Friday’s reenactment of the Midnight Ride in Muskingum Park featured, from left, Mackenna (Alexander) Merrifield as Dr. Samuel Prescott, Keith Malone as Paul Revere and Susan Vessels as William Dawes. It was free for the public to attend. (Photo by Amber Phipps

MARIETTA – Paul Revere, William Dawes and Dr. Samuel Prescott rode into Muskingum Park Friday evening to warn residents the “regulars,” aka the British army, were coming.

The historical figures were portrayed by Keith Malone as Paul Revere, Susan Vessels as William Dawes and Mackenna (Alexander) Merrifield as Dr. Samual Prescott, respectively, in a reenactment of the famous Midnight Ride of April 18, 1775, in recognition of its 250th anniversary.

Before the reenactment, as the sun set over the Muskingum River, local historian Scott Britton stood before the Start Westward Memorial and told the story of how the ride actually happened.

“The British would travel straight west across the Charles River and land at a point in Cambridge (Massachusetts), and they had foreknowledge of this movement,” said Britton.

Dawes received this information and rode past the guards to deliver the message that the British army was in pursuit.

During the reenactment, soldiers in the British army captured Paul Revere (Keith Malone, right) and his horse. William Dawes and Samuel Prescott managed to escape. (Photo by Amber Phipps

“Therefore, the original rider was actually William Dawes and not Paul,” said Britton.

As he spoke, the riders prepared for their moment in the grassy field next to the Start Westward Memorial.

“William Dawes had a much longer ride, and he also had to avoid British patrols along the way,” said Britton. “He wanted to make sure that he wasn’t stopped and further questioned because it was treason against the king.”

Prescott was a resident of Concord and joined Dawes and Revere to alert the townspeople that the regulars were on their way.

The phrase, “the British are coming” is not historically accurate since everyone in Massachusetts at the time was also British. Instead, they actually used the phrase, “the regulars are coming” to refer to the approaching British army.

Reenactor Susan Vessels answers questions from attendees after Friday’s event in Muskingum Park. (Photo by Amber Phipps

During that time, the riders approached the crowd to reenact what happened in 1775. They whispered, “the regulars are coming” and pointed at people in the crowd and asked them to spread the word.

The reenactment had everyone engaged with the event as the riders trotted around the park to alert the town of the encroaching army.

Staying true to history, actors portraying the British captured Revere while Prescott and Dawes escaped. After the reenactment, Britton described all of the connections this event had to Marietta.

Dawes has descendants all over the city who would serve in significant war events later on.

Gen. Rufus Dawes was a Civil War Hero and lived on Fourth Street. There are descendants who still reside in Marietta and southeastern Ohio.

Keith Malone portrays Paul Revere in the reenactment of the Midnight Ride on its 250th anniversary Friday in Muskingum Park. (Photo by Amber Phipps

The event was sponsored by the Marietta Chapters of the Sons and Daughters of the American Revolution.

Amber Phipps can be reached at aphipps@newsandsentinel.com

Historian Scott Britton stood before the Start Westward Memorial in Muskingum Park on Friday to describe the events that took place on April 18, 1775. (Photo by Amber Phipps

Reenactors engage the crowd by picking people out and telling them “the regulars are coming.” From left are Keith Malone as Paul Revere, Susan Vessels as William Dawes and Mackenna (Alexander) Merrifield as Dr. Samuel Prescott. (Photo by Amber Phipps

The reenactment of the Midnight Ride included the three historical riders Paul Revere (Keith Malone), Samuel Prescott (Mackenna Merrifield) and William Dawes (Susan Vessels). (Photo by Amber Phipps)

The riders prepared their horses to ride across Muskingum Park on Friday. (Photo by Amber Phipps)

Washington County Commissioner James Booth spoke briefly before the riders prepared to reenact the Midnight Ride. (Photo by Amber Phipps)

The community gathered at the Start Westward Memorial Monument to listen to spoken history by Scott Britton before the reenactment of the Midnight Ride of Paul Revere and others Friday. (Photo by Amber Phipps)