Listen up, my little ones, and stop to let William Dawes’ midnight ride pass by.

Okay, so Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was aware that he could make “hear” and “Revere” rhyme better, but as a result of his well-known song from “Tales of a Wayside Inn,” William Dawes, Paul Revere’s fellow rider, is mostly forgotten to most Americans. Why don’t we give Dawes three cheers on this Patriots Day?

Robert Newman, the Old North Church’s sexton, was the catalyst for their historic trip. On the night of April 18, 1775, he ascended the steeple to hang two lamps.

The British were on the march to Lexington looking for prominent revolutionaries, especially John Hancock and Samuel Adams, as indicated by the lanterns. In order to alert their fellow patriots, Revere and Dawes headed to Lexington after the lamps were strung. They were detained by the British as they traveled to their next destination, Concord. Dawes managed to escape, whereas Revere was subsequently and more famously freed on foot. It’s possible that the former’s stealthy abilities helped him on his voyage but not so much in history books.

On their way to Concord, the British encountered little opposition, but the 70 Minutemen who waited at Lexington on April 19 morning would eventually prove to be skilled combatants. When the colonists at Lexington saw the overwhelming number of redcoats, they had the good judgment to disperse. However, not before one of their own, or perhaps a British soldier, fired the shot that would become famous, the war was officially underway.

The battleground is currently Minute Man National Historical Park, which was created in 1959. In the 1960s, the park service purchased and demolished a large number of contemporary buildings while restoring the fields and orchards. Lincoln, Lexington, and Concord are home to the park’s 1,038 acres.

Only two states still commemorate this significant event in American history: Maine and Massachusetts. Naturally, Massachusetts observes the holiday more overtly than Maine: it holds readings and reenactments and hosts the renowned Boston Marathon. Maine observes it more subtly but no less patriotically.

And the remaining states? They may not have observed this significant day in their histories as much because their pupils are on holiday this week. A more widespread initiative to read Longfellow’s poem by persons donning tricorn hats wouldn’t harm anyone, though. Possibly the only exception is Dawes.

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