Episode 663 Show Notes- The Other Midnight Rider: William Dawes and the Ride History Forgot
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Episode Description
In this episode of America’s Founding Series on The P.A.S. Report Podcast, Professor Nick Giordano tells the gripping story of William Dawes, the other midnight rider who risked everything to warn of the British advance on April 18, 1775. While Paul Revere became a household name, Dawes took an equally dangerous route through British checkpoints, without fanfare, poetry, or recognition. Discover why his name faded into obscurity, the truth behind what was really said that night, and how the Revolution was carried on the backs of ordinary patriots who made extraordinary sacrifices.
Episode Highlights:
- The daring and overlooked midnight ride of William Dawes through Boston Neck
- Why Revere became a legend and Dawes became a historical footnote
- How everyday patriots like Dawes helped ignite the American Revolution without seeking fame
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The Other Midnight Rider: William Dawes and the Ride History Forgot
00:52 An Unsung Hero: William Dawes
01:40 The Midnight Ride: Context and Significance
05:08 Dawes’ Journey: The Risks and Challenges
07:34 The Forgotten Legacy: Why History Overlooks Dawes
09:05 The Relay of Courage: Dawes, Revere, and Prescott
10:21 A Life of Service: Dawes Beyond the Midnight Ride
11:47 The Legacy of Ordinary Heroes: A Call to Remember
The Other Midnight Rider: Why William Dawes Deserves to Be Remembered
When most Americans hear the words “midnight ride,” they instantly think of Paul Revere galloping through the night, warning, “The Regulars are coming!” But what if that legendary moment wasn’t a solo act? What if Revere had a partner, someone who took an equally dangerous route, played an equally critical role, and yet remains almost entirely forgotten?
This week on America’s Founding Series at The P.A.S. Report, I tell the story of William Dawes, the other midnight rider whose courage helped spark the American Revolution.
While Revere crossed the Charles River and galloped through Charlestown, Dawes took the longer, riskier land route through the heavily guarded Boston Neck. With an official pass and nerves of steel, he slipped past British checkpoints, winding his way through Roxbury, Brookline, and Cambridge. His mission was to alert John Hancock and Samuel Adams that the British were marching to arrest them and ignite the Patriot alarm system.
Dawes arrived in Lexington just 30 minutes after Revere. Together, they warned the rebel leaders and ensured that militias across the region would be ready. Their timing was perfect. Their courage was equal. However, only one became immortalized in a poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
Why has history forgotten William Dawes? The answer lies not in what he did, but in who told the story afterward. Revere left written accounts. Longfellow gave us a stirring verse. Dawes left no narrative behind—and so history moved on without him.
But here at The P.A.S. Report, we refuse to let the contributions of forgotten patriots fade away. William Dawes didn’t chase glory—he chased liberty. And thanks to his ride, the American Revolution had the warning shot it needed to begin.
👉 Listen to the full episode to hear Dawes’s incredible journey, the obstacles he faced, and why it’s time he took his rightful place among the founding heroes of our nation.
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