But one genre is strangely missing from this list. Professional historians have shown so little interest in the subject that in two centuries no scholar has published a full-scale history of Paul Revere's ride. During the 1970's, the event disappeared so completely from academic scholarship that several leading college textbooks in American history made no reference to it at all. One of them could barely bring itself to mention the battles of Lexington and Concord.

The cause of the neglect is complex. One factor is a mutual antipathy that has long existed between professional history and popular memory. another of more recent vintage is a broad prejudice in American universities against patriotic events of every kind, especially since the troubled years of Vietnam and Watergate. A third or fourth are the popular movements called multiculturalism and political correctness. As this volume goes to press, the only creature less fashionable in academe than the stereotypical "dead white male," is a dead white male on horseback.

Behind him came three regiments of British infantry. Pride of the place went to the 4th (King's Own) Foot, proudly bearing the monarch's cipher on its color, and the dark blue facings of a Royal regiment on its faded red tunics. Nobody trifled with the King's Own. Even their nickname in the army connoted high respect. They were called the Lions after their badge, which was the lion rampant of England. That emblem had been awarded for gallantry by William III and was proudly embroidered on all four corners of their regimental colors. In 1773, an inspector described the King's Own as "a very fine body of men, well dressed and fit." As it marched from Boston, an expert observer would have noticed that it was also exceptionally well equipped. The 4th had recently been rearmed with a new musket, two inches shorter and two pounds lighter than the previous issue, and so closely bored to the caliber of its ammunition that the regiment was among the first in Gage's army to be issued steel ramrods.

Lord Hugh Percy also fought at New York, with the same skill and courage that he had shown on the retreat from Lexington. He was instrumental in the capture of Fort Washington, the largest surrender of American troops up to that moment, and was promoted to Lieutenant General. But he grew so disgusted with the conduct of the war that he resigned his command and returned to Britain in 1777. Later he inherited the title of Duke of Northumberland. In his mature years he became one of the richest men in England, and also (it was said) one of the most irascible. His ill-temper was attributed to gout; perhaps his experiences in America played a role. Percy dies on July 10, 1817.