetic tribute.
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Post by Paul Sylvain on Apr 18, 2010 19:45:37 GMT -5
Ah, yes, the famous poem, but, as often is the case, it isn't quite necessarily so.
Apparently there were two main riders and a third who joined them later.
Paul Revere and William Dawes went by different routes, but joined up in or near Lexington. Sometime after 12:30/midnight, the two decided to ride together to Concord where a third man -- Samuel Prescott -- joined them. On the way to Concord, they were arrested by the British. Prescott escaped almost immediately and Dawes a short time afterwards. Revere was detained for some time before being released, and made his way without a horse to lexington, where he arrived in time to see some of the fight there.
Prescott and Dawes completed the mission without Paul revere, who's famous "midnight ride" ended a bit differently that the poem tells it. I wonder how "the midnight ride of Dawes and Prescott" would sound?
Paul
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Post by Allen Wiener on Apr 18, 2010 22:32:51 GMT -5
Oh, man; why let facts get in the way of poetry!! Seriously, folks, I really think Harpo Marx was involved in this somewhere, but I can't recall how I got that impression. Not long ago, I walked the "Freedom Trail" in Boston, which took me to Paul Revere's house, his statue, the old North Church, Bunker Hill, site of the Boston Massacre, the USS Constitution and many other sites connected to the birth of our nation. I highly recommend it to anyone visiting Boston, but advise you do it in pleasant weather; it was mighty cold and windy when I went, and you have to cross some bridges on foot. Still, well worth the while.
Allen
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Post by Paul Sylvain on Apr 19, 2010 6:50:17 GMT -5
I worked in downtown Boston for about eight years before getting the transfer and move to Dallas. Boston is a GREAT city with so much history. I used to love doing Naturalization ceremonies in Faneuil Hall, which goes back to pre-Revolution days. The Boston Massacre site was just a short walk up from there. "Old Ironsides" (U.S.S. Constitution) is the oldest active, commissioned ship in the Navy, and is manned by sailors dressed in the old colonial-style uniforms. I could go on ...
So, yes -- take Allen's advice and walk the trail. Boston is well worth a visit.
Paul
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Post by Kevin Young on Apr 19, 2010 11:26:30 GMT -5
Ok-the poem may be bad history, but it is still a great poem.
I like the Harpo version of the ride...
And when in Boston, make sure to visit the 54th Mass/Shaw monument.
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