We all know the legendary story of Paul Revere, and his midnight ride through the Boston countryside warning of British Invasion.  Thanks to the silversmith’s midnight ride, the nascent colonial militia was able to transform into a formidable threat, driving the British into retreat and setting the stage for a new nation.

But did you know that there is some evidence that Paul stopped by the home of distiller and friend, Isaac Hall, in Medford, and to have a drink or two?  Medford was a center of rum production at the time, and the Hall family distillery was a prominent local business.  In a postwar letter, Revere mentions a later stop where he “refreshed” himself.  Our favorite rider was known to spend a good amount of his free time in pubs, so his contemporaries understood what he meant by “refreshing.”  While not a planned stop, it's reasonable to believe Revere would have been offered rum, a common drink then, to fortify him for the long ride.  A little "liquid courage" for the journey...

Glad he was able to focus enough to see one lantern or two...