Paul Revere Never Said 'The British Are Coming!' Here's What Really Happened

Mon, 09 Mar 2026 10:12:40 +0000

What Really Happened That Night

On the evening of April 18, 1775, Paul Revere received word that British troops were preparing to march from Boston to Lexington and Concord to arrest colonial leaders and seize weapons. But almost everything Americans think they know about his famous ride is wrong.

First, Revere didn’t shout ‘The British are coming!’ That phrase would have made no sense in 1775, when colonists still considered themselves British subjects. Instead, Revere warned that ‘The Regulars are coming out!’—referring to the British regular army troops.

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Paul Revere Never Said 'The British Are Coming!' Here's What Really Happened

What Really Happened That Night