|
| New Evidence Provides More
Information on Massacre by Maura
|
| |
March 1, 1770
My Dearest Sister Mary,
Tension here is rising. The Redcoats still remain here in
Boston . King George III, a few weeks ago, repealed the Townshend Acts. Now
business is getting back to normal. Hopefully, mother and father told
you that I finished my apprenticeship last Christmas and am now working
for the Boston Gazette and Country Journal. I do not know how you could
not have known. Do you remember when I first left home to go?
It was hard work but I am happy that I completed it. I had the greatest
teacher and his shop was just outside of Newport. He always told me
things from his apprenticeship days; they were very helpful. I am
now living with a elderly woman whom I help and in trade I may board
with her. It was the best I could find. Usually printers
live above the shop, but there was no room.
I have seen brother John around town, but I have not talked to him.
Cousin Samuel has been very busy lately, organizing the funeral and
all. His name, Samuel Adams, has been said a lot around town. Surely
you have heard about that. Poor Christopher Seider, he was shot right
in the head, and then again in the chest, an awful way to die.
Ebenezer Richardson shot him when they were all protesting
outside of his shop. I heard they were throwing rocks. One hit his
wife, and killed her. As you might suspect he is a supporter of the
Crown. There was a funeral for young Seider this past week, I watched
it go by the shop, but I did not join though I wanted to.
This morning as I was walking to work, I heard the children taunting
the Redcoats, saying things like, “Bloodyback” and “Lobsterback” Although I am
against them being here, I dislike how they do this to them. One day
the karma will come back to them. I will hate to the see that day come.
I arrived to work fairly early today. I got right to work, got my types
together, my composing stick, and worked on the article Thomas Johnson
sent in about the latest happenings in England. I was halfway done when
Benjamin , my manager, came in to tell me that I would have to work
late until about 9 o`clock on the 5th of the March. Since I have just
started I must always be the one who has to work the extra hours. This
means I must walk home that night at that hour - joy.
I have worked a whole fourteen hours today so I must go rest. Good
Night.
Your loving sister, Katherine Adams
March 6th,1770
My Dearest Sister Mary,
I am lucky to be alive. The British have fought back. They have killed
five Bostonians. Crispus Attucks, a free black man was killed, the poor
soul worked so hard to get to where he was. I witnessed the whole
“massacre” as the Sons
of Liberty have called it. I am as you maybe can tell, not happy.
I had to work extra, as you know, so we could finished this weeks’
publication. As I was walking home I saw, right outside the Customs
House, a mob of
people. I went closer and saw a British sentry being picked on by the
townspeople. People were throwing sticks, snow, ice , rocks, and other
objects toward him, There was a foot of snow on the ground and
more was coming down so my vision was blurred.
The sentry, who was
suddenly knocked down, called for help. Captain Preston, Matthew
Kilroy, Hugh Montgomery, and six others arrived pushing through the
crowd. I watched as they helped their fellow soldier up. I thought that
this would be the end of this whole thing, but I was wrong.
The next thing I knew people were yelling “Fire” at the soldiers and
then I heard the church bells ringing. A few moments later housewives
and children came out with pails of water and snow. I wondered why they
were ringing the bells. There was no fire at all, from what I could
see. One word summed up everything happening, confusion. I could tell
the soldiers even did not know what was going on. The crowd 'twas not
giving up. Fire was still being yelled 'til there was a shot fired. I
am not quite sure who it was, but I am thinking that it was Kilroy. He
seemed to be angered by everything we colonists do.
The snow was now bloody and everyone was distraught, including me.
There have been five people in all killed: Crispus Attucks, as I
mentioned earlier; Samuel Gray, who worked at the rope walk; James
Caldwell, who was a sailor on an American ship; Samuel Maverick,who was
just a young boy at the mere age of seventeen and last but not least,
Patrick Carr, a feather maker.
I am going to brother John Adam’s house tomorrow night after work,
which by the way was awfully busy. I am tired from thinking about
this, it angers me. Katherine Adams
March 13,1770
My Dearest Mary,
It has been a whole six days since I have written to you. I am just
getting over a small cases of pneumonia. I have not been taking the
best care of myself like I should be. I went to the town doctor, and he
told me to drink lots of liquids to help my body recover. I should be
back to printing soon.
I have much to tell you. It was just yesterday, that we printed the
paper with the massacre story. I am sending it along in case you do not
get the Boston Gazette in Newport. At work, I shared the story on my
account to my colleagues. I told them in great detail. I guess
working the late shift helped .. a little.
I have some news about our brother, John. When I arrived at his home he
immediately began to tell me how he felt about the massacre. I learned
something very interesting. He has agreed to represent the British
soldiers in the trial that will be held along with Josiah Quincy. I was
very surprised to hear this from him but he says he wants to show King
George III that over here in the colonies everyone is treated equally
and may receive a fair trial. I thought, even though I am a Patriot, that it was a very
good reason, and I myself might have done the same. He said it would
start sometime in October.
I suspect that the soldiers will not be charged with anything much, but
I am sure that the prosecutors will have at least one convicted guilty.
I wonder if King George has heard yet about what has happened
here? I dare say that once the news is passed on to him he will have no
idea what to do next. He has gotten himself into this mess, so he must
find a way out. I doubt that is going to happen very soon.
Your Sister, Katherine Adams
|
|
Historical References:
Beller,Susan Provost. The
Revolutionary War. New York: Marshall Cavendish.
Fisher,Leonard Everett. The
Printers. New York: Benchmark, 200,c 1965.
Garcia,Jesus,Ogle,Donna M., Risinger, C.Frederick, and Stevos, Joyce. Creating America. United
States. McDougal Littel,2005.
Hakim,Joy. A History of US:
From Colony To Country. Oxford University Press:New York,1993.
Jump,Otak. Your Teacher Take You To Colonial Virginia. 3 April 2006.
<http://www.ohlone.paloalto.ca.us/williamsburg/index.htm>
Murray, Stuart. American
Revolution. New York: DKPublishing, Inc., 2002
Sayers,DeaLea H. Colonial
Printing. 3 April 2006.
<http://www.colonialprinter.org/index_files/page0006.htm>
Boston Massacre Historical Society. Colonial Williamsburg. 25 April
2006.
<www.bostonmassacre.net/>.
Newspapers in
Revolutionary Era American & The Problems of Patriot and Loyalist
Printers. National Endowment for the Humanities. 10 April
2006<http://www.assupmtion.edu/ahc/1770s/pprintoryloyal.html7>.
The American Revolution.
San Diego: Greenhaven Press, Inc.,1992
The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. Colonial Williamsburg ; Printer and Binder.
March 31, 2006.
<http://www.colonialwilliamsburg.com/Almanack/life/trades/tradepri.cfm.
“The Views from the Crows Nest,” The Boston Massacre. Cobblestone. 27
April 2006:4-5 |
|
