The Red Coats Are Coming

Black and red text around a red, white and black bulls eye on a white background

“The Redcoats are coming!” is a phrase often attributed to Paul Revere during his Midnight Ride to alert the colonial militia of the British, effectively starting the American Revolutionary War. Revere was a silversmith in Boston who supported colonial independence from Britain. He was part of an intelligence gathering and alarm system to report on British movement in the colonies. On the night of April 18, 1775, he and some 40 others rode throughout the area to warn of the British plans to secure munitions from Lexiton and Concord. Revere’s ride almost cost him his life while he was captured with other suspected rebels, but was able to escape and continue his journey. His exact phrase of his warning has been debated, he may have said “The Regulars are coming!”, “Redcoats,” or “King’s men.” He did not use the phrase, “The British are coming!” This phrase has become popular in the lore around Revere’s ride but he would not have used it since many of the colonists considered themselves to be British.