Vol. 06 · Misquoted ·Speech ·262 of 348
"The British are coming!"
They never said that.
What people say
"The British are coming!"
What was actually said
"The Regulars are coming out." Paul Revere — Paul Revere's ride, 1775
Why it stuck
Colonists in 1775 still thought of themselves as British — "the British" would have been incoherent. "Regulars" meant British army troops specifically.
Revere's ride was also meant to be quiet; shouting would have alerted British patrols.
Know another line by heart?
Play the duel and see how many you can spot. Or browse the whole shelf.