▁September ▁ 1 7 7 4 , ▁General ▁Thomas ▁G age ▁strength ened ▁the ▁old ▁fort ifications ▁of ▁brick , ▁stone ▁and ▁earth ▁with ▁tim ber ▁and ▁additional ▁earth . ▁G age ▁ordered ▁a ▁d itch ▁to ▁be ▁d ug ▁in ▁front ▁of ▁the ▁fort ifications , ▁that ▁would ▁fill ▁with ▁salt ▁water ▁during ▁high ▁t ides , ▁effectively ▁cutting ▁Boston ▁off ▁from ▁the ▁main land . ▁The ▁neck ▁had ▁soft ▁mud ▁on ▁both ▁sides ▁at ▁low ▁t ide , ▁making ▁it ▁very ▁difficult ▁to ▁enter ▁Boston ▁on ▁foot ▁except ▁through ▁the ▁town ▁gate . ▁ ▁On ▁the ▁night ▁of ▁April ▁ 1 8 , ▁ 1 7 7 5 , ▁Patri ot ▁leader ▁Doctor ▁Joseph ▁Warren ▁sent ▁Paul ▁Re vere ▁and ▁William ▁Daw es ▁on ▁horse back ▁with ▁identical ▁written ▁messages ▁to ▁warn ▁John ▁Han cock ▁and ▁Samuel ▁Adams ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁expedition ▁to ▁capture ▁them ▁and ▁to ▁se ize ▁the ▁pow der ▁in ▁Con cord . ▁Daw es , ▁a ▁ 3 0 - year - old ▁Boston ▁t anner , ▁was ▁well ▁known ▁to ▁the ▁British ▁sent ries ▁at ▁the ▁town ▁gate ▁on ▁Boston ▁Ne ck ▁and ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁pass ▁through ▁the ▁check point ▁that ▁evening ▁despite ▁a ▁lock down . ▁Daw es ▁tra ve led ▁a ▁southern ▁route ▁by ▁land ▁while ▁Re vere ▁took ▁the ▁northern ▁route . ▁Dr . ▁Warren ▁sent ▁both ▁men , ▁to ▁be ▁certain ▁one ▁of ▁them ▁would ▁be ▁able ▁to ▁e va de ▁the ▁British ▁pat rol s . ▁Daw es ▁left ▁about