In March, 2025, author Kostya Kennedy joined our American Revolution Roundtable to discuss his new book: The Ride: Paul Revere and the Night That Saved America, which has just been released.
This is a brief summary of our one hour discussion.
This special edition of the American Revolution podcast features a discussion with author Kia Kennedy about his new book, "The Ride, Paul Revere, and The Night That Saved America". The discussion centers around the events leading up to the Battles of Lexington and Concord and Paul Revere's crucial role.
Freemasonry played a significant role in Revere's life, initially as a networking opportunity for his business and later as a forum for exchanging ideas. Although there were different lodges with varying social demographics, their charters and agendas were not explicitly political, but rather social groupings.
The enduring fame of Paul Revere is largely attributed to Longfellow's poem, written 85 years later as a call to action against slavery. While the poem took some poetic liberties, it captured the spirit of Revere's actions and transformed him into a powerful symbol and rallying cry that continues to be used today. Even without the poem, Revere was considered the principal rider of the revolution prior to his famous ride.
The discussion addresses the historical treatment of William Dawes, the other rider that night. While Dawes is sometimes presented as having been unjustly overshadowed by Revere, the sources suggest that Revere was the primary figure who successfully alerted the countryside. Revere himself mentioned Dawes in his account. The idea that Revere was drunk or ineffective is considered "poppycock".
The events leading up to the ride, including the Powder Alarm, highlighted the need for a rapid response system among the Patriots. It is suspected that Revere played a key role in organizing a "phone tree" system to quickly mobilize the militia. Revere was a trusted messenger for the Patriots, delivering news about the Powder Alarm to Philadelphia. The use of lanterns in the Old North Church was another method, devised by Revere, to signal the British movements.
On the night of April 18th, 1775, Joseph Warren dispatched both Revere and Dawes to warn Hancock and Adams in Lexington about the movement of British troops from Boston. Revere crossed Boston Harbor by boat, evading British naval ships, while Dawes left Boston via land before the curfew. Revere arrived in Lexington before Dawes despite leaving later and facing more obstacles.
On their way to Concord, Revere and Dawes were joined by Samuel Prescott. The three were intercepted by British soldiers, leading to Revere's capture. Prescott was the only one of the three to reach Concord and alert the town. Revere, during his capture, informed the British soldiers about the impending Patriot response. The British captors eventually released Revere and the other captured Patriots as they realized their vulnerable position.
The discussion touches on the motivations of British General Thomas Gage, who, despite orders from London, was hesitant to arrest Patriot leaders like Hancock and Adams, possibly fearing it would ignite a war before reinforcements arrived. Gage likely viewed the expedition to Lexington and Concord as another raid to secure arms, similar to events at Portsmouth and the Powder Alarm. However, the Patriots' organized response, as seen in Leslie's Retreat and the retrieval of arms from Portsmouth by Revere, demonstrated their preparedness.
The participants also discuss the Minutemen, a select subgroup of the militia who were prepared to mobilize at a moment's notice.
Financially, Revere was paid for his services as a rider and had earned a good income as a silversmith earlier in his life. John Hancock was a significant financier of the Patriot movement.
The discussion briefly considers an alternative historical scenario where the British successfully captured Hancock and Adams and seized the stores at Concord. The consensus is that this would have been a devastating blow to the Patriot cause, potentially delaying American independence significantly. However, it is also argued that the Patriot spirit of resistance would likely have persisted.
The location where Hancock and Adams went after the battles was Woburn. Revere returned to Lexington to retrieve Hancock's forgotten trunk, which contained important Patriot papers, and was present when the first shots were fired.
There is no known direct meeting between George Washington and Paul Revere, although Revere was involved in the Massachusetts militia and may have had indirect contact.
The discussion briefly addresses Revere's involvement in dentistry and how it later helped identify Dr. Warren's body.
When asked about comparisons to David Hackett Fischer's book on the subject, Kennedy expressed respect for the work but noted differences in emphasis and interpretation, particularly regarding General Gage.
Kennedy's book, The Ride, was released on March 25th.
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Order the book: The Ride, Paul Revere, and The Night That Saved America, by Kostya Kennedy
Visit Kostya's website at https://kostyakennedy.com
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