Paul Revere's Forgotten Document Rescue: How Government Records Helped Win the American Revolution

On April 18, 1775, Paul Revere not only made his famous midnight ride but also heroically rescued a trunk of patriot documents from a Lexington tavern, carrying it across the village green as British soldiers advanced. The trunk, left by John Hancock, contained the innermost secrets of the rebel cause. This act underscores that the Revolution was won not only on the battlefield but also through the safeguarding of government paperwork. The article explores the fierce contest over records during the war, including the seizure of Colonial-era documents in Savannah by the Georgia Provincial Congress in January 1776, the loss and recovery of Newport, Rhode Island's town records after British occupation, and the role of Charles Thomson as secretary of the Continental Congress. George Washington also recognized the importance of his papers, ordering specialty trunks and sending word to secure them. The recovery of Newport's records in 1782, aided by loyalists under a flag of truce, highlights the enduring value of such materials.