The Court-Martial of Paul Revere

October 13, 2014
Greenburg (The Mad Bomber of New York) tackles the life of Revolutionary War hero Paul Revere, aiming to put Revere's immortalized midnight ride in the context of the rest of his life and revolutionary war experience. The result takes readers to pre-Revolutionary War Boston and the events that set the stage for the conflict itself, including lesser known events to which Revere had a connection such as the "Horrid Massacre" of 1770 in which five Bostonians were killed by British soldiers. In response to the massacre, Revere crafted an "inflammatoryâand generally inaccurateâdepiction of the event," entitled the "Bloody Massacre," that raised the revolutionary fever throughout Boston. But Greenburg's emphasis is on Revere's performance in a largely forgotten military expedition to drive the British from Maine. During the expedition, which ended in a demoralizing and criticized loss, Revere's questionable actions resulted in his court-martial. Revere was charged with refusing direct orders and leaving the battle without an order to do so. Although Revere was acquitted, his reputation among contemporaries was damaged and readers interested in a realist school of history will find Greenburg's effort enlightening.