Existing comment:
I alarmed almost every house till I got to Lexington.
-- Paul Revere
Panel 4, 1954
The title caption for Panel 4 derives from Paul Revere's 1798 letter to the clergyman and historian Jeremy Belknap recalling the harrowing midnight ride through enemy lines on April 18, 1775, dodging sentries along the way, just ahead of the deployment of British troops. Based upon this account, Lawrence imagines the moment when Revere rushes into Medford, Massachusetts, on horseback pausing only to whisper the military intelligence to the captain of the Minutemen amid a swirl of arms and muskets before galloping off to alert, as he said, "almost every house" until reaching Lexington.
An excerpt from Revere's letter follows:
In Medford, I awaked the Captain of the Minute men; & after that, I alarmed almost every House, till I got to Lexington. I found Messrs. Hancock & Adams at the Rev. Mr. Clark's; I told them my errand, and inquired for Mr. Daws; they said he had not been there; I related the story of the two officers, & supposed that He must have been stopped, as he ought to have been there before me. After I had been there about half an Hour, Mr. Daws came; after we refreshid our selves, we set off for Concord. |