Based on the details provided by Revere, describe what the landscape was like on the men’s ride from Lexington to Concord. Expla
in how their mission was made easier or harder by it. Provide evidence from the text to support the inferences you make.
In the Winter, towards the Spring, we frequently took turns, two and two, to watch the soldiers, by patrolling the streets all night. The Saturday night preceding the 19th of April, about 12 o’clock at night, the boats belonging to the transports were all launched, and carried under the sterns of the Men of War. (They had been previously hauled up and repaired). We likewise found that the Grenadiers and light Infantry were all taken off duty. From these movements, we expected something serious was [to] be transacted. On Tuesday evening, the 18th, it was observed, that a number of soldiers were marching towards the bottom of the [Boston] Common. About 10 o'clock, Dr. Warren sent in great haste for me and begged that I would immediately set off for Lexington, where Mr. Hancock and Mr. Adams were, and acquaint them of the movement and that it was thought they were the objects. When I got to Dr. Warren's house, I found he had sent an express by land to Lexington—a Mr. William Daws. The Sunday before, by the desire of Dr. Warren, I had been to Lexington.…I returned at night through Charlestown; there I agreed with a Colonel Conant, and some other gentlemen, in Charlestown, that if the British went out by the water, we would show two lanterns in the North Church Steeple; and if by land, one, as a signal; for we were apprehensive it would be difficult to cross the Charles River or get over Boston's neck. I left Dr. Warren, called upon a friend, and desired him to make the signals. I then went home, took my boots and surtout, and went to the north part of the town, where I had kept a Boat; two friends rowed me across Charles River, a little to the eastward where the Somerset Man of War lay. It was then young flood, the ship was winding, and the moon was rising. They landed me on the Charlestown side.… I set off upon a very good horse; it was then about 11 o'clock, and very pleasant. After I had passed Charlestown Neck,…I saw two men on horseback, under a tree. When I got near them, I discovered they were British officers. One tried to get ahead of me, and the other to take me. I turned my horse very quick and galloped towards Charlestown Neck, and then pushed for the Medford Road. The one who chased me, endeavoring to cut me off, got into a Clay pond, near where the new tavern is now built. I got clear of him, and went through Medford, over the Bridge, and up to Menotomy.In Medford, I awoke the Captain of the Minutemen; and after that, I alarmed almost every house, till I got to Lexington. I found Mr. Hancock and Mr. Adams at the Reverend 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, and 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 refreshed ourselves, we set off for Concord, to secure the stores, etc. there. We were overtaken by a young Doctor Prescot, whom we found to be a…Son of Liberty. I told them…that it was probable we might be stopped before we got to Concord; for I supposed that after night, they divided themselves and that two of them had fixed themselves in such passages as were most likely to stop any intelligence going to Concord. I likewise mentioned that we had better alarm all the inhabitants till we got to Concord; the young Doctor much approved of it, and said, he would stop with either of us, for the people between that and Concord knew him, and would give the more credit to what we said. We had got nearly halfway. Mr. Daws and the Doctor stopped to alarm the people of a house…when I saw two men, in nearly the same situation as those officers were, near Charlestown. I called for the Doctor and Daws to come up…in an instant, I was surrounded by four.… The Doctor being foremost, he came up; and we tried to get past them; but they being armed with pistols and swords, they forced us into the pasture; the Doctor jumped his horse over a low stone wall, and got to Concord. I observed a wood at a small distance and made for that. When I got there, out started six officers, on horseback, and ordered me to dismount; one of them, who appeared to have the command, examined me, where I came from, and what my name was?…I told him; and added, that their troops had caught aground in passing the River and that there would be 500 Americans there in a short time, for I had alarmed the country all the way up.
