Framed Paul Revere Warning John Sullivan of British Threat at Fort William and Mary by Howard Pyle

Paul Revere Warning John Sullivan of British Threat at Fort William and Mary by Howard Pyle depicts when Paul Revere, already a key figure in Boston’s Patriot network, rode from Boston to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, on December 13, 1774. He carried a warning from the Boston Committee of Correspondence that British troops might secure the fort’s supplies, based on rumors of reinforcements arriving from England. His ride—less famous than his 1775 midnight ride—alerted local Patriots to act quickly. John Sullivan, a New Hampshire lawyer and militia leader (later a Revolutionary War general), was one of the key figures who organized and led the raid. On December 14, about 400 militiamen, including Sullivan, stormed the lightly defended fort, overpowered its small garrison (just five soldiers under Captain John Cochran), and seized 100 barrels of gunpowder, muskets, and cannon. The next day, they returned to remove more supplies, all without bloodshed. This raid was one of the earliest acts of open defiance against British authority, predating Lexington and Concord. The gunpowder taken was later used by Patriot forces, including at the Battle of Bunker Hill. It demonstrated the growing coordination among colonial militias and their willingness to use force.