Although Paul Revere gained lasting fame for his midnight ride warning colonists about an impending British attack, many people aren't aware of a similar ride taken by a sixteen-year-old girl. Sybil Ludington, born in Connecticut in 1761, completed her own perilous night ride in advance of British forces.
In 1777, British loyalists and troops attacked Danbury, Connecticut. In desperation, a messenger asked Ludington to ride through the night and alert the local regiment. All told, Ludington rode forty miles-significantly farther than Paul Revere had-and managed to gather nearly the entire regiment to fight the British. Following the Danbury battle, George Washington himself traveled to the Ludington home to thank Sybil for her bravery.
Ludington's ride never became as famous as Paul Revere's. However, if you visit New York, you can find historical markers tracing her route through Putnam County.
Who is the primary audience?
history buffs who have already read biographies of Sybil Ludington
students researching the life of Paul Revere
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readers with a basic knowledge of the Revolutionary War
readers with no prior knowledge about the Revolutionary War