Paul Revere is famous for his ride in April of 1775 to warn Samuel Adams and John Hancock that the British were coming. But his hero status did not occur until 1861 when Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote the poem, “Midnight Ride.” In fact, Revere’s military career ended after he headed 44 naval ships to fight at Castine, Maine. The Penobscot Expedition was considered the worst navy defeat until Pearl Harbor. But Revere was a very successful silversmith and owned an iron foundry. He was laid to rest in the Granary Burying Grounds in 1818. Nearby are the graves of Samuel Adams (died 1803) and John Hancock (died 1793).
