tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28102666.post2820667357649725001..comments2024-03-28T04:26:30.557-05:00Comments on Boston 1775: When British Spies Came to FraminghamUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28102666.post-75045147265848557162007-07-08T20:27:00.000-05:002007-07-08T20:27:00.000-05:00You've heard a version of the scouting trip publis...You've heard a version of the scouting trip published under the name of "John Howe" in the 1820s. The senior officer in that tale is Lt.-Col. Francis Smith, the commander of the march to Concord, and not his boss, Gen. Gage. The scout is "John Howe." <BR/><BR/>It's a good story. Unfortunately, it's too good to be true. The "John Howe" narrative is a somewhat more entertaining rewrite of DeBerniere's report (published in Boston in 1779, reprinted by the Massachusetts Historical Society in the early 1800s). <BR/><BR/>Here's a <A HREF="http://www.massmoments.org/index.cfm?mmd=Apr%2011%2C%202007" REL="nofollow">Mass Moments</A> article on the situation.<BR/><BR/>In the real narrative from DeBerniere, a serving-woman in Watertown tells him and his companion that she recognizes them from Boston. However, they press on. In the "Howe" version, Smith gives up, thus giving that episode a satisfactory outcome for American readers, but "Howe" goes on, thus allowing the narrative to continue.J. L. Bellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15405157000473731801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28102666.post-72135207426078042872007-07-08T14:31:00.000-05:002007-07-08T14:31:00.000-05:00Isn't there a story of Gage traveling with Church ...Isn't there a story of Gage traveling with Church or another scout where they arrived at a Tavern only to have the Tavern waitress refuse to serve them. Gage and Church (not sure it was him) were trying to spy, but everyone in the tavern knew who they were in which the waitress thus refused service to them. After asking for the bar keeper, he politely told Gage he knew how he was and should just walk out the doorAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com