Samuel Adams, John Hancock, Paul Revere, and William Dawes went to a nearby tavern in order to discuss strategy while the 800+ British regulars were still waiting for their supplies to arrive so they could commence their march to Concord. Interestingly, General Thomas Gage, not his superiors in London, ordered the capture of the not-so-secret store of munitions in Concord. The most recent missive Gage received from London was specific and a bit scolding, in that it was clear that King George III’s patience was at an end. Gage was to arrest Adams and Hancock even if there wasn’t sufficient evidence for conviction, since it was assumed that the two couldn’t cause trouble from prison. The message also ordered Gage to keep his advance secret, and to complete his mission without bloodshed. Nowhere in the message was there any advice on what he should do if Gage encountered resistance.
Shortly after leaving the tavern, Revere, Dawes, and Dr. Samuel Prescott, whom they encountered on the road, ran into a British patrol. Revere tried to escape to a nearby wood, but was stopped by six additional British officers with pistols pointed at him. Revere’s horse’s bridle was taken by the British; they knew exactly who he was, and also that due to Revere’s very presence, Adams and Hancock were nearby. The British officers asked Revere many questions, with Revere fitting in during his responses that the countryside had been alerted, and that the patrol should expect 500 colonists to descend on them at any moment. Stunned, most of the patrol went back to their commander to discuss matters while Revere was kept under the gun. The British commander of the patrol came up to Revere, pointed a pistol at his head, and demanded the truth. Revere responded that he didn’t need a pistol pointed at his head to tell them the truth, and he was ordered to dismount. Revere was searched, and with no weapons found on him, more specific questions followed.
Shortly after leaving the tavern, Revere, Dawes, and Dr. Samuel Prescott, whom they encountered on the road, ran into a British patrol. Revere tried to escape to a nearby wood, but was stopped by six additional British officers with pistols pointed at him. Revere’s horse’s bridle was taken by the British; they knew exactly who he was, and also that due to Revere’s very presence, Adams and Hancock were nearby. The British officers asked Revere many questions, with Revere fitting in during his responses that the countryside had been alerted, and that the patrol should expect 500 colonists to descend on them at any moment. Stunned, most of the patrol went back to their commander to discuss matters while Revere was kept under the gun. The British commander of the patrol came up to Revere, pointed a pistol at his head, and demanded the truth. Revere responded that he didn’t need a pistol pointed at his head to tell them the truth, and he was ordered to dismount. Revere was searched, and with no weapons found on him, more specific questions followed.
Revere was then returned to his horse with a British officer taking the reins, encircled by the British redcoats. Revere was told by the British patrol that if he attempted to escape he would be killed. As they approached Lexington, a volley of musket fire was heard. Thinking quickly, Revere told the British patrol that the countryside was waiting for them, and it was perhaps Dawes that stated that the British were all dead men. Under the ominous tolling of the Lexington church bell, the British patrol conferred, and abandoned Revere, taking his horse; it must have been around that time where Dawes and Prescott made their escape, which only heightened the fear level of the British patrol. On foot, Revere worked his way back to the parsonage, which was only a half-mile away from where he had been stopped by the British patrol.
By 2:30 am on 19 April 1775, Lexington Minutemen had assembled, but no British redcoats had yet appeared, so they were dismissed and told to reassemble when they heard the beating of the drums. Though Adams had been told three times to abandon the parsonage, he and Hancock were still at the house. Hancock had become obsessed with facing down the British in order to impress his fiance, and at least once Hancock left the parsonage to personally scout the Common for redcoats. The reverend of whose parsonage they were staying implored Adams and Hancock to leave at once, since their place was not on the battlefield. Adams tried to convince Hancock to leave, but Hancock, ever given to the grand gesture, didn’t budge.
By 2:30 am on 19 April 1775, Lexington Minutemen had assembled, but no British redcoats had yet appeared, so they were dismissed and told to reassemble when they heard the beating of the drums. Though Adams had been told three times to abandon the parsonage, he and Hancock were still at the house. Hancock had become obsessed with facing down the British in order to impress his fiance, and at least once Hancock left the parsonage to personally scout the Common for redcoats. The reverend of whose parsonage they were staying implored Adams and Hancock to leave at once, since their place was not on the battlefield. Adams tried to convince Hancock to leave, but Hancock, ever given to the grand gesture, didn’t budge.
It was now 3 am on 19 April 1775, and the British redcoats were finally on the march towards Lexington. It became apparent to Gage and the 800+ redcoats that they would not reach Concord until well past dawn, and that the element of surprise was gone; word was dispatched to Boston for reinforcements. Among the differences between Adams and Hancock, Adams knew the limits of his expertise and abilities, while Hancock did not, and the debate raged in the parsonage whether to remain or flee. Revere proved to be the decider in the debate between Adams and Hancock, since he confirmed that British officers and at last one British patrol had been within a half-mile or closer to the parsonage. In Hancock’s fancy carriage, the two patriot leaders traveled to Woburn, five miles away, with Hancock all the while complaining that it was not his style to turn his back on the enemy. Revere accompanied the two at least most of the way to Woburn, and then he returned to Lexington in order to see what was going on.
By 4:30 am on 19 April 1775 at Lexington, there was still no sign of the redcoats, who had squandered four hours due to the delay of receiving supplies. As dawn started to break, however, the redcoats appeared, marching in formation in perfect order. Revere, having returned to Lexington for a third time with instructions from Hancock to retrieve his trunk of papers, saw the approaching redcoats from the upper rooms of the tavern. Revere worked his way to the 50 or so minutemen, hearing their commander order them to let the redcoats pass unless they were fired upon. Very soon thereafter, Revere heard, but did not see, the “continual roar of musketry”.
By 4:30 am on 19 April 1775 at Lexington, there was still no sign of the redcoats, who had squandered four hours due to the delay of receiving supplies. As dawn started to break, however, the redcoats appeared, marching in formation in perfect order. Revere, having returned to Lexington for a third time with instructions from Hancock to retrieve his trunk of papers, saw the approaching redcoats from the upper rooms of the tavern. Revere worked his way to the 50 or so minutemen, hearing their commander order them to let the redcoats pass unless they were fired upon. Very soon thereafter, Revere heard, but did not see, the “continual roar of musketry”.
Adams and Hancock would not enjoy their breakfast of salmon (of which Hancock had sent for after his arrival at Woburn), since a frenzied Lexington farmer told them what was going on at Lexington. Hancock’s carriage was hidden, and Adams and Hancock went to hide in the nearby swamp, remaining there for some time. After hiking through the swamp and some woods, reaching a point several towns north of Woburn, Adams and Hancock ate a breakfast of salt pork and potatoes. Among Adams, Hancock, and Revere, only Revere had been in harm’s way at the hands of the British, and he waited 23 years before
revealing the full story of his experiences that night.
Adams believed that independence should have been declared immediately after Lexington (and Concord), and for his purposes, the die had already been cast for independence. Adams left only cursory accounts of the night of 18 April and the morning of 19 April (as did Gage, but of course for different reasons). Samuel Adams, the most conspicuous man in MA, vanished from the scene as events had finally caught up with him after eleven years, and in effect he temporarily exited stage left. Late the following Monday, Adams and Hancock arrived in Worcester, where they were to join their fellow MA delegates to travel to Philadelphia. No one had any concrete information for what happened five days earlier at Lexington and Concord.
revealing the full story of his experiences that night.
Adams believed that independence should have been declared immediately after Lexington (and Concord), and for his purposes, the die had already been cast for independence. Adams left only cursory accounts of the night of 18 April and the morning of 19 April (as did Gage, but of course for different reasons). Samuel Adams, the most conspicuous man in MA, vanished from the scene as events had finally caught up with him after eleven years, and in effect he temporarily exited stage left. Late the following Monday, Adams and Hancock arrived in Worcester, where they were to join their fellow MA delegates to travel to Philadelphia. No one had any concrete information for what happened five days earlier at Lexington and Concord.
It was critical for Adams to prove that Lexington and Concord were unprovoked attacks by the British, and that MA had only acted in self-defense. Accounts of what really happened in Lexington and Concord became greatly exaggerated, with Revere being killed, women and children murdered in cold blood, British soldiers firing into houses killing innocents, and much livestock killed at Concord. The panic extended to NYC, where businesses closed.
Meanwhile, Adams could not abide the rumors and chaos, and what was worse was that it appeared to many that he was a deserter, which was totally unacceptable. Adams did not want to travel with the MA delegation to Philadelphia if he wasn’t to travel with dignity. Yet in the constant company of Hancock, and without a decent wardrobe, Adams went to Philadelphia, where he would do his best to continue to be Britain’s “Enemy #1”, this time as a MA delegate in the 2nd Continental Congress.
Meanwhile, Adams could not abide the rumors and chaos, and what was worse was that it appeared to many that he was a deserter, which was totally unacceptable. Adams did not want to travel with the MA delegation to Philadelphia if he wasn’t to travel with dignity. Yet in the constant company of Hancock, and without a decent wardrobe, Adams went to Philadelphia, where he would do his best to continue to be Britain’s “Enemy #1”, this time as a MA delegate in the 2nd Continental Congress.