Paul Revere's Ride By Longfellow

Known for creating “Paul Revere’s Ride,” Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is also known for making many inaccuracies within the poem. Paul Revere is known for warning Lexington of the British coming, so he is considered a hero to some. Longfellow tells of events on the night of April eighteenth, 1775 differently than what actually happened. The poem is not a credible source of information because Revere does not volunteer to watch for the British, the British are seen as cowards, and Revere has friends, or acquaintances, who accompany him.

The poem written by Longfellow claims that Paul Revere volunteered to watch for the British to come. Nevertheless, the letter that Revere wrote to Jeremy Belknap says that Revere was asked by Dr. Warren to watch for the British(Gilder Lehrman 1). At ten o’clock, Paul was asked to watch for the British; however, Longfellow’s poem claims that Revere’s ride was at midnight. Provided, Revere goes home to relax while he waits for the British, whereas, the poem says that he waits for a signal while his horse grows more and more impatient. After Revere’s rest at home, he travels to Lexington by boat, yet the poem does not acknowledge a boat.

Longfellow’s poem gives off that the British were cowards and scared as he says,“In the books you have read that the British have fired a fled…”(Longfellow 5).

Revere takes off to warn the town as soon as he sees the signal, but the letter says that he almost gets caught by two British officers. “One tryed to git a head of Me, & the other take me.”(Gilder Lehrman 2). If Revere took off as soon as he saw the signal, the British should not be far ahead that Revere could get captured. Longfellow’s poem, at no point, mentions that Revere receives visitors-British officers-along the way of his ride. ”A glimmer, and then a gleam of light!”(Longfellow 39):”A hurry of hoofs in a village street…,”(Longfellow

4).
In Longfellow’s poem, there is a lack of indication that Revere had any assistance on his famous ride. The letter Paul Revere wrote to Jeremy Belknap says,”Mr. Daws & the doctor stopped to allarm the people of a house…”(Gilder Lehrman 3). Revere also receives a horse when he gets to Charlestown from Col. Constant; Revere rode this horse to Lexington to warn the people of the incoming British.
It is true that Revere alerted the townspeople of the British coming on April 18, 1775. Certainly, that is true, and Longfellow has acknowledged that. On the other hand, Longfellow’s poem has multiple errors which makes it a miracle that he got the date right. “ Therefore, the poem, Longfellow wrote would not be a credible source of information.
To summarize, Longfellow’s poem is not a valid source of knowledge because the poem contrasts Revere’s letter to Jeremy Belkin. Revere’s interest, informing the town of the British coming were lacking, the British were viewed as fearful, and Revere had assistance on his ride. Longfellow’s poem does not have precise information, and he over dramatizes events that happen that night. It is important to know the true story of Paul Revere’s ride because being told a lie is never a good feeling.