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| A Sailor's View on the Boston Tea
Party by Brittany W. |
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1773 December 4
Dearest Mother and Father,
I just got your letter, and to your previous question, yes, I am doing
well. I have seen a great deal of beautiful places from sailing. Why,
just a month ago I went to a place for supplies with my crew, and saw
the sky’s pink, yellow, and blue highlights. It made me smile with joy!
Seeing the beauty of the sky and hearing the ocean’s waves made me
think of how lucky I am to have such a loving and caring family. I have
found I have a knack for watching the sky because it makes me think a
lot about how fortunate I am. I wish you were here to see the beautiful
sky up here!
My wife, Sarah, is doing well also. She cooks the best cornbread with a
side of meat. Unfortunately, she has a whooping cough, and I fear she
may get a fever. She hasn’t been cooking because she feels ill, but
right now she is in her bedroom on her bedroll resting. I think she
caught it from her stroll down to the market a few days ago. She went
to go purchase some fish and vegetables to last us for a while. It was
raining pretty fiercely that day, but my Sarah is a very determined
woman; when she wants something and she knows she can accomplish it,
she’ll do nothing to stop herself from getting it. So she went down to
the market in the pouring rain and bought the vegetables and fish, and
the outcome of that is now her whooping cough. However, the boys are
growing very quickly! It seems I am trading more clothing for them then
I used to. They need so much! I feel as if they grow larger every
second.
Bostonians are very angry nowadays, because King George III and
Parliament have raised a tax on tea. It’s three pence more. Many people
have stopped buying it and have been protesting, fighting and
boycotting other goods. As for me, I have been sneakily getting my tea
as I have noticed I have a knack for trading. I do dare say that as
time gets farther I probably will get caught by the soldiers, but I
fear if I do get caught, I shall not be with my dearest loved family.
What
shall I do then?
I just came home from a three week trip yesterday. My crew and I came
upon Long Wharf and tied our boat up. We walked along King Street when
we overheard a few gentlemen talking about the Soldiers and
Parliament’s tax on tea. I remember one man said he saw Patriot
children throwing stones at some of the soldiers. My friends and I
listened closely. Another man started saying he had witnessed it and
that someone threw a rock at him! I almost burst out laughing when
Peter (a good crewman friend of mine) took off his thick heavy coat and
told me to hold it. He then walked up to the gentlemen around the
corner who were talking about the British soldiers encounter with the
children. Peter started asking questions and befriended them. Then they
all started talking about merchants giving away cheaper tea and King
George III when Peter came around and got the rest of our crew and
introduced us all. I befriended the gentlemen also, but I think they
are foolish men for talking such things. I fear they may not be who
they say they are. One gentlemen was acting very strangely. He kept
twitching his eye and rolling his fingers through his wig rapidly like
he had to use the restroom or something. While I was listening to these
strong men talk about such things I started thinking too. I have come
to the decision that I think King George III is being foolish and crude
for putting such tax on the tea without the Bostonians concern. The
gentlemen told me a phrase they have been hearing from other Bostonians
lips; “No Taxation without Representation!” I feel the same way
and definitely understand the way they are feeling, but I just wish
King George III would feel the same too.
In the evening, our family does not spend much time together because I
am usually sailing. Sailing has taken a lot of time, however, I have
wished and offered Sarah to come along, but she fears the ocean’s
deepness of dark blue water.
In the daytime, I am usually preparing to leave. Packing food and
getting crews of men to come along. On ship rides, I work very hard.
Sometimes I am below deck cleaning or sometimes I’m getting sick. The
food is
disgusting, but when I come home, Sarah always has something delicious
waiting for me!
My last trip has left me very tired, so I will end this letter now. I
do miss you, and please remember, I will always love you and shall
write in a few days or so.
Your tired son,
Nathaniel Adams
1773 December 17
Dearest Mother and Father,
You shall not believe what has happened, There has been a destruction
of
the tea!!! I shall tell you what has happened. I was with my crew
coming back from a thirteen day time period trip at around midnight. We
we’re pulling into Griffin’s Wharf when we saw about three-hundred
Bostonians dressed as Indians coming towards some ships and not looking
very pleased. Later I realized they were ransacking the three ships
called the Dartmouth, the Beaver, and the Eleanor. I heard from Sarah
that night when I returned home, that the reason for this was because
it was the twentieth day for a man to keep his ship there before he had
it ransacked or he had to leave. But what I saw was three parties each
heading for a different ship. Running and shouting and coming onto the
ships. People carried hatchets and their faces were painted. They threw
the dark chests of heavily packed tea into the harbor. People just kept
throwing tea into the bay. It took them about three hours, but I just
stayed on my boat and watched with my crew.
I was very taken aback because I have never seen so many people so
angry with such community-skills to work all together and throw tea off
a ship. At first a few of my crew members wanted to join in too, but we
all agreed on just staying on our ship. Later that night, as I returned
home and told Sarah my share of what I had seen, she told me that King
George III has repealed the tea tax because of everything that
has happened. He fears for the future’s outcomes of the colonists and
their anger on all this. I was very happy to hear this because I think
it’s foolish for a man that calls himself “King” and says he listens to
the people, to ignore the words of the Bostonians. They do
not wish to have a tax on tea, and he does not wish to care. But there
are many others that call themselves Loyalists who agree with the tax
and think everyone should just be fine and adjust their lives in order
to be loyal to the Crown. I think that is foolish.
Right now, however, I am at home. I went down to the market earlier to
buy some fish and some raw meat for my next trip coming up. I saw some
men with paint around their eyebrows. They just walked by and greeted
me with a hello, acting as if nothing had happened last night. I
purchased my fish and raw meat then I walked home. When I got home,
Sarah cooked the boys and me some dinner, then we all ate around the
fire. Now I am writing to tell you of all that has happened. I think
the Colonists got their message across, but I wonder what King George
III, Parliament and the soldiers will do next.
I miss you so! Please remember you both are in my heart and I love you.
I shall write again in a few days.
Your surprised son,
Nathaniel Adams
1773 December 24
Dearest Mother and Father,
How are you? I miss you so! Things have settled a bit but Boston is
still tense. People have been talking much less about the destruction
of the tea but I have heard much talk about whom they think played a
part in this misfortune. I know naught of everyone except for a young
man named James Brewer. The night I was watching, I quickly recognized
his face, but I shall not tell anyone it was him.
Sarah is still very ill. She has a whooping cough and a high fever. My
sons and I have been caring for her and cooking her soups, but she just
gets worse. What shall I do? Please pray for her illness to leave her
system.
The boys are getting bigger and stronger. I am proud to say they have
been helping me much around our home and taking care of Sarah.
I have been trading more for medicines and goods for Sarah. Why just
yesterday I went down to the merchants shops and traded some items for
some herb-medicine to make Sarah well again. I traded, then I walked
home and gave a portion of it to Sarah. The merchant I traded with told
me she would be well in the next few days. I know it has only been a
day but she still isn’t well. Her cough has mellowed a bit but her
fever is still high. I fear for her health. Unfortunately, I’m supposed
to leave in three days time to go sailing so I must leave her with the
boys. What think you on this?
Today I awoke early and went into the bedroom to check on Sarah. Her
head was sweating and her face was bright red. I took a damp cloth and
rested it on her cheek, then I left to go down to the market. When I
got there, there was already many other fellow Bostonians trading and
purchasing items before everyone else got their chance to take whatever
the others wanted. I quickly strode myself down to where I knew of a
friend who was selling fresh plump vegetables. After purchasing some, I
quickly walked home and had the boys help me cook some carrot soup with
crackers on the side. When it was finished cooking, we served it to
Sarah and gave her some fresh water. She couldn’t drink it though. I
fear for her throat and her health. Please tell me what I should do to
make her well again?
Well I must go and check on her again, but please remember I love you
both deeply and I hope to get your letter in return soon!
Sincerely, your worried son,
Nathaniel Adams
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Historical References:
Allison, Robert J. A Short History Of Boston.
Massachusetts;
Commonwealth
Editions, 2004.
Greeley, Joe. “Crossing The Atlantic in Colonial Time.”
River Gazette. September 2006: page
6.
Hakim, Joy. From Colonies To
Country. Book 3. New York: Oxford
University Press Inc., 1993.
Harness, Cheryl. The
Revolutionary John Adams. Massachusetts: Harvard University
Press, 1975.
Life at Home Colonial Boston. Spyglass Books, LLC. 2000.
Http://www.oneapril.com/colonial/lifehome.shtml
Weiser, Paul. A. Daily Routine.
Http://www.battleshipnc.com/history/bb55/sailor/daily/daily.php.
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