The Midnight Ride of Israel Bissell

History will be what it is taught to be. Who decides who gets notoriety? American history is filled with omissions and false information that many interpret as truth. Michel Foucault comes to mind when discussing these falsehoods. Foucault mentions the idea of “authorship,” that no one is truly an individual and there is no original work. One aspect of authorship is that an author is assigned for legal reasons such as copy right. History is filled with certain individuals that are given credit in history for the legality of it, not the significance.
Most history books discuss the American Revolution and key players in the success of the American colonist. The start of the American Revolution began when the British (Red Coats) were drawing near the Massachusetts shore. Paul Revere is noted as being the man that warned the American colonist that the British were coming.
The role Paul Revere as the messenger in the battles of Lexington and Concord is considered common knowledge. However this is not complete truth. Revere’s role was not popular until after his death. In the poem Paul Revere’s Ride by Henry Ladsworth Longfellow, written 40 years after Revere’s death, Longfellow credits Revere with the ride from Boston to Philadelphia. Many historians and history book believe this to be true and Israel Bissell is not mentioned at all,
Israel Bissell was a post rider who also alerted the American colonist that the British were coming. Bissell covered the 365 mile journey four over four days with his warning. However, Bissell is rarely mentioned or seen in many history books. Unlike Revere, Bissell received much recognition during his life and was featured in newspaper articles. Revere only rode in Concord and did not make the complete journey to Lexington. The reasoning behind giving Revere the credit for the ride is that Longfellow thought more rhymed with Paul Revere than Israel Bissell.

'Tis all very well for the children to hear
Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere;
But why should my name be quite forgot,
Who rode as boldly and well, God wot?
Why should I ask? The reason is clear—
My name was Dawes and his Revere.

Furthermore, the rides of Paul Revere and Israel Bissell are journeys that many others took that night but there names have fallen into obscurity.
As a result of the significance of the poem, fiction was transformed into fact and new history created. The copy right and the mass production of the poem allowed it to become history. In effect to the poem, a respected author was established. The name Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s name has significance. His name is published in history books and his false poem is regurgitated to youths as truth. He was not original he just happened to become popular.