History Lesson – What’s so important about April 19, 1775?
The day prior, an “unimpeachable source” (believed to be British General Gage’s American-born wife) informed Dr. Joseph Warren that British troops would deploy for Concord the night of April 18, in order to seize Colonial military supplies believed to be stored there.
That night, British troops began their transfer to the staging area for the northern route. Billy Dawes was sent via the southern route to warn John Hancock and Sam Adams that the British were to march on Concord, the current location of these two notorious agitators.
Paul Revere conferred with other Sons of Liberty to have the pre-arranged signal displayed via lanterns in the steeple of the Old North Church: one if by land, two if by sea. Across the Charles River, posted watchers received and immediately began to spread the message.
About 10 p.m., Revere and two others rowed past the HMS Somerset to Charlestown. There, his famous ride began.
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