Four Mounted Messengers of the Revolution: Paul Revere, William Dawes, Marinus Willett, Thomas Lamb. By William O. Comstock, The Riverdale Press, Brookline, Massachusetts 1913, a limited and numbered edition, only thirty-five copies were privately printed for the author, and this is number 8 of the 35. With a hand-written note inserted in the front endpapers that reads “I cut this out of my Uncle’s book “The Sons of the American Revolution”. I thought it looked like you, Harry, I have had it ever since I saw you last dear. This is how I am related to you through Paul Revere, Dorothy ”, so this is an association copy and presentation copy with an inscription that reads “T. Comstock 1913 from W.O. C.”, which means the book is also inscribed by the author. The pale blue boards have gilt lettering on the front, beige or tan endpapers, the logo of the Riverdale Press on the title page, followed by the limitation page (which says there were 35 copies printed for the author and this is number 8), with 24 pages of text and four plates showing portraits of Revere, Dawes, Willett, and Lamb, the messengers who rode throughout Massachusetts and the colonies to spread the word that the British were coming and to be prepared to defend their homes and lives. The book is based on a speech given at the Brookline Historical Society on April 19, 1911. It was given by William Ogilvie Comstock, Vice-President of the society and author of this book, and it honored the courage and bravery of all four riders - the messengers described in the book. Comstock (1815 - 1883) stated that the events of the book took place “one hundred and thirty-six years ago today, along … the quiet road of Brookline …” and much of the fighting of the Battle of Lexington and Concord took place that 19th of April outside of those two villages, and nearer here, and men from all the surrounding country took part, many, as you know, from this town.” He added that the four men took great risks to carry warnings and calls for help: Paul Revere rode the night before the battle especially to warn Hancock and Adams at Lexington, but also to spread the alarm through the countryside. Major William Dawes went under orders from Joesph Warren some time before Paul Revere started and went by land over Boston Neck, probably on foot, until he got beyond the British lines. He had a longer horseback ride than Revere, over other roads, but finally into Lexington. The third long journey, directly after the battle, was made by Marinus Willett - he took the news of the battle to Washington in New York City. The fourth mounted messenger was Lieut. Thomas Lamb of Boston, one of Col. Henry Jackson's Massachusetts Regiment of Cadets at Valley Forge with Washington. Lamb went the greatest distance - he answered a call by General Washington for a volunteer to ride to Boston for supplies for the army, but he told Washington he had no spurs, so Washington took his own silver spurs and gave them to the young rider. The route Lamb took is unknown, but when he arrived at Boston Neck, his horse shied at a rope that was stretched across the road to prevent unknown people from passing; Lamb was thrown and broke his arm and was unable to return to his regiment. So Comstock was heaping praise on these four brave riders who gave the news that the British were coming and much more. The book was published in Brookline, and since Comstock gave his speech at the Historical Society of Brookline, we’re wondering if he gave out the thirty-five copies of his book at the meeting of the historical society, and if this is one of those books. We haven’t been able to find any copies of the book listed online. There are five sites in Special Collections around the country that have the book: at Washington University in St. Louis, the New York Public Library, the American Antiquarian Society in Worcester, Mass, Harvard, and the Boston Athenaeum. (It’s supposed to be at the Minuteman Library Network in Nadick, Mass, but that is only a digital copy, and search results show no results for the book in their catalog.) So the book is very hard to find, it is 8vo. and measures 10 x 6 3/4 in. wide, with light soiling on the covers, wear on the heel and crown on the spine and at the tips, and the binding is tight and the portraits and text are very clean. The book also comes with the picture and note that connect the owner of the book to Paul Revere. #1630