 Proudly we hail from New York City where the American stage begins here is another program with a cast of outstanding play. Public service time has been made available by this station for your army and your Air Force to bring you this story as proudly we hail Paul Revere and it's a true story about the life of Paul Revere. The tale ends with his famous midnight ride on April the 18th 1775 to warn the colonists that the British were on the march. Our first act curtain will rise in just a moment but first have you noticed the new trim whack uniform worn by the young women who are serving in the women's Army Corps? This new uniform not only stamps the wearer as being smartly dressed it also indicates that she is doing her part to keep America strong. If you are a young woman between 18 and 34 and can qualify you are urged to do your part in making unity, strength, freedom a reality. Go to your nearest United States Army and United States Air Force recruiting station and enlist in the women's Army Corps today. And now your army and your Air Force present the proudly we hail production ride to glory. Listen my children and you shall hear of the midnight ride of on the 18th of April in 75 hardly a man is now alive who remembers that famous day and year. When the poet first told that simple story to his three daughters to amuse them he was right about only one thing. He was right when he said that hardly a man is now alive who remembers that famous day and year. Of course Mr. Long Fellow's poetic setting did a lot to see that the story of Paul Revere's ride sank into the minds of school children for generation but wouldn't the story of that ride and more important the story of Paul Revere and the Boston of his day be remembered anyway. Paul Revere was 40 years old when he went on that famous ride to Lexington. His father was a French immigrant who had been a apprentice to a goldsmith. His mother was a member of one of the most prominent Boston families. Paul was the second child born on the last day of the year 1734. Since it was the custom to baptize the child the day after his birth Paul made his first trip out into the world on New Year's Day. The midwife carried him and when they got home the woman Paul's father and the godparents his mother was lying in bed in the living room with relatives and friends gathered around to celebrate the great occasion of the first son. The room was crowded with noises of the celebration. Oh well, here Paul, let me take your coat. You take this hot glass of pork. Yes, let me have him. Oh Paul, tell me all about it. All I can remember of it right now before I have my port is that it was cold. Paul, you must remember. I knew I should have gone myself. I remember every bit of it. Mr. Wellesley may be young but he's a fine reverent man. He didn't allow the cold to hurry in. He certainly didn't. Oh, let her tell us. Well, I held the baby while Mr. Revere and the minister broke the ice in the baptismal field. I was so afraid the poor child would sleep all through it. Sleep? When that icy water hit his face he set up a howl I'm surprised you didn't hear. And you called him Paul? Yes my love I called him Paul. Paul's growing up was probably fun. His father had a well-established trade as a goldsmith. Goldsmith even though he worked with silver most of the time. Paul's brothers and sisters crowded the little house but there was lots more time to play than we usually think the children of our forebears had. What could be more exciting than the wharves of Boston with ships from England and France and the West Indies arriving with their strange and wonderful cargoes. The city was young and it was growing rich and Bostonians thought then, as they probably do now, that it was the greatest city on earth. Where is Paul Deborah? Probably out on the wharves. He said something about a ship arriving today. He and some of his friends were going down to see if they could maybe get a job helping to unload. Oh good yes that's good. The boy has ambition but I think he might stay home now that he's getting bigger and learn my trade. I'm not going to live forever you know and he can't grow up without a trade. Paul dear that reminds me of something I wanted to talk to you about. It never seems to be the time. Your days and half your nights are filled working for me and our children. There is never enough time for you. Oh that what does that matter? They're all healthy and happy aren't they? No what I meant was that for Paul don't you think we could send him to the Boston Latin School next year? The Latin School? Woman you must have taken leave of your senses. I'm not a rich man. I'm an artisan a man who works with his hands. What would Paul be doing learning Latin with rich men's sons? I just thought oh I don't know I guess a mother wants everything the best for her first son. Deborah I don't understand you you work with your hands you sew and make beautiful things for the table. Don't you realize that working with your hands can be wonderful and satisfying? Yes of course I do Paul but oh maybe it's just a dream. Oh wait wait here's the boy now let him tell us what he would like. Good afternoon mother father. Your hands are freezing Paul didn't you wear your mittens? Well I couldn't work with them on mother no matter my hands will be warm in a minute. So you found work this afternoon eh? Yes father we got a shilling a piece for helping to unload a ship. It was a ship from the Indies. It seemed as if almost everyone in Boston was down to see it unloaded. Does it give you an urge to go to sea? Oh Paul no. Oh don't worry mother maybe someday I would like to cross the ocean but I wouldn't want to be a sailor. Not from what the men on the ships tell me. I'd rather stay right here in Boston. Paul your mother and I were just talking of your future. Your mother seems to think that maybe it would be a good thing if you went to the Latin school next year. The Latin school? What for? None of my friends would be there. I'm not going to Harvard like the Adams boys or the Hutchinson boys. Well what are you going to do Paul? Just whatever other boy like me will do. I suppose I'll go to school and learn to write clearly and to read a bit figure and then I'll learn my father's trade. Ah good and then what then Paul? What then? Well nothing then then I shall live in Boston for the rest of my life. Live in Boston for the rest of his life as simple as that to young Paul Revere. Well he went to school and he learned to write and read a bit and figure and he learned his father's trade working with his father as the Bostonians of the 1740s came into the little shop. Mr. Revere. Oh you must help me. No no no no no no. Calm yourself. You're the maid from the big Hutchinson house aren't you? Yes sir and I need your help so badly. Sit yourself down here and tell me what your trouble is. After you get your breath. Yes. This is what the trouble is. Oh my that's a fine silver cup or used to be. I remember I made it myself five years ago for a second no no the third daughter. Francis was your name. Yes Francis I was melting a little butter in it. Oh I know I shouldn't have done it and it all sort of gummed up together like this. And you would like me to um un-gummy? If you could Mr. Revere I could pay you a little bit each week till it's right. Oh we'll fix it for you my son Paul here can do it and it won't cost your father. It's worth our trouble in the experience Paul will get but promise me this that you will never put silver over an open fire again. Oh I won't Mr. Revere I swear I won't. I just did it because I was in a hurry to melt some butter for Mrs. Hutchison's hot milk. Hot milk? Oh now what is it? Oh I must run now I've left the milk on the fire it'll all be boiled away. Paul Revere was only 19 when his father died but that was old enough in those days for a youth to be a man and to take over as head of the household. The household was an extensive one Paul's mother the oldest child Deborah a grown woman of 22 not yet married Paul 19 and Francis a year younger and then Thomas who would be a silversmith like Paul and John two little girls of 12 and 13 Mary and Betty made up the rest of this brood that Paul would now have to support. He worked hard and the rich merchants and ship owners spent like kings in those days when their trade largely with the Indies was good. Paul could often pay the rent by the work of his own hands a thimble for the wife of the landlord or rings for the daughters. Long before Paul was born and for 30 years afterwards one French war followed another so fast there were few intervals of peace forays of French and Indians struck down into the heart of New England again and again the infuriated New Englanders sometimes with the support of the other English colonies in the mother country and sometimes without carried the offensive against the strongholds of the French. Over here there were many names for this struggle King Williams war Queen Anne's King George's the old French war and the final phase best known as the seven years war. The sum total of them all is the French and Indian wars. Paul Revere felt these rumblings strongly in two years after his father died turned his domestic responsibilities over to his brothers and went to war. Why must you go? You have responsibilities you have a home to keep together. And what man who goes to war doesn't have responsibilities? What soldier doesn't have a home? You're so young Paul. They need young man mother but it's very simple. Colonel Washington was in Boston yesterday. He's that young Virginia colonel who took over when General Braddock was killed. Yes the shops were buzzing with news of his arrival. Yes well it's been decided that this summer's attack should be against the French held forts of Crown Point and Ticonderoga. But that's so far away. Mother you don't understand. You see Massachusetts is exposed to massacre from Canada as long as the French hold these forts. Well now the Massachusetts general court has authorized the raising of 3,500 men. 30. Mother it won't be hard to find that many of us will fight to save our own homes. And to you Paul Revere I give this commission a second lieutenant in the artillery train. Because it has been deemed that your courage loyalty and conduct deserves special trust. You are listening to the proudly we hail production of Bride to Glory will return to our story in just a moment. Here's an opportunity for you young women of America an opportunity to get in step with the smartest. Today the rapidly expanding women's Army Corps proud newcomer on the team of defense needs qualified young women between the ages of 18 and 34. This is your chance to do an important job. The pay is good with excellent prospect of rapid advancement. Why not check with your local United States Army and United States Air Force recruiting station today. You'll find that it's easy to get in step with these proud American women who are serving their country in the women's Army Corps. You are listening to proudly we hail. And now we present the second act of ride to glory here like the others was enlisted for not more than one year. He was issued a lamp kettle a bowl of platter and two spoons. He brought his gun with him. So he was given a bounty. But his powder horn bullet pouch blanket and knapsack were supplied by the colony. Most days men had no bayonets but carried hatchets in their belts. Now uniforms that is when they had any were blue coats with either blue or scarlet britches. The wages as they called it was one pound six shillings a month for a private. But Paul as an artillery lieutenant got five pounds six and eight. This was pretty good money. Paul's house and shop rent was only 16 pounds a year. The noises of Boston must have sounded wonderful to Paul Revere when his little band of thin battle weary troops marched back into Boston. The shouting of the stevedores at the wharves must have sounded warm and friendly after the cold mountains of the north. The calls of the little chimney sweeps or the fish peddlers with their tin horns and the watch by night. The first night Paul slept in his own bed again. But after Paul had settled down again and married seri or Boston started to hear other sounds the rumblings of trouble. Quebec has fallen the war's over. Why does England keep 10,000 men over here? Old England sends 10,000 men here and New England keeps them. If the king wants to search my ships let him come himself into it. I won't submit to any other customs collector. I know nothing about such things but I heard John say that in 30 or 50 years the colonies might be able to form a state by themselves entirely independent of old England. Have you heard old Thomas Hancock died and left all his estate to that adopted nephew of his, John Hancock. And from what I hear that money be used for the plots of the sons of liberty. Young John Hancock and Sam Adams are as thick as bees and hive. You're right. The Whig parties had brains, organization, manpower, enthusiasm but they lacked cash. Now Sam Adams will write the letters and John Hancock will pay the postage. Paul Revere heard these rumblings, heard them in the many clubs he belonged to. In a day when class lines were strictly drawn he was a curious person. He was extremely popular with his own class, the workmen and artisans, and he was popular with the upper class of Boston. Some say that Sam Adams took advantage of Paul's popularity and got him into exclusive clubs so that the Whig party would have liaison with the artisans. A hard-headed bunch to convince, much harder to rouse on the dock workers or even the farmers. Well whatever the reason Paul was in, in from the beginning. Gentlemen, gentlemen. Go on Sam, we're listening. Now maybe some of the men of Boston think we should be complacent. After all the stamp act was repealed and we have the custom officer's word that our ships will not be searched. His word? Since when is the word of parliament to be trusted? That's correct. And what was the stamp act compared with this new tyranny, the Townsend Act? It's like someone said in Philadelphia some weeks ago. Taxation without representation is tyranny. Gentlemen, gentlemen, what are we arguing about? We're all in agreement. Now let's go home and get some sleep. And remember, not a word, not even to your wives or your mothers about our little tea party for tomorrow. Oh Paul, Paul Revere, can you stay a moment? Why certainly Sam. Let's close the door. I trust few men these days. Glass of ale, Paul. Oh, no thank you. Well it's just as well. You will serve us better if the yins along your route hold no attraction for you. The yins along my route? I fail to understand you, Sam. Well it's part of a plan I've had for some time, Paul. It is imperative that we all hang together or as John said the other day, we'll all hang separately. But aren't we together? The man here tonight proved that. We are here in Boston and the patriots in Philadelphia are united and those in New York. But what we need now is for all the patriots everywhere in the colonies as far away as Virginia to be united. But how can that be done? By informing each other of our moves and our plans. We must know what's going on in Philadelphia and they must know what's going on in Boston. Oh yes, yes. Tomorrow when we dump the British tea into the Charles River there will be serious repercussions in Boston. The British will probably demand payment for the tea. Boston will be placed in siege. The help of the other patriots everywhere will be needed so that we won't have to give in to hunger. Yes, I understand all that, Sam. I haven't thought of it, but it makes good sense when you say it. But where do I come into these plans? I want you to help me organize committees of correspondence. Me? You and William Dawes are the best riders in Boston and you have horses. Yes. We will need at least a half dozen fast riders who can be trusted implicitly to carry news to the other colonies. I see. We will need men who are fearless and who love liberty. I'm flattered by what you say, Sam, but I'm a little confused. It's really quite simple. There should be no trouble in setting up these committees of correspondence. You will have to arrange to have fresh horses stationed along the route. No, no, no. I don't mean that, Sam. I agree. It'll be an easy matter to organize once we find the right men. Now what I'm confused about is where will it all end? What are we destined for? Well, that troubles us all, my friend. Where it will end is something that makes us shudder at night sometimes. It might mean war. With brother, pit it against brother. This is a horrible responsibility for us who are stirring up resentment against tyranny. But whatever we're destined for, maybe even ignominious defeat, we must believe in what we're doing. You and I do Paul and the great many other sons of liberty. Perhaps, although it sounds pompous and conceited, perhaps we're even destined for greatness. The Boston Tea Party, planned by Sam Adams and carried out by the sons of liberty, brought things to a head in that stronghold of the revolution. Paul Revere rode that night to give the news to Lexington and New York, the news that 342 chests of tea valued at 18,000 pounds had been dumped into the water. Boston was put under military rule. The town fathers refused to pay the bill and the Redcoats had orders to stay until the bill was paid. The other colonies smuggled in food and money for the besieged Bostonians. The committees of correspondence began functioning with Paul Revere and William Dawes riding out of Boston as far away as Philadelphia, averaging 65 miles a day to spread the news of the 10,000 troops that were filling Boston homes and marching through Boston streets. Yes, Boston had trouble those two years, but so did the British troops. General Gage even had trouble with his officers. But I tell you gentlemen, there is no point in stirring up more resentment with these people. Stirring up resentment? Who cares about these rebels? What about your own men? He's right, General. These men have been stationed in these cramped streets for two years. You know yourself that they're deserting by the dozen. Every single day we have nothing for them to do. An army has to march. These men have fight us. They are not content to huddle together in this compound with nothing to do when nobody will even speak to them. What would you have me do? Turn them loose and let them shoot up and down the countryside? Their work and ours is cut out for them. You know well that the rebels have been storing up arms and ammunition. They're stealing it from us and they're manufacturing it. Our spies have told us where much of it is hidden. It waits there for us to march in and take it. We'll burn their powder factories and take their muskets away from them. Maybe then they'll learn that you can't make fools of the British army. I suppose everything you will say is true. Of course it is. Our course is clear. Perhaps I will go down in history as one of the most cowardly, procrastinating generals the British army ever had. But gentlemen I think you and yes parliament too underrate these rebels. I believe they mean to gain their freedom and what we do will antagonize them and unite them as our inaction never will. These people don't know what they want but we all know what our troops want. Let's give it to them. Give them some action. It's a difficult decision to make gentlemen. A decision that might mean a total war. But I respect your judgment of our men. Very well. We'll investigate this report of the biggest hidden store of arms and powder. We leave for Lexington in three days. I've called you here Paul and you Dawes to ask you if you can forget everything else for a few weeks and work for the colonies exclusively. You mean because of the British manoeuvres? Oh and you've heard about it too. Everybody in Boston seems to know about it. The troops ability in our houses. It's simple to see they're getting new equipment and training for a march. As even my son told me that one of the soldiers who's having a ring made wouldn't be able to get it until he got back from that march. Well we have found out that they're going to Lexington. Yeah then Lexington must be worn. Yes Dawes, Lexington and all the rest of the colonies. Now you and Paul will carry the news to Lexington and conquer. Shall we go on to New York and Philadelphia? No. Let another member of the committee go on to New York and then a New York member go on to Philadelphia. Tell the riders to return to their own towns for the next assignment as soon as they can. Sam how are the British going to Lexington? Well we haven't been able to find that out as yet. Perhaps we won't know until the last minute. They may march from here, they may go up the river. That's why I want you two here. I see. If we don't find out until they start and I assume they'll start after dark, then you two will have to ride through the night and warn the farmers and the villagers and the townspeople. We'll warn them Sam and they'll stand and fight if necessary. May God ride with you Paul. Listen my children and you shall hear of the midnight ride of Paul Revere. On the 18th of April in 75 hardly a man is now alive who remembers that famous day and year. He said to his friend if the British march by land or sea from the town tonight hang a lantern aloft in the belfry arch of the north church tower as a signal light. One if by land and two if by sea and I on the opposite shore will be ready to ride and spread real arm through every middle sex village and farm for the country folk to be up and to arm and low as he looks on the belfry height a glimmer and then a gleam of light. He springs to the saddle the bridle he turns but lingers and gazes till full on his sight a second lamp in the belfry burns a hurry of hooves in a village street a shape in the moonlight a bulk in the dark and beneath from the pebbles in passing a spark struck out by a steed flying fearless and fleet that was all and yet through the gloom and the light the fate of a nation was riding that night and the spark struck out by that steed in his flight kindled the land into flame with its heat so through the night road Paul revere and so through the night when his cry of alarm to every middle sex village and farm a cry of defiance and utter fear a voice in the darkness a knock at the door and a word that shall echo forevermore or born on the night wind of the past through all our history to the last in the hour of darkness and peril at need the people will waken and listen to hear the hurrying hoof beats of that steed and the midnight message of Paul revere woman how about your future does it include an interesting and important job a job that will take you to the exciting places of the world places where tomorrow's history is being made today right now young women like yourself are urgently needed to serve their country in the women's Army Corps here's your opportunity to secure your future go to your nearest United States Army and United States Air Force recruiting station and get all the facts today this has been another program on proudly we hail presented transcribed in cooperation with this station by the United States Army and United States Air Force recruiting service this program featured a cast of outstanding players this is Kenneth banghardt speaking and inviting you to tune in the same station next week for another interesting story on proudly we hail