Home International Buzz

The Redcoats Are Coming: 5 Shocking Ways This Historical Meme Took Over The Internet In 2024–2025

• minute read
Contents

The "Redcoats Are Coming" meme has seen a massive resurgence in popularity, transforming a moment of American Revolutionary War history into a viral, all-purpose warning for the digital age. As of late December 2025, this meme—which often features a frantic illustration of Paul Revere on horseback—is dominating social media platforms like TikTok and X (formerly Twitter), not just as a history joke, but as a dramatic announcement tool across countless fandoms and real-life scenarios. The meme’s enduring appeal lies in its dramatic urgency, even though the phrase itself is a historical inaccuracy that has been debated by historians for centuries.

The core of the meme taps into the collective memory of Paul Revere's legendary 1775 midnight ride, an event taught in every American history class, but its modern application has evolved far beyond the tale of the British Regulars. From announcing a new album drop to signaling a dramatic plot twist in a TV series, the image of the galloping patriot has become the internet’s go-to visual for sounding the alarm about any imminent, disruptive, or highly anticipated event.

The True Story: Paul Revere, The Regulars, and The Redcoats

To truly understand the meme's cultural power, one must first appreciate the historical context it distorts. The visual cornerstone of the meme is an illustration, often a dramatic woodcut, depicting Paul Revere’s famous night ride on April 18, 1775.

The Midnight Ride: Biography and Context

  • Name: Paul Revere
  • Born: December 21, 1734, Boston, Massachusetts Bay Colony
  • Died: May 10, 1818, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
  • Occupation: Silversmith, Engraver, Industrialist, Patriot
  • Key Role: Member of the Sons of Liberty and a messenger for the Committee of Safety.
  • The Event: The Midnight Ride (April 18, 1775) to warn the Colonial Militia of the British Army’s movements toward Concord and Lexington.
  • The Real Shout: According to Revere's own account, he likely shouted, "The Regulars are coming out!" or "The Regulars are coming!"
  • The Mythical Shout: "The British are coming!" or "The Redcoats are coming!" (Popularized later, most notably by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's 1861 poem).

The phrase "The Redcoats are coming!" is widely attributed to Revere, but historians agree he never actually used it. This is for a very logical reason: the colonists still considered themselves British subjects. Shouting "The British are coming!" would have been confusing and counterproductive.

Instead, Revere and his fellow riders, William Dawes and Dr. Joseph Warren, were alerting the local Colonial Militia that the British Army's professional soldiers, known as the "Regulars," were marching from Boston. The term "Redcoats" simply referred to the bright red uniform coats worn by the British infantry, a distinctive feature that made them an easy visual shorthand for the enemy.

The popularization of the phrase "The British are coming!" is largely credited to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's 1861 poem, "Paul Revere's Ride," which romanticized the event for a post-Civil War American audience. This poetic license is the true origin of the meme's most common phrase, even though "The Redcoats are coming" and "The Regulars are coming" are also frequently used meme variations, often by those who appreciate the historical accuracy.

The Meme’s Evolution: From History Joke to Fandom Warning System

The Paul Revere image and its associated phrases have been a staple of internet humor for years, especially within history-focused communities like r/HistoryMemes. However, its recent explosion in popularity—particularly in late 2024 and early 2025—is due to its adoption as a versatile, high-drama announcement template across all corners of the web.

1. The Overly Dramatic Fandom Announcement

The most popular current use of the meme is to signal a highly anticipated or disruptive event within a specific online community or fandom. The template replaces the historical warning with a hyper-specific, modern-day alarm.

  • The Template: (Image of Paul Revere galloping) + "The [Specific Fandom Threat/Event] is coming!"
  • Example 1 (Music Fandom): "The Tracklist is coming!" (Used to announce an imminent album release from a major artist.)
  • Example 2 (Gaming Fandom): "The Patch Notes are coming!" (Used to signal a major game update that will drastically change gameplay.)
  • Example 3 (TV/Film Fandom): "The Trailer Drop is coming!" or "The Renewal Announcement is coming!" (Used for highly anticipated media news.)

This use was notably amplified by a TikTok trend that moved to X (Twitter) and Tumblr in late 2024 and early 2025, where users competed to create the most niche and dramatic warnings for their respective communities.

2. The "Regulars" vs. "Redcoats" Historical Accuracy Debate

Within dedicated history meme circles, the phrase "The Redcoats are coming" is often used ironically or as a setup for a more accurate punchline. The meme itself becomes a tool to correct historical misinformation.

  • The Template: (Panel 1: Paul Revere shouting "The British are coming!") (Panel 2: A historian correcting him with a dramatic flourish)
  • The Correction: The meme is frequently paired with the text, "Actually, he shouted 'The Regulars are coming out!'" This variation highlights the distinction between the historical reality and the myth popularized by Longfellow's poem, serving as a humorous "TIL (Today I Learned)" moment.

3. Modernizing the "Invading Force"

The concept of an "invading force" is easily modernized. The meme is frequently used to warn about any disruptive, unwelcome, or overwhelming presence in a contemporary setting.

  • Example 1 (Workplace): "The Auditors are coming!" or "The Deadline is coming!"
  • Example 2 (Social Media): "The Algorithm Change is coming!" (A warning to content creators about an imminent platform update.)
  • Example 3 (Real-Life): "The In-Laws are coming!" (A domestic warning that leverages the meme's high-stakes drama.)

Topical Authority: Key Entities and LSI Keywords

The "Redcoats Are Coming" meme is a rich nexus of history, literature, and internet culture. To fully grasp its topical depth, one must be familiar with the entities and concepts that fuel its humor and historical context.

Essential Entities and LSI Keywords

These terms are frequently associated with the meme and provide a deeper understanding of its subject matter, enhancing the article's topical authority:

  • Historical Figures & Places: Paul Revere, William Dawes, Dr. Joseph Warren, Samuel Prescott, Lexington and Concord, Boston, Old North Church, George III, Sons of Liberty, Colonial Militia, Minutemen.
  • Key Phrases & Concepts: Midnight Ride, The Regulars are Coming, The British are Coming, Redcoats, American Revolution, Shot Heard Round the World, Longfellow's Poem, Historical Inaccuracy, Propaganda.
  • Meme & Internet Culture: TikTok trend, X (Twitter), Fandoms, Imgflip, Meme Generator, Viral Content, Historical Memes, Mandela Effect (related to the misremembered phrase).
  • Related Fandoms: *Outlander* (due to the presence of Redcoats), *Hamilton* (Revolutionary War context), *Star Wars* (general "invading force" use).

The Lasting Cultural Impact of the Redcoats Meme

The staying power of the "Redcoats Are Coming" meme is a testament to how the internet digests and repurposes historical narratives. It demonstrates a fascinating interplay between a romanticized myth—the one created by Longfellow—and the modern need for hyperbolic, immediate communication.

By using the image of a frantic patriot on horseback, the meme instantly conveys a sense of urgent, high-stakes warning, regardless of the actual subject matter. Whether you are a history buff correcting the phrase to "The Regulars are coming" or a music fan alerting your friends to a surprise album drop, the meme’s core function remains the same: to dramatically announce that a significant, life-altering, or at least highly anticipated, force is about to arrive. This blend of historical drama and modern-day relatability ensures that Paul Revere’s midnight ride, in meme form, will continue to gallop across the digital landscape for years to come.

The Redcoats Are Coming: 5 Shocking Ways This Historical Meme Took Over the Internet in 2024–2025
the redcoats are coming meme
the redcoats are coming meme

Detail Author:

  • Name : Heather Kshlerin
  • Username : arvilla.king
  • Email : vesta.franecki@strosin.org
  • Birthdate : 2000-09-20
  • Address : 1917 Gardner Shoals Suite 488 Lake Hugh, IL 70554-8001
  • Phone : +16784003531
  • Company : Thompson-Bailey
  • Job : Forming Machine Operator
  • Bio : Possimus commodi quo a ratione. Eos delectus et ex ut aut et. Dolor voluptatem dolores mollitia repellendus numquam. Praesentium optio non qui sit in corporis aut.

Socials

linkedin:

twitter:

  • url : https://twitter.com/crist1994
  • username : crist1994
  • bio : Mollitia repudiandae assumenda suscipit. Voluptatibus odio delectus non sint ut. Soluta officia ut qui fugit.
  • followers : 2078
  • following : 1127

Random Posts