National Lancers
in Video Media
Over the years, the National Lancers have been fortunate to be featured on several local Massachusetts news channels, helping share our rich history and mission with a wider audience.
We are always happy to coordinate additional features or interviews and welcome inquiries from news outlets, educational programs, or any channel whose viewers would enjoy learning more about our organization and its continued service to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and our nation.
Video Transcript
The Revolutionary War is full of forgotten heroes. William Dawes is one of them, overshadowed by perhaps one of the biggest names in the Revolution.
Tonight, NBC 10's John Moroney looks to give William Dawes his due.
"Tis all very well for the children to hear the midnight ride of Paul Revere. But why should my name be quite forgotten?"
William Dawes, memorialized in his own poem, yet never becoming a star like his partner in the American Revolution, Paul Revere.
Dawes never wrote anything down, and so he is sort of the forgotten man.
"My name is Revere, and I have urgent news for Mr. Hancock and Mr. Adams."
The rides of Dawes, Revere, and Samuel Prescott are reenacted every year.
Matthew Johnson portrays Dawes with the National Lancers, the state's ceremonial cavalry.
The historic trek starts in Roxbury. From Roxbury, he then went through Brookline, into Cambridge, and then into Arlington, and finally ended up in Lexington, where he was several minutes behind Paul Revere.
The Massachusetts Historical Society asked Revere to write an account of what happened. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow later used that document to write The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere.
This is his life after the American Revolution.
"Look at that. There's a chocolate right there."
This ledger belonged to Dawes, who later became a successful merchant. But his dedication and loyalty to the cause most likely resulted in his selection to ride with Revere.
This morning, a ring containing a lock of his hair was examined.
He accepted this very dangerous mission from Joseph Warren, mind you, to actually ride out and warn the leaders of the rebellion about the budding rebellion against the royal forces.
His midnight ride ended when Dawes was thrown from his horse. He was captured but later released by the Redcoats.
"Once he fell off his horse, he didn't have any way to continue on. They just let him go because, at that point, the troop movements were already on their way. They weren't worried about what was happening."
History has not been kind to William Dawes—or his horse.
That name has been lost over time. Of course, we do know the name of Paul Revere...
Video Transcript
History whispers through the rolling hills of DiCarlo Farm in Framingham. Where troopers march in steady formation.
"We're a ceremonial cavalry squadron. What does that mean? We ride horses for events, and we reenact the rides of Paul Revere and William Dawes every year. It’s more than a hobby, you know. You’ve got to love this.”
Clad in bright red jackets and blue trousers, these troopers have long been a familiar sight at formal events across the state.
“This is Boston Common right here."
"Boston Common—this is June 14th, 1837. The unit started in 1836 because there were no ceremonial cavalry squadrons. Governor Edward Everett at the time wanted a ceremonial squadron to escort him to the Harvard graduation, and that was the primary reason. But as a militia unit, your second mission is also to protect the Commonwealth and enforce the laws.”
Throughout the 19th century, they were called into action on multiple occasions to quell riots, maintain public order, and during the Civil War, many proudly volunteered for service in the Union Army. In 1916, they provided security on the Mexican border, and in 2004-
"During the Democratic National Convention, they needed a mounted force to protect the National Guard camp in Reading. What we did for a week."
A small museum on the farm’s property holds the stories of centuries past, keeping the legacy of the Lancers alive.
“This is a visual record of the history of the National Lancers, really since the Civil War period, and it continues up to this day."
"Let’s take a look.”
Pages memorializing the privilege and pride of the ride. Preserved items spanning from the Civil War to present day.
The artifacts speak to more than just time—they embody a service to the 20-some troopers who ride today, and a deep devotion to honor and tradition.
“It’s the camaraderie—the brotherhood, if you will.”
Brigadier General Richard Reale has proudly served as a Lancer for 33 years. His family’s roots run deep for three decades. His grandfather commanded the Lancers, and his mother, Helen, made history as the first female trooper.
Marching in the enduring spirit of military service:
“All of our service members have serious jobs to do. They’re out there taking care of us. We consider ourselves representing them.”
With over two dozen events every year, this all-volunteer squadron stands unwavering in their commitment, says organizer Michelle DiCarlo-Domey.
“I can do it so seamlessly just because our people show up. That’s what makes my job easy. They do the hard work.”
But that commitment goes far beyond pomp and circumstance.
"For everyone that’s here we do commit a lot of time. The troopers are here a minimum average of 140 to 150 days a year"
Including an 18-month training program, weekly drills, and a dedication to the horses who also serve the community.
"We don’t hire anybody to come in and take care of the horses—we do it all ourselves. We want that bond between the trooper and the animal.
"It’s the love and the passion for the horses. It’s the camaraderie. It’s just keeping up tradition of what the cavalry is about. You know, I’ve always been a military person—loved the history."
"I think they just love to serve. They love being part of something bigger than themselves. They love giving back to the community.”
And the Lancers are playing a big role in many of the events marking this years 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution.
Video Transcript
It’s here that the reenactment makes a change—because LePage is still learning to ride a horse.
“There will be a man dressed pretty much like I am, and we’ll have some sort of exchange. He will get on the horse, and he will gallop off.”
“The Regulars are out.”
That man is First Sergeant Matthew Johnson, a member of the National Lancers.
“Well, the Massachusetts organized militia falls under the purview of the National Guard.”
He’s been doing this ride for 29 years.
“Warn your countrymen.”
As for his horse:
“He’s been with us about three years now.”
The quarter horse will be doing the bulk of the work.
“So after Charlestown, it’s probably about another 17 miles or so.”
Johnson will be making that full ride from Boston to Lexington on April 21st, the night of the anniversary. The pair will also do a shorter route down Main Street in Charlestown.
“It’s just—you’re along for the ride, right? You’re with the horse.”
“You are spreading the alarm through every Middlesex village and farm.”
“I’m Mike Sullivan, WBZ News.”
Video Transcript
The National Lancers, stationed at Camp DiCarlo in Framingham, Massachusetts, serve as an organized militia cavalry unit and are proud of their 179-year history and service to the Commonwealth and the nation.
“I’m Jenny Johnson for Comcast Newsmakers at Suffolk University’s Modern Theatre in downtown Boston. Joining me today is Brigadier General and Deputy Commander of the National Lancers, Len Conda-Chuck. Welcome, Len.”
“Thank you very much. Thanks for being here.”
“So, General—what are the National Lancers?”
“Well, we’re a group of committed patriots, I think—and we love riding horses in a military fashion. We also want to perpetuate the National Lancers and what the unit has been doing for the past 179 years.”
“Why patriots?”
“Because every Patriots’ Day, two of us portray Paul Revere and William Dawes. We’ve been reenacting the rides of Dawes and Revere for the last 100 years.”
“Oh, okay—so that’s one of the events. Give me an idea of some of the others.”
“We kick off the year with the Salem Muster on the first Saturday in April. That’s the birthday of the National Guard—379 years old. There’s a big parade in Salem with all the units represented, and that’s our first event.
The second event is Patriots’ Day—we do the ride at Old North Church and then the reenactment rides. After that, we do parades virtually every week in many towns across the Commonwealth.”
“What kind of training is involved to become a Lancer?”
“It doesn’t matter if you can ride or not—it’s an 18-month recruit training program. We take you from the very beginning—learning the parts of a horse—and we won’t even let you touch a horse for a year.
We go through some basic military training, and then finally, you learn how to ride.”
“Okay—tell me a little bit about your horses.”
“We have 13 horses—we’ve had as many as 16. About half of our horses are Army horses. People ask, ‘Where does the Army ride horses?’ They come from Arlington National Cemetery.
Because we’re affiliated with the National Guard, we receive horses from the Army. When we get them, they’re usually between 7 and 12 years old. Before coming to us, they were pulling caissons—honoring fallen soldiers, sailors, and Marines. When they come to us, we train them as riding horses.”
“What does a typical drill consist of?”
“A drill is every Thursday night. We meet at six o’clock, and it takes about 45 minutes to groom the horse and get ready to mount. Then we go through parade drill.
You think of soldiers drilling on foot—we drill mounted on horseback. We go through maneuvers: left, right, columns, and so on. That takes about an hour and a half to two hours every Thursday.
In addition to that, we clean the stalls—it’s a twice-a-week commitment. In the winter, when the horses are in the stalls at night, it’s really a commitment of one day a week and one weekend every month.”
“All right, General—tell me a little about your own history with the National Lancers.”
“I retired from the Army as a colonel, and my specialty was military history. I spent most of my career in the Washington area. When I retired, I came back to the Boston area and saw these men—and now women—in red uniforms.
I asked what they did, and they said it was a cavalry troop. I told them I had learned to ride when I was stationed at Fort Riley, and asked if I could join.
It’s the pomp, the pageantry, and the history—and that’s why I joined. I enjoy it because it’s a great group of men and women who believe in the organization and what we do.”
“For people who want to learn more or see some of the events throughout the year—where can they go?”
“We have an excellent website: nationallancers.org. You can see photographs of all our events, training, and more about what we do throughout the year, as well as our history.”
“Thank you so much, General.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Thanks for watching Comcast Newsmakers. I’m Jenny Johnson.”
Video Transcript
Welcome back.
Have you ever been to a parade and enjoyed the horses that trot by with their riders decked out in military attire? Or maybe you’ve been to the Patriots’ Day tradition of the reenactment of Paul Revere’s ride and seen the beautiful horses going through the streets.
The National Lancers is a ceremonial cavalry troop in the Massachusetts organized militia, and they happen to be stationed at Camp DiCarlo right here in Framingham.
We have General Richard Rigali with us here to tell us more.
“How do you do?”
“Thanks for coming out.”
“Thanks for having me.”
“Did I say your name right?”
“Close enough. Reale.”
“Reale! I put the ‘G’ in there, didn’t I? Anyway—so for starters, can you tell us how you got started with the Lancers?”
“Well, I have a unique story. I grew up in the Lancers—my family was part of the Lancers—so I always wanted to be a Lancer. I went to Valley Forge Military Academy, and upon graduation, I joined the National Lancers as a troop leader, rose through the ranks, and now I’m the commander.”
“Can you explain to folks a brief history of the Lancers? Because it goes back quite a ways.”
“The Lancers have a long, distinguished history—serving the Commonwealth for about 180 years. They were commissioned in 1836 by Governor Edward Everett to be his personal corps of cavalry.
They’ve been serving the Commonwealth here and abroad since then. They were involved in riot control through the years, went overseas in World War I with the Yankee Division’s 102nd Machine Gun Battalion, and served in the American Civil War, with 19 battle streamers in all.”
“And what does the unit do today?”
“Today, they are primarily a ceremonial unit, which means we participate in parades and events throughout the Commonwealth.”
“And tell us a little bit about Camp DiCarlo—your funding and how you take care of the horses.”
“Well, Camp DiCarlo is part of the military division’s facilities. It’s located here in Framingham. We share the area with MCI—one side of the road is us, the other is them.
All the troopers maintain the facility ourselves. We take care of the horses ourselves. The horses belong to the Commonwealth, along with the camp.
Our funding comes primarily from the troopers and fundraising through our nonprofit organization, the National Lancers Association. Occasionally, we receive honorariums from parades and events, although we don’t ask for them. Every bit we raise goes toward feeding the horses and maintaining the camp.”
“So tell us more about the upcoming fundraiser.”
“The Lancers Trot—on October 14th, starting at 9:30 and running until about 2:00. The National Lancers will host an open house. Everyone is invited—we hope to see all of Framingham there, including elected officials and those running for office.
Come down, see our facility, meet the troop. We’ll have a charity walk—a two-mile walk—for a small contribution. There will also be hayrides, kids’ races where they can earn medals, pony rides, and plenty of activities.
We’ll also have local vendors there supporting the event and everyone coming out to support the Lancers.”
“It’s such a beautiful area out there.”
“Oh, yes—Merchant Road is really gorgeous.”
“Can you tell us—what is your favorite part of being in the Lancers?”
“My favorite part is serving the community and the Commonwealth. It’s really something when you go to an event as part of a patriotic unit.
Not everyone knows who or what you are, but you’ll see a retired veteran on the side of the road stand up as you go by—because you’re carrying the American standard. It puts everything into perspective.
It’s almost like we serve those who have served—and represent them.”
“That makes a lot of sense. Well, we appreciate all that you do, and we hope everybody will come out to the Lancers Trot happening on October 14th at their beautiful farm.
If you think you have what it takes to be a National Lancer, the cavalry is currently recruiting new members. No prior riding experience is needed.
For more information, you can visit their website.”