on fellow ous ulletin Volume No. A Newsletter of the Friends of the Longfellow House and the National Park Service December New Research on “Paul Revere’s Ride” Marks the Poem’s 15 th Anniversary ust in time for the sesquicentennial of the event, a reprinting of his letter to JHenry W. Longfellow’s “Paul Revere’s the Massachusetts Historical Society, in an Ride,” Boston historian Charles Bahne has issue of New England Magazine. When uncovered several lost stanzas of the classic Longfellow was a twenty-five-year-old pro- poem and makes a solid case that the poet fessor of modern languages at Bowdoin had read Revere’s actual account of the College, Part V of his serialized essay enti- events prior to composing his epic verse. tled “The Schoolmaster” appeared in that In a paper entitled “Paul Revere’s Ride same October issue. In his later years, Revisited,” Bahne carefully reconstructs the Longfellow in two separate letters referred history of Longfellow’s idea to write the to Revere’s account in New England Magazine poetic saga, the process of composing the as his inspiration for the poem. piece, and the variations in the text when it But it was almost three decades later, as was printed in a number of nineteenth-cen- the country headed towards civil war, that tury publications and books. Bahne con- Longfellow began his own version of the ducted extensive research using the Long- historic day Revere described, and set about fellow House archives, Harvard University’s Print produced for the Revere Copper Co., creating his mythic Revolutionary hero. An Houghton Library, and Boston city direc- Bahne concluded that Longfellow had ardent abolitionist, Longfellow put pencil tories in the Boston Public Library plus learned of the true story of Paul Revere’s to paper for “Paul Revere’s Ride” in April many other sources and collections. ride from reading Revere’s own report of (continued on page ) Longfellow House Remembers Senator Edward Kennedy n August , , the Longfellow Revere’.... She felt, and how right she was, nedy, passed away, members of the family ONational Historic Site lost one of its that Longfellow’s poem was a wonderful way paid a visit to the House because of its dearest friends and most ardent support- for her children to learn about poetry and importance to her. At other times Ted ers. From childhood through his later years, history at the same time. That early expo- Kennedy stopped by the House with his Edward M. (Ted Kennedy appreciated sure to our nation’s history and literature nephews, nieces, and various relatives. Longfellow’s poetry and cherished the his- had ... an immeasurable impact on my life....” In the U.S. Senate, Kennedy played a key toric house in which the poet had lived. When his mother, Rose Fitzgerald Ken- role in placing the House under the auspices As a child, Kennedy learned to of the National Park Service. In recite Longfellow’s poems by heart. the Longfellow House Trust “I remember my mother and her donated the House with all its insatiable interest in history, litera- furnishings, objects, library, and ture, and the arts,” he said in family papers to the NPS. Senator at the thirtieth anniversary celebra- Kennedy along with U.S. Repre- tion of the National Park Service’s sentativeThomas P.(Tip O’Neill stewardship of the House. “And introduced the legislation to es- she took advantage of every oppor- tablish the Longfellow National tunity imaginable to teach and then Historic Site as part of the NPS. to quiz each of her nine children Kennedy understood the sig- about the things that she thought nificance of the House: “In so important. And one of my earliest many ways, this magnificent and memories was being required by treasured place that we call Long- my mother to memorize the poem, fellow House, is a window into ‘The Midnight Ride of Paul Senator Kennedy with NPS’s Jim Shea and Myra Harrison, (continued on page )
Friends of the Longfellow House Board of Directors Heather S. Moulton, President Barclay Henderson, Clerk Robert C. Mitchell, Treasurer Hope Cushing Diana Der-Hovanessian Edward Guleserian Sarah B. Jolliffe Linda Almgren Kime Laura Nash Elizabeth F. Potter Lynne Spencer Advisory Board Ruth Butler LeRoy Cragwell Diana Korzenik Richard Nylander Stephen D. Pratt Marilyn Richardson Marc Shell Charles Sullivan Lowell A. Warren Jr. Administrator J.L. Bell
Newsletter Committee Glenna Lang, Editor Writer & Designer James M. Shea
National Park Service Myra Harrison, Superintendent James M. Shea, Museum Manager Lauren Downing Administrative Officer Nancy Jones, Education andVisitor Services Anita Israel, Archives Specialist David Daly, Collections Manager Lauren Malcolm, MuseumTechnician Flo Smith, Management Assistant Liza Stearns, Education Specialist Scott Fletcher Facility Manager
Printed by Newprint Offset, Waltham, Mass.
All images are from the Longfellow National Historic Site collections unless noted otherwise. The poet’s grandson Harry Dana wrote this poem in and had a hundred copies printed as a Christmas card with an engraving by Reverend Samuel Miller. Dana submitted the poem to the NewYorker for publication, but they rejected it.
Interview wit a Friend…Meet Charles Bahne, ublic Historian For thirty years Charles Bahne has re- living, working, shopping, traveling through, Park Service – who felt you should tell the searched and conducted historic tours usu- and there are sights like the scene of the truth. If there is a myth, try to dissuade ally related to the American Revolution. He Boston Massacre or Paul Revere’s House. people. The costumed storytellers – actors has worked for a variety of organizations Places that I heard about a thousand miles in many cases – often lead tours that go in the Boston area and has written a popu- away in eighth grade are still here.You come with the myth and milk it for all they can lar guidebook, The Complete Guide to Boston's across them by accident as opposed to hav- make of it. They are becoming a greater Freedom Trail. Out of enthusiasm and with a ing to make a pilgrimage. Longfellow’s and greater share of the market. concern for accuracy, he conveys history to House is similar. It’s in a neighborhood. LH: What are the advantages of work- tourists and the general public. People live across the street and next door. ing as a tour guide? Longfellow House: How did you LH:What in particular led you to study CB: I enjoy working with people, the become interested in leading historic tours? Longfellow and “Paul Revere’s Ride?” people contact, and the direct interpreta- Charles Bahne: My college training was CB: I had worked with the Paul Revere tion. Every opportunity for advancement in urban studies and planning at MIT in the House and the Old North Church. Old involved getting away from that. I didn’t early s. At that time in Boston there was want to become a supervisor. And I get to a lot of work in planning for the huge crowds be in beautiful areas of our country, out- of tourists that were going to come for the doors much of the time, with beautiful Bicentennial in ’ and ’. I started working weather, meeting constant groups of peo- in planning for tourism – writing guide- ple. You always get the person who has a books and working in museums. By the time new question: “When I was over in Eng- I graduated, there were no jobs in planning. land I went to General Gage’s house, and I was idealistic. I drove a cab, and then I they told a different story than what we’re started volunteering in various socially wor- hearing here in Boston.” How do I recon- thy projects, a couple of nonprofits, child- cile what this person has told me with what care, things like that. I really had become the history books say? interested in history doing a class project LH: How do you try to reach kids? about Paul Revere and his view of the CB: I try to talk about what it was like Boston Massacre. A few years later, I saw an to be in school back then. The fact that the ad for volunteers for Boston By Foot, a students on the morning of April th, walking tour group. Then I worked for a some of them had to cross the line where while at the Museum of Transportation, the British soldiers were lined up ready to the Old State House, and the National march to Lexington.They had to go around Park Service in Boston. That got me inter- North approached me to do a booklet them. Or the incident when the soldiers ested in Boston’s role in the American Rev- (which didn’t happen , but one of the were camped on the Boston Common and olution. I wrote a book on the Freedom things I wanted to do for it was reprint the wouldn’t let children sled on their favorite Trail and worked as a free-lance tour guide. poem. I had noticed in publications of the sledding hill. They protested and went to I started working with Elderhostel, now poem that there were slight variations, so I General Gage or one of the other junior called Exploritas, doing programs on the thought I should get the official version. officers and got the policy reversed. The American Revolution, which I still do. Between the Web and various libraries, I general said the soldiers had to move their LH: When did you first become ac- started comparing the text of the poems camps so the kids could keep going sled- quainted with historic Boston? and noticed many differences. At some ding. I try to talk about things like that, and CB: When I was in eighth grade in Indi- point I thought, why don’t I try to track that the first fatal casualty of the American ana, the photo on the cover of my history down the manuscript? The big discovery Revolution was an eleven-year-old boy, textbook was the statue of Paul Revere in was that the manuscript in many ways does- Christopher Snyder. the North End with the steeple of the Old n’t match any of the versions. LH: What do you think about requiring North church in the background. You’d LH: As a tour guide what is your mission? certification for tour guides of public tours? look at that picture every time you’d read CB: To try to figure out what the truth CB: We’re in America, and there’s free- your history. Five years later I came to MIT. is. My research has indicated that the dom of speech. Who would administer Some other freshmen and I decided to go American Revolution was not just Revere that kind of test?Which version of history exploring in Boston, looking for the Hay- and Samuel Adams and John Hancock. It would you be required to tell? If you had market. It was late in the day, and we got involved a lot of people. It was a seed that to tell things in a certain way, Longfellow lost. I still remember walking up Hanover was planted fifteen years earlier – before would not have been able to write his “Paul Street and saying, “Oh, there’s that statue Lexington and Concord, with James Otis Revere’s Ride.” Even though he didn’t put and that church that were on my textbook.” and the Writs of Assistance … and earlier it in the poem, he remembered years later One of the things that always struck me feelings of self government.These are some what really happened. It’s clear that, as a about Boston is this is not a theme park. of the issues I try to talk about. storyteller, he wanted the better story. You don’t pay admission to go in, like Dis- I had an academic background, and I Longfellow would have been able to pass neyland or Williamsburg or Sturbridge. started with reputable organizations – the tour guides’ exam, but he would never Instead you’ve got a city where people are Boston By Foot, the Bostonian Society, the have been able to write the poem. New Research on “Paul Revere’s Ride” Marks the Poem’s 15 th Anniversary (continued from page ) facts, employing poetic license to craft a .The Supreme Court had recently ruled more compelling and symbolic tale. in the Dred Scott case that blacks were not “In his published account of his own U.S. citizens and that slaveholders could ride” writes Bahne, “Paul Revere doesn’t take slaves into free states. Militant aboli- place himself ‘on the opposite shore’ in tionist John Brown and two of the black Charlestown, viewing lantern signals. That members of his band had just been hanged. is Longfellow’s own invention. It makes for “The common a much simpler wisdom,” Bahne story. In real life, says, “is that Long- Revere was using fellow wrote ‘Paul the lanterns’ sig- Revere’s Ride’ as a nals as a backup, in call to arms. Just as case he himself was Revere had warned unsuccessful in get- the countryside on ting out of town the eve of the Rev- with the news of olutionary War, so the regulars’ march. Print produced for the Revere Copper Co., Henry Longfellow That part of the Harper’sWeekly picked up the poem in its June warned the nation J.W. Enninger illustration for Longfellow's poem, story was too com- , issue. “From that time on, ‘Paul on the eve of the Civil War.” Although he plicated for Longfellow. So the poet Revere’s Ride’ was continuously in print, as hated war, Longfellow supported war as changed things around.”Thus some of the part of compilations of the poet’s works, necessary to stopping the evil of slavery. poems most famous lines demonstrate through Longfellow’s death in and well At dinner on April , , Longfellow Longfellow’s alteration of events for artis- into the twentieth century,” Bahne states. brought up the topic of Revere’s ride with tic purposes, such as “One, if by land, and Among these many printings of the his friend George Sumner, a political econ- two, if by sea; …” poem, one finds small vari- omist, writer, and brother of Charles.The The poem initially ations in text and punctua- next day the two men forayed into Boston’s appeared on the front tion. The most noteworthy North End and visited the Old North page of the Boston Evening change was the addition of Church where the warning lanterns had Transcript on December the name of the church, the hung. On April the poet began his verses. , , as a kind of pre- Old North Church. Longfellow completed the poem six publication announce- At Houghton Library, months later. “Finished October , ,” ment, says Bahne. The Bahne closely examined he noted in his elongated handwriting on January issue of the Longfellow’s original man- the last page of the manuscript. Atlantic Monthly came out uscript, written in pencil Although Longfellow learned the his- a few days later with the with insertions and erasures torical information about the ride from “first publication” of the over time, as indicated by Paul Revere, he chose to ignore certain poem, but both instances different penmanship and left out six lines. “Per- line weights.Tohis surprise, haps I accidently omit- he discovered fourteen lines HenryW. Longfellow’s journal, ted them in copying for near the end of the poem pril , : the press,”the poet wrote written in the poet’s hand “Geo. Sumner at dinner. Proposes an expe- to his friend and pub- From Tales of a Wayside Inn, and never published in any dition tomorrow to the North End or old lisher James T. Fields, who took on many version. They refer to a legendary hunter town of Boston.” editorial tasks. Fields agreed with Longfel- who fired away at the Redcoats “with pril , : low’s explanation of the omission. deadly effect” as they marched back to “Go with Sumner to Mr. Harris of the “Paul Revere’s Ride” made its way into Boston. Instead, nine lines, which Bahne North End who acts as our guide through Longfellow’s Tales of aWayside Inn, a collec- believes were written by someone at the the ‘Little Britain’ of Boston. Go to Copp’s tion of stories in verse narrated by seven Atlantic Monthly, replaced these. He hopes to Hill Burial ground – see the tombs of Cot- colorful storytellers. Ticknor and Fields ascertain this soon by combing through ton Mather his father and his son –then to restored the six missing lines and printed documents in the Atlantic archives. the Old North Church looking like a , copies of the book on November , Parish Church in London. Climb the tower , with a second printing of , about to the chime of Bells; – now the home of two months later and an illustrated edition HenryW. Longfellow’s journal, innumerable pigeons. From this tower was in – all a testament to the volume’s pril , : hung two lanterns as a signal that the popular success. “Wrote a few lines of ‘Paul Revere's Ride’; British troops had left Boston for Concord.” Ticknor and Fields published the epic this being day of that achievement.” tale in their revised edition of The Poet- ical Works of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and Senator Kennedy Remembered (continued from page ) then-first-lady Hillary Rodham Clinton Paul Revere: the earliest days of our American history. when she visited the House as part of a Man versus Legend George Washington slept here during the national tour to “Save America’sTreasures,” American Revolution. And just steps from a program to raise funds for restoration of ongfellow took a relatively minor where we are now, Longfellow wrote his historic sites. He toured the House with her Lfigure in the American Revolution magnificent verses about life and our young and urged her to see not only the extensive named Paul Revere and crafted an epic nation, about family, about idealism and treasures and the site’s potential as a re- poem depicting a lone hero warning optimism.... And the sense of history all search center, but also the dangerous prox- the country of impending war.Written around us here is palpable. It reaches out to imity of these treasures to the furnace. as the nation headed towards civil war, all who come here, who walk through the Clinton expressed gratitude for Ken- the poem serves as a parable more con- gardens and the elegant and gracious halls.” nedy’s commitment to the Longfellow cerned with creating a legend and deliv- Throughout his forty-six years in the House and his role in getting her there. She ering a message to contemporary citi- Senate, Kennedy continued to work to pre- also acknowledged his leading role in zens than with historical accuracy. serve and improve the House and its archives. obtaining . million in federal funding for In actuality, both Revere and Wil- In , thanks to the efforts of Senators the House. “He didn’t just talk about off- liam Dawes set out as couriers but never Kennedy and John Kerry, the Longfellow sets and line items,” she asserted. “Instead, made it all the way to Concord. The National Historic Site received an annual he recited ‘Paul Revere’s Ride’ by memory.” British captured Revere and released increase in federal funding, helping to In Kennedy, together with Senator him without his horse in Lexington, ensure expert care and preservation for its Kerry and Congressman Michael Capuano, where he managed to alert Samuel textiles, historic books, was instrumental in ob- Adams and John Hancock about the photographs, and the taining Congressional impending attack. Samuel Prescott, other archival items, approval of funds to whom Revere and Dawes met along the and also allowing addi- renovate the carriage way, reached Concord with the warning. tional hours of opera- house. The money made Despite historians’ efforts to present tion. But the House it possible to transform factual information about Revere and itself remained in need it into a much-needed his ride, Longfellow’s myth persisted in of essential work. space for public events, the American psyche. Paintings, prints, Kennedy credited such as lectures, pro- illustrations, and even movies perpetu- author David McCul- grams for school groups, ated Longfellow’s legend. In his lough for taking “the and conferences. silent filmThomas Alva Edison immor- time to write me and Kennedy & Hillary Clinton, NPS th, On September , talized Longfellow’s version – except for bring to my attention the extraordinary , the National Park Service celebrated correctly portraying Revere crossing the parts of our heritage here in Longfellow its thirty years of overseeing the Longfel- Charles River with the aid of two row- House and what danger they were in, and low House. NPS Superintendent Myra ers and evading the first set of British the fact that they were at such serious risk, Harrison described Senator Kennedy as a troops on the road. and how important they were to our “long and constant friend”of the House. He The myth of Revere gradually per- national heritage and our national history.” brought the House’s needs to the attention meated popular culture. All across the On October , , Ted Kennedy of Congress “by competitively reciting ‘Paul country, towns and streets were re- announced that Congress had approved . Revere’s Ride’ with Senator Byrd, thus named for the Revolutionary messen- million dollars for a major restoration of engaging in the first senatorial Longfellow ger. Composers wrote everything from the Longfellow House and its carriage poetry slam,”Harrison quipped. two-step marches to classical works cel- house to help preserve the archives and col- Concluding the anniversary celebration, ebrating Revere. Businesses took the lections. As part of a months-long, behind- Kennedy remarked, “I think it is appropri- legendary patriot’s name: Paul Revere the-scenes effort to obtain the funding the ate that we take time out to celebrate a spe- Life Insurance Company and Revere senator had recited “Paul Revere’s Ride” to cial part of America’s history and tradi- Sugar Corporation. J. W. Enniger’s West Virginia Senator Robert Byrd, a his- tion….We are far more likely to understand s illustration of Revere became the tory buff and top Democrat on the Appro- the consequences of our actions if we vigor- logo for Spurr’s highest grade of cof- priations Committee. The senator had also ously pursue lifelong learning and a commit- fee. James E. Pepper used Revere’s name visited the House on a number of occa- ment to the timeless values of understand- and another illustration along with the sions to speak with the NPS staff and ing and respect.Washington and Longfellow motto “Born With the Republic” to assess the situation first hand. were giants in their time and examples for sell their whiskey. Tourists frequently “The Longfellow House is one of the our time. And I hope that America will never bought Revere-themed souvenir post- most extraordinary historical treasures in forget the legacy they left.” cards. One bicentennial postcard por- our country,” said Kennedy. “These funds Shortly before he died, as his last great trayed Revere on a galloping horse and will complete the work currently being car- effort on behalf the House,Ted Kennedy a woman calling after him, “Don’t stay ried out at the House, and ensure that it is introduced legislation in the Senate to out too late, Paul!” preserved for future generations.” rededicate the House to both Henry W. Two years later, Kennedy accompanied Longfellow and George Washington. Symposium on Integrated Anti-Slavery Activity HenryW. Longfellow’s letter to Charles nOctober , the National Park Service riage, a beacon for the rest of the nation. Sumner, referring to Sumner’s speech on and a coalition of historical organiza- Historians James Oliver Horton of O accepting Kansas as a slave-free state tions and universities hosted a symposium George Washington University and Lois E. June , : at Suffolk University called “Abolitionism Horton of George Mason University in Black andWhite:The Anti-Slavery Com- opened the symposium with an overview of “You have done your work fearlessly munity of Boston and Cambridge.” the anti-slavery movement. John Stauffer of faithfully fully! It was disagreeable but Spearheaded by the Longfellow NHS, Harvard University and Sandra Sandiford necessary and must remain as the great Boston African Young of Boston protest of Civilization against Barbarism American NHS College then dis- in this age.... Its great simplicity gives it and Boston NHP, cussed the signif- awful effect. In rhetoric you have surpassed this day-long se- icance of Massa- it before; in forcible array and arrangement ries of talks and chusetts senator of arguments never!” discussions con- Charles Sumner vened public his- and the black torians, teachers, and white aboli- academics and tionist commu- Longfellow House in the Media students to hear nity in greater Founding member and first president of leading scholars Boston. Other the Friends of the Longfellow House Dia- discuss the topic sessions looked na Korzenik has spent years thoroughly of slavery and the abolitionist movement. at anti-slavery music, abolitionism in pop- investigating and contemplating the life of Attracting an audience of almost , ular culture, and women in the movement. the poet’s wife, Frances (Fanny Appleton the symposium focused on abolitionism in David Blight of Yale University and Longfellow. Part of this work has just come nineteenth-century Massachusetts as an award-winning author of Race and Reunion: out as an article entitled “Face to Face: extensive integrated network including free The Civil War in American Memory and A Slave Fanny Appleton and the Old Man of the blacks, former slaves, white and black politi- No More:Two MenWho Escaped to Freedom pro- Mountain” in the Fall issue of Histor- cians, writers, artists, lawyers, ministers, and vided the closing address. ZoeTrodd of the ical New Hampshire published by the New singers. Together these reformers sought to University of North Carolina and Massa- Hampshire Historical Society. end slavery and realize America’s founding chusetts State Representative Byron Rush- With her family, the Appletons of Bos- ideals. They made Boston the first city to ing concluded the program with a discus- ton's Beacon Hill, then-fifteen-year-old desegregate public schools and transporta- sion of the relevance of slavery and Fanny traveled by horse-drawn coach to tion and to legally recognize interracial mar- anti-slavery today. Franconia Notch in the White Mountains. On July , , she drew two versions of a rock formation there known as “The Old Recent Visitors & Events at the House Man of the Mountain." Fanny was the first People from all walks of life have always come to the Longfellow House for cultural activities.Today non-geologist to sketch it, Korzenik asserts. the House continues to host numerous people and events.The following items represent only a small The essay explores the Appletons’ inter- portion of what has taken place here recently. est in the “Old Man” before it became a tourist attraction and sets Fanny's art in its On October , German journalists Franziska Trost (Kronen Zeitung , Robin context of lore, politics, geology, and Schwarzenbeck (Neue Zuercher Zeitung , Marianne Kolarik (Koelner Stadt-Anzeiger , printed imagery from the early history of Ulrike Passoth (Holiday & Lifestyle , Tina Uebel (HowTo Spend It! , Kerstin Decker this sight. These earliest surviving depic- (LeipzigerVolkszeitung , and Anika Hagemeier (Discover New England toured the House tions of the “Old Man” (see one below and archives for a special look at the German literary connections. are among Fanny’s many drawings that reside in the extensive archives at the In August the Japan Society of Boston celebrated the th anniversary of the Kyoto- Longfellow House. Boston sister-city program with a conference called “Guided by the Past: Historic Preservation in Kyoto and Boston.” Kyoto’s mayor Daisaku Kadokawa, Kyoto city officials Takao Shige,Tatsuya Ibusuki, Etsuko Murata, Harvard professor Andrew Gordon, and Aurelie Guyot of the Boston m ayor's office came to visit the House. Henry Longfellow’s great-great-granddaughters Lucy and Alice Knowles, sisters from South Carolina, traveled to attend a family wedding. After touring their ancestral home, they viewed family papers in the House archives and their grandmother’s home and father’s birthplace, now the Quaker Meeting House on Longfellow Park.Their great-grandmother was the poet’s daughter Anne Longfellow Thorp. Henry’s great- granddaughter FrankieWetherell, who lives nearby in Cambridge, accompanied them.
Paul Revere’s Tie to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s Family he close connection of his maternal whileWadsworth and Revere landed with Saltonstall was court-martialed, found Tgrandfather to Paul Revere may have the infantry and artillery and laid siege to guilty, and dismissed from service. inspired Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s the British fort. After almost two weeks, The Massachusetts General Court keen personal interest in the prosperous sil- Saltonstall had failed to launch a naval charged Revere with disobedience, unsol- versmith who served as a messenger in the attack in support of the dierlike behavior, and cow- colonists’ fight against the British. Revere, ground forces, and the ardice. Peleg Wadsworth an American officer during the Revolution- besieged British were able found fault with Revere aryWar, had fought under the command of to survive. The Royal for refusing to give up a General PelegWadsworth, the poet’s grand- Navy came to the rescue boat that he was using to father, in a military operation known as the of their soldiers and flee. But the court’s report Penobscot Expedition. The ill-fated ma- chased the American fleet neither acquitted nor con- neuver, however, turned into the patriots’ up the Penobscot River. demned Revere. worst naval defeat and proved particularly In the process, they de- Anxious to clear him- unfortunate for Revere. stroyed forty-three Amer- self, he requested a court During the American Revolution, Yan- ican ships, which consti- martial. A second inquiry kee privateers had inflicted great damage on tuted almost all of the criticized him for “disput- the British ships. To defend against further insurgents’ navy. ing the orders of Brigadier- devastation, the British began constructing Wadsworth managed General Wadsworth” and a fort along the coast of Maine at what is to retreat successfully over declared that retreating now Castine. Upon learning of this devel- land with his men. But Saltonstall and from the Penobscot region with his men opment, in the summer of the General Revere faced an inquiry upon their return. without specific orders was “not wholly jus- Court of Massachusetts ordered Brigadier- The Massachusetts General Court found tifiable.” Although Revere was no more sat- General Solomon Lovell to take command that the principal reason for the military isfied with this conclusion, he was allowed of militia – with General Peleg Wads- debacle was “the want of proper spirit and to continue to serve in the army. He died in worth directly below him and Lieutenant- energy on the part of the Commodore.” at the age of eighty-three. Colonel Paul Revere in charge of the ar- tillery train – for the purpose of getting rid of the stronghold and its inhabitants. Recent Research at the House Additional forces were dispatched to help Lovell and his troops. Commodore The Longfellow House archives contain over , manuscripts letters and signed documents and Dudley Saltonstall and his strong naval are used extensively by researchers from around the world. Here are a few recent researchers from fleet set out to meet them. Fifteen hundred among the several hundred who use the archives annually. more men were to join the main ground forces from points in Maine, although only Prof. Claudia Schnurmann of the University of Hamburg studied the correspondence a third of them appeared – most of whom of Fanny Longfellow and her sister Mary Appleton with Francis Lieber, a German- turned out to be young boys, elderly men, American political philosopher and professor, and his wife Mathilda. Schnurmann is and even invalids. working on a book about the Atlantic transfer of knowledge in the letters of Fran- Lovell chose to stay aboard his ship cis and Mathilda Lieber, - . “These documents are of great value for my work,” Schnurmann said, “and it was fun to learn that the rather shy and delicate Longfellow BirthdayWill Fanny Appleton had her very own, critical opinion about the pushy, pompous Lieber who thought a lot of himself while she really fancied his wife, Mathilda.” Also Honor Kennedy n February , , the Longfellow For her book on daughters and fathers from -, Martha Tomhare Blauvelt of ONational Historic Site will extend its the College of St. Benedict/St. John’s University in St. Joseph, Minnesota, read the annual Henry Longfellow birthday celebra- letters between Zilpah and PelegWadsworth, and Polly Allen and Andrew Craigie. tion to honor the late SenatorTed Kennedy – whose birthday was February – as well. Traveling throughout the United States under the auspices of Notre Dame Univer- Nick Littlefield, a longtime friend and sity to examine manuscripts in the Irish language, Prof. Breandan O’Conchuir of adviser to Kennedy, will pay tribute to the University College in Cork, Ireland, came to Longfellow NHS to read several docu- senator’s career and his dedication to the ments that Henry Longfellow had bound and titled “Celtic Poems.” site. Charles Ansbacher, conductor of the Boston Landmarks Orchestra, will intro- BernadetteWilliams at Boston National Historic Park and Boston African American duce and play their recording of “Paul National Historic Park studied the trial notes of Richard Henry Dana Jr. and con- Revere’s Ride” set to music. In the temporary newspaper articles about his defense of rescuers of fugitive slaves, partic- orchestra made a CD of this piece for chil- ularly Lewis Hayden. She will use her findings to create an educational outreach pro- dren with Kennedy as narrator. The event gram for high-school age visitors called “TheTrials of Lewis Hayden.” will take place at the Story Chapel in Mount Auburn Cemetery from a.m. to noon. potlight on an bject n each issue of the newsletter, we Longfellow National Historic Site, National Park Service Ifocus on a particular object of inter- Longfellow National Historic Site joined the national park system in . Its est in the Longfellow House collec- many layers of history, distinguished architecture, gardens and grounds, and exten- tion. This time our spotlight shines on sive museum collections represent the birth and flowering of our nation and con- Henry Longfellow’s writing desk, a tinue to inspire school children and scholars alike. The Vassall-Craigie-Longfellow circa - Empire-style desk of House most notably served as headquarters for General George Washington in the mahogany and white pine designed to early months of the RevolutionaryWar. It was later the home of HenryWadsworth sit on top of another piece of furniture. Longfellow, one of America’s foremost poets, and his family from to . This is probably the desk that Long- fellow used in his second-floor study when he first came to the House as Mrs. For information about the Longfellow House and a virtual tour visit: Craigie’s boarder in . It now rests on www.nps.gov/long a table in his first-floor study where he likely moved it when he and his wife Fanny took possession of the House in . With two writing desks in his Friends of the Longfellow House study, Longfellow often worked at this one while standing by the window’s Since , the Friends of the Longfellow House, a not-for-profit voluntary group, morning light to aid his poor eyesight. has worked with the National Park Service to support Longfellow National Historic Records indicate that the statue of Site by promoting scholarly access to collections, publications about site history, Goethe always stood as a muse at the educational visitor programs, and advocacy for the highest quality preservation. head of his desk. In his journal entry on December , To find out more about the Friends of the Longfellow House visit: , Longfellow mentioned writing at www.longfellowfriends.org this table-top desk: “Finished this morning and copied the first canto of the second part of Evangeline. The portions of the poem which I write in the morning I write chiefly standing at my desk here (by the window) so as to need no copying. What I write at the other times is scrawled with a pencil on my knee in the dark Friends of the Longfellow House and has to be written out afterward.” Brattle Street Cambridge, Massachusetts