by Nicole R. McEwen
 
City residents and officials greeted Paul Revere and his cavalry Monday at a Foss Park ceremony, part of the annual celebration of the Midnight Ride to warn of the approaching Redcoats.

“We’re here to educate, inform, and arouse some spirit. The Revere ride is such a thrill for us,” said Paul W. Tobin, a master sergeant in the Massachusetts Lancers, who assumed the role of Revere for this year’s ride, which ends in Lexington.

“It just gives everyone a genuine sense of patriotism,” Tobin said.

Tobin said he started his ride in Boston’s North End and ceremoniously visited several sites along the way.

At the start of the ride, Tobin was presented with a scroll by Mayor Thomas M. Menino at Paul Revere Mall on Hanover Street. Then Tobin, led by a police escort traveled on through the 22-mile trek through Charleston, Somerville, Medford, Arlington and Lexington, where the scroll was delivered. 

The Lancers, a ceremonial cavalry unit formed in 1836, have been re-enacting Revere’s famous ride since 1914. Though they are part of the state organized militia, the Lancers do not receive state-sponsored backing and must rely entirely on private contributions. 

The Lancers, are a official branch of the Commonwealth’s militia, along with the National Guard, but unlike the National Guard the Lancers are not federally recognized.

Tobin said it was a treat to be accompanied by his two brothers, Christopher E. Tobin and Andrew P. Tobin, who, as members of the Lancers, rode with him for the three-hour trek. Andrew rode as Revere last year.

This is the second time Tobin, who grew up with horses and works for the Boston marketing firm InfoGraphics, has portrayed Revere. Tobin said the Lancers have been training the horses in preparation for the fast-paced ride since February.

“We’ve given the horses special pads and spikes for their feet to get them ready for the run,” Tobin said.

At the Foss Park ceremony, Revere and his cavalry stopped were greeted by Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone and dozens of patriotic citizens.

This is a great piece of American history played out in our city every year,” said Curtatone. “It’s a reminder of the bravery of the original colonists and Somerville’s place in that heroic struggle for freedom and democracy.” 

The mayor said his recent trip to the Holy Land has given him a new appreciation for the sacrifices of the Patriots who gave us the rights and freedoms we enjoy.            

The Lancers continued on to the Massachusetts Beauty and Barber Supply Company on 321A Broadway where they stopped once again to greet an old friend and re-enact another part of history.

Tobin said that on the fateful ride Revere had stopped at the supply store, which was once the home of a militia leader, to warn of the impending attack.

His and the store’s role in the Revere re-enactment is unofficial, and the Lancers are just paying him a professional courtesy based on the work he and the Lancers had done together over the years, said the owner of the store, Joseph W. Mercuri, is a retired colonel in the Massachusetts National Guard. Mercuri was the Guard’s former head of public affairs.

This is the third time the Lancers have made a symbolic visit to Mercuri on Patriot’s Day, he said.

A long time friend of the Massachusetts Lancers, Mercuri said he hopes the men will continue their honorary gesture for years to come. “They’re such a wonderful unit.” 

As a volunteer militia, the Lancers participate in parades, search-and-rescues, and riot control. They also carry out important duties for the Massachusetts National Guard, including a constant horseback patrol of perimeter of Camp Curtis Guild in Reading during last year’s Democratic National Convention.

“Their assistance has been great,” said Major (MA) Anthony Sciaraffa, a Massachusetts National Guard liaison officer who coordinates with the Lancers.  The cavalry trains their riders, stables their horses, and assists in funerals for the Guard.

Sciaraffa said that high ranking military officers, from colonel and above, are honored with a rider-less horse at their funeral, and the Lancers have made that ceremony possible.    

“The presence of a Lancer and his horse gives a great visual for a family,” he said.

Sciaraffa accompanied the Lancers during the Patriot’s Day ride to help care for the horses, which includes keeping the animals hydrated with plenty of water, he said.

Maj. (MA) Richard A. Reale Jr., a member of the Massachusetts Lancers, escorted Revere during the ride and said that this month marks the beginning of the parade season for the Lancers.

“The Revere ride is the most exciting of our events. We’re used to trotting with the horses, so being able to run like this is great exercise for them and us,” Reale said. 

Reale said that visiting the citizens of Somerville is a favorite part of their journey.

“They’re always a great crowd,” he said.