Myth 4:
Paul Revere’s first midnight ride was to Lexington and Concord.  

THE TRUTH: On December 13, 1774, four months before his famous Massachusetts alarm, Paul Revere galloped into Portsmouth. The British were coming, he warned, to take all the gunpowder and ammunition away from the colonists. Roused to action, 400 local citizens stormed FortWilliam and Mary in nearby New Castle. Shots were fired, but they were not heard round the world. Six soldiers on duty quickly surrendered. Patriots stole the gunpowder from the King’s royal armory. It was later used at Bunker Hill, in a battle where New Hampshire men outnumbered those from every other state.  

LEARN MORE: Located off scenic RouteIA in New Castle next to the Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse, FortWilliam and Mary is now called FortConstitution. Although modernized during the Civil War with brick and granite walls, the ruins remain open free to the public. Stepping inside the gated entrance, visitors can easily picture one of the earliest – and still unsung – battles for American Independence. While you’re there, be sure to check for days in which the Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse is open for tours.  Visit Friends of the lighthouse.    

(c) 2011 by J. Dennis Robinson on SeaocastNH.com, all rights reserved. Robinson is editor of the popular regional web site SeacoastNH.com. and author of books on Wentworth by the Sea Hotel, Strawbery Banke other other history topics.