by Debi Lander  for Bylandersea America 250

Before sunrise on April 19, 1775, the quiet Massachusetts towns of Lexington and Concord became the setting for the first open battles of the American Revolution. A British mission to seize colonial military supplies turned into the moment when tension and protest shifted into armed conflict. The events of this single morning spread across all thirteen colonies and placed them firmly on the path toward independence.

The Midnight Riders: More Than Paul Revere

On the night of April 18, 1775, patriot leaders learned the British intended to march from Boston toward Concord. Paul Revere crossed the Charles River by rowboat, mounted a fast horse, and began spreading the alarm. Two lanterns briefly displayed in Boston’s Old North Church signaled that the British would advance by water.

Revere did not ride alone.