I alarmed almost every house till I got to Lexington. —Paul Revere, Panel 4, 1954, Inscription: No 4 THE NIGHT RIDER, Jacob Lawrence, from Struggle: From the History of the American People, 1954–56, Private collection, © 2019 The Jacob and Gwendolyn Knight Lawrence Foundation, Seattle / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.
In 1931, American artist Grant Wood based his graceful, aerial, and panoramic Midnight Ride of Paul Revere on the popular and historically inaccurate 1860 poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Lawrence's panel hinges on Revere's own recollection of his dramatic arrival in Charlestown where fellow Sons of Liberty provided him with a horse for his legendary ride and emphasizes the sheer physical force of bodies and movement.
In 1798, Paul Revere recalled his harrowing midnight ride through British enemy lines on April 18, 1775, in this letter to clergyman and historian Jeremy Belknap. Lawrence excerpted from this letter for the title caption to Panel 4.
Excerpt of Letter from Paul Revere to Jeremy Belknap, about 1798, Massachusetts Historical Society
In Medford, I awaked the Captain of the Minute men; & after that, I alarmed almost every House, till I got to Lexington. I found Mrs. Messrs. Hancock & Adams at the Rev. Mr. Clark's; I told them my errand, and inquired for Mr. Daws; they said he had not been there; I related the story of the two officers, & supposed that He must have been stopped, as he ought to have been there before me. After I had been there about half an Hour, Mr. Daws came; after we refreshid our selves, we and set off for Concord