Fergie's Tech Blog

18 April 1775: 'One If By Land, Two If By Sea'

On April 18, 1775, probably a little after 10 P.M., the 191 ft (58 m) steeple of the [Old North Church in Boston, Massachusetts] Church served a military purpose.

Paul Revere told three Boston Patriots to hang two lanterns in the steeple . These men were the church sexton Robert Newman, who probably displayed the lanterns, Captain John Pulling, who probably helped him carry them up the steeple, and Thomas Bernard, who stood watch for British troops outside the church.

The lanterns were displayed to send a warning to Charlestown Patriots across the Charles River about the movements of the British Army. Revere and William Dawes would later deliver the same message to Lexington themselves, but this lantern method was faster, and it was a good back-up plan for communication in case they were captured.

The signal only lasted for a few brief moments to avoid catching the eyes of the British troops occupying Boston, but this was long enough for the message to be received in Charlestown. They had kept someone looking at the steeple all night.

posted by Fergie @ 4/17/2006 10:01:00 PM