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"Palin nailed the facts as documented in Revere's letter to Dr. Jeremy Belknap."

No, she did not nail the facts. That letter described how Revere told the British that there would be 500 Americans waiting for them as a result of his efforts. He told them this after having been captured, held at gun point and asked for information. He had no initial intention of getting caught and certainly had no intentions to tell the British what our troop strength was, though he was probably feeding them misinformation to give them pause. Basically, he was NOT warning the British. You simply do not warn the enemy in a time of war. If he was doing so, he would have been a traitor, rather than the hero we revere today.

You simply do not warn the enemy in a time of war. If he was doing so, he would have been a traitor, rather than the hero we revere today.

I guess you didn't read Revere's letter, Rob. The British officers were holding a gun to his head at the time and Revere spilled his guts, albeit inflating the numbers of minutemen who were waiting on them.

"No, she did not nail the facts. That letter described how Revere told the British that there would be 500 Americans waiting for them as a result of his efforts. He told them this after having been captured, held at gun point and asked for information. He had no initial intention of getting caught and certainly had no intentions to tell the British what our troop strength was, though he was probably feeding them misinformation to give them pause. Basically, he was NOT warning the British. You simply do not warn the enemy in a time of war. If he was doing so, he would have been a traitor, rather than the hero we revere today."

Perhaps his intent when he set out was not to warn the Redcoats, but he in fact did warn or inform them (I'm not sure of the reason for quibbling over that word, a warning is not necessarily meant to be helpful), if you take Revere at his word.

"When I got there, out started six officers on horseback and ordered me to dismount. One of them, who appeared to have the command, examined me, where I came from and what my name was. I told him. He asked me if I was an express. I answered in the affirmative. He demanded what time I left Boston. I told him, and added that their troops had catched aground in passing the river, and that there would be five hundred Americans there in a short time, for I had alarmed the country all the way up. He immediately rode towards those who stopped us, when all five of them came down upon a full gallop. One of them, whom I afterwards found to be a Major Mitchel, of the 5th Regiment, clapped his pistol to my head, called me by name and told me he was going to ask me some questions, and if I did not give him true answers, he would blow my brains out. He then asked me similar questions to those above."
- Paul Revere

We were not yet at war, and Revere may have wanted to avoid all out war by warning the Redcoats that we were prepared, while also delaying any Redcoat advance long enough that our side really would be prepared. Sarah's answer was accurate.