Hardly a Massacre - British View
Since the British troops arrived in 1768, the life of soldiers in Boston was not much
better than those of the citizens who they were sent to keep under control. It’s not only the
hatred by the locals that made it so difficult. The redcoats were also severely mistreated by
their own commanders, including severe physical punishments for every minor violation.
The soldier’s pay was miserable, and they weren’t even allowed to keep all of it. According
to the military rules of that time the soldiers were charged for food and for supplies,
including the very uniforms they were required to wear. The situation was so dire that many
of them had to seek outside work just to make ends meet. Needless to say there were not
many jobs available for them in the town so hostile their presence.
It is well known that the organizers of street mobs Samuel Adams and William
Molineux were trying the best to stir up anti-British sentiments. But could they have gone as
far as trying to get people killed to generate the outcry needed to spark the revolution? As
the events in front of the Customer house unfolded it’s plain to see that a peaceful protest
was the last thing on the minds of protesters.
On March 5, 1770 at approximately 9:00 pm an angry crowd approached sentry
Hugh White standing on guard outside of the Customs House. By this time the agitators
have already been in another street brawl were ready for action. One of the leaders, Edward
Garrick started insulting private White, saying among other things that his company
commander was a cheat and did not pay him for a wig. In perhaps the most critical mistake
of this evening, White allowed himself to get involved in the quarrel and struck Garrick in
the face with the butt of a musket. From there the situation quickly escalated. Despite the
reinforcements and the actions taken by captain Preston trying to control the crowd, the
angry mob was getting out of control. The seven British soldiers tried to take White to
safety but could not reach him and were forced to defend themselves. Some of the
attackers were waving clubs and throwing stones. At some point somebody yelled “You can’t
kill us all! Fire! Why don’t you fire? You dare not fire!”
In the next few minutes the violence reached its peak. One of the attackers threw a
club at private Hugh Montgomery, knocking him off his feet. Rising, Montgomery fired a
shot into the air. He was stricken again with a club and Montgomery had no choice but to
point his gun at the attacker, Richard Palmes who quickly fled. At the same time another
soldier Private Matthew Killroy pointed his musket at the other two attackers, Edward
Langford and Samuel Gray. “Don’t fire!” Gray called out. Probably the anger and the fear of
being beaten by a club like his fellow soldier; private Killroy pulled the trigger mortally
wounding Gray. More shots were fired and more people fell to the ground wounded or dead,
leaving the aftermath of 5 civilian deaths.
It was unfortunate that the innocent people were killed, but those who were shot in
the Boston Massacre were as much of victims of the angry crowd as they were of the
accidental shooting by the soldiers. For the likes of Samuel Adams, the outcome could not
have been more beneficial.
Quickly the incident was blown out of proportion and used for propaganda. It seemed
that a chance for a fair trial in Boston was impossible. Unexpectedly two talented colonial
lawyers, Josiah Quincy and John Adams took it upon themselves to defend the soldiers. The
justice prevailed and the jury vindicated the British regulars. Preston and his four men were
fully acquitted and the other two soldiers were found guilty of lesser charges and sent back
to England. Even though tragic, the death of the colonists actually helped to improve
relations between the King and the colony.
Just a month after the incident, in April 1770 the unpopular Townshend acts were
lifted and everyone in Boston started breathing better, except perhaps for Samuel Adams
who was the only loosing party in this tragic event of the American history.
Alternative View on the Event
The Boston Massacre was not really a massacre, but more like a riot. In fact only five
people died.
One of the most common myths is that the Boston Massacre was the event that led
to the Revolutionary War. In fact, many important events led up to the massacre. It was
called a massacre by the use of propaganda. It mainly started by the British trying to
enforce laws.
British Soldiers were sent to America to enforce the Proclamation and to maintain
order but their presence just made matter worse.
It all started March 5 by a couple of boys throwing snowballs at British soldiers. A
crowd soon gathered throwing ice and making fun of them. Soon after, the British started
firing wildly. Other weapons were clubs, knives, swords, and a popular weapon, your own
bare hands.
The people that died are: Crispus Attacks, one of the more famous people who was
an African American sailor, Samuel Gray, a worker at rope walk, James Caldwell, a mate on
a American ship, Samuel Maverick, who was a young seventeen year old male, and Patrick
Carr, a feather maker.
The purpose of the Boston Massacre was to try to make liberal and moderate people
become radicals. It was really an accident and the radicals tried to use propaganda and turn
something small into something big. The British soldiers were accused of Murder and
manslaughter. To represent them was John Adams, a relative of Samuel Adams. Adams
wanted the trial to get over and didn’t want the truth to come out. The Boston Massacre and
misleading visual representation by Paul Revere could have been one cause of a later war.
The Boston Massacre increased the hatred between the Americans and the British.
The radical people tried to use this minor event as propaganda. Paul Revere and Samuel
Adams were happy the few colonists died because they used it as propaganda so the
colonist would get mad at the British. Whenever the word propaganda is used it means the
truth is stretched
From an anonymous source (Colonist):
THE HORRID MASSACRE IN BOSTON, PERPETRATED IN THE EVENING OF THE
FIFTH DAY OF MARCH, 1770, BY SOLDIERS OF THE TWENTY-NINTH REGIMENT
WHICH WITH THE FOURTEENTH REGIMENT WERE THEN QUARTERED THERE;
WITH SOME OBSERVATIONS ON THE STATE OF THINGS PRIOR TO THAT
CATASTROPHE’
...Whether the boys mistook the sentry for one of the said party (a group of unruly soldiers who
had been about the area earlier), and thence took occasion to differ with him, or whether he first
affronted them, which is affirmed in several depositions,However that may be, there was much foul language between them, and some of them, in
consequence of his pushing at them with his bayonet, threw snowballs at him, which occasioned
him to knock hastily at the door of the Custom House. From hence two persons thereupon
proceeded immediately to the main-guard, which was posted opposite to the State House, at a
small distance, near the head of the said street.
The officer on guard was Capt. Preston, who with seven or eight soldiers, with firearms and
charged bayonets, issued from the guardhouse, and in great haste posted himself and his soldiers
in front of the Custom House, near the corner aforesaid.
In passing to this station the soldiers pushed several persons with their bayonets, driving through
the people in so rough a manner that it appeared they intended to create a disturbance. This
occasioned some snowballs to be thrown at them which seems to have been the only provocation
that was given. Mr. Knox (between whom and Capt. Preston there was some conversation on the
spot) declares, that while he was talking with Capt. Preston, the soldiers of his detachment had
attacked the people with their bayonets and that there was not the least provocation given to
Capt.
Preston of his party; the backs of the people being toward them when the people were attacked.
He also declares, that Capt. Preston seemed to be in great haste and much agitated, and that,
according to his opinion, there were not then present in King street above seventy or eighty
persons at the extent.
The said party (British soldiers) was formed into a half circle; and within a short time after they
had been posted at the Custom House, began to fire upon the people. Captain Preston is said to
have ordered them to fire, and to have repeated that order.
Captain Preston is said to have ordered them to fire, and to have repeated that order. One gun
was fired first; then others in succession and with deliberation, till ten or a dozen guns were
fired; or till that number of discharges were made from the guns that were fired. By which means
eleven persons were killed and wounded, as above represented.