|
|
| Letters Found Reveal What Really
Happend at the Boston Massacre by Gary
|
| |
1770 March 4
Dear Brother,
After Christopher Seider got shot by Ebenezer Richardson, people have
been becoming more upset at the British, and they are turning from
Loyalist to Patriot.
My friend, Samuel Adams, organized a big funeral for Christopher,
and a schooner load of people attended. I was the one who had the idea
of having the funeral, but I told Sam about it and he decided to do it.
Now everybody, thinks that he had the idea, but it was really me. It’s
no big deal. The reason I thought of it was so it would make people
more angry that Patriots were getting killed , and they would begin to
be more of a Patriot. But that was a week ago.
Lately things have been good at the print shop. You remember Benjamin
Franklin, my good friend. Well, now I work with him at his shop. Things
are good at the shop, but not so good in Boston. People are not giving
British soldiers quarters, so the British soldiers are tenting in the
Boston Common. Also, they are playing their drums and bugles at
inappropriate times causing commotion in Boston.
I am upset about this because when I am trying to sleep they are
keeping me awake. My plan is to write back if anything big happens, but
until then stay safe my dearest brother.
Sincerely,
William Williams
1770, March 10
Dear Brother,
The day after I wrote to you things erupted in Boston. Just five days
ago a British soldier was looking for a job when people began to harass
him, which started the day off bad.
Later that night a soldier was on guard at the Town House when a couple
of young lads began to throw rocks and snowballs at him. So finally he
butted one of them in the head with his gun and the little boy ran home
and told his parents. Next, a mob gathered in front of the Town House.
People threw rocks, ice, and snowballs at the soldier on guard. Then he
yelled for help, and Captain Preston came, along with eight other
soldiers. They held off the crowd for a while, but what happened next
was unavoidable.
Captain Preston yelled “hold your fire,” but over all the yelling from
the crowd there was confusion. One soldier fired, and another, and then
they all fired. Three colonists were killed and two were mortally
wounded. But that is my version of the story. If you ask any other
colonist they will say that the mob was not being violent, and that
Captain Preston had the British soldiers lined up, and then he yelled
fire, and the soldiers fired at an unarmed crowd.
I think that the British soldiers were provoked, but out in public I
would say the same thing any other colonist would say. But between you
and me, they were not lined up and they were confused. The crowd was
not armed but they were throwing ice, snow, and rocks, so they fired in
self defense. Most people were not there but I was, so the story that I
told you is what really happened.
Besides all of that commotion things at home have been good. We built a
second room to our house and a new chimney. Sarah's pregnant again.
William Jr. is an apprentice at my shop and is fifteen now. John is
twelve, Abigail is five, and Elizabeth is nine. Elizabeth jhas a high
fefer, and is at risk of dying,l but i do not think she will. Sarah is
very worried. I am worried too, but not as worried as Sarah. Every week
we put her in a cool bath, but it doesn't seem to be working.
We usually have ham for dinner, just like mother used to cook it. I
used to love it when we lived in Lexington with Mom and Dad, and every
Sunday we would have ham. I also liked having tea with the family every
morning. Then after we had ham we would go to church.
I look different from the last time I saw you. My hair is longer, and
lighter. Now I have a full beard, and I got a new shirt,that is white.
I am also skinnier because ever since I worked at the Franklin's print
shop, and my horse caught a disease that spread to all the
horses, I have to walk all the way to Queen Street, which is about 200
rods. But my personality is the same, I am still dearest to every
living soul.
I will write to you, soon. Until then, take care.
sincerely,
William Williams
1770, October 31
Dear Brother,
After the fight on King Street, Samuel Adams organized another funeral
for the five victims that got killed. The two men that were mortally
wounded died days after. This funeral was much bigger than Christopher
Seider’s. The procession took place at Fanueil Hall, and the caskets
were carried throughout Boston like Christopher seider’s. They also got
buried in the Granary Burying Ground.
I was surprised how many people came to the processions and walked with
the casket, which was good because it meant that a lot of people are
becoming Patriots. That is what we in the Sons Of Liberty wanted.
Another thing we did to make people angry at the British is had Paul
Revere engrave a picture of the fight on King Street to show all the
people that were not there what happen.
You have probably seen it. It shows the British soldiers lining up and
firing into an innocent crowd which is not correct,but we did it so
that it would make people angry.
Captain Preston just had his trial, and the other eight soldiers will
have theirs in two months. John Adams, a Patriot, was his lawyer. At
first I was upset that he was going to support them, even though I
thought that they were innocent. I didn’t think that he should have
done that.But after he told me that he wanted to show the King
that the British soldiers deserved a fair trial, and that we could run
a country without him. After he told me that I was all right with him
doing that. Captain Preston was found not guilty.
Even though I believe that the British soldiers were not guilty, I am
still mad that we got taxed without representation. It was not fair for
them to just give us a tax without us even getting a say in it. I’m not
mad that we even have the tax, it’s only a little bit. But we didn’t
get represented!
I will write back if anything big happens, and let me know if anything
happens in Virginia. Until then, may God be with you.
Sincerely,
William Williams
|
|
Historical References:
Colonial Times. 7 April 2006
<http://library.thinkquest.org/joo2132/colonialtimes.html>.
Hakmin, Joy : From Colonies to Country. New York : Oxford
University Press Inc.,1993.
The Colonial Wiilliamsburg Foundation Colonial williamsburg : Printer.
March 31, 2006.
The Printer. 6 April 2006
<http://www.poconticohills.org/tradesman/printer.html>.
The Trial. 6 April 2006 <http://www.bostonmassacre.net>
|
|
