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 In the journals cataloged to the right, readers
will discover first hand accounts of the Boston Massacre. Readers may
find it helpful to reveiw the historical facts of this event before
exploring the primary documents.
In the days leading up to the Boston Massacre the city of Boston was
filled with tension. There were arguments between soldiers and Patriots
until finally things erupted. On the night of March 5, 1770 the Boston
Massacre occurred. A group of Patriots began to yell “bloody back!” and
“lobster back!” at the sentry standing guard at the Customs House until
the sentry called for help.
When Captain Thomas Preston and his troops arrived the crowd had grown
to 400 angry Bostonians. By this time the church bells began to ring
and more men arrived surging the number of Bostonians to 450. The
crowd started to shout “Kill em’!”, “Knock em’ down!” Some citizens
were
even shouting “fire!”.
The mob ran in closer. In the confusion a shot was fired followed by
several more. Samuel Gray, Crispus Attucks, James Caldwell, and Samuel
Maverick were dead on the spot. Patrick Carr died later the next night.
To avoid further problems, the British Soldiers were shipped to Castle
Island off the coast of Boston. The Bostonians were still unhappy,
however. They wanted the troops sent back to England.
Months Later, on October 24, 1770, Captain Thomas Preston, Corporal
William Wemms, James Hartigan, William McCauley, Hugh White, Matthew
Kilroy, William Warren, John Carrol, and Hugh Montgomery went on trial
for the murder of the five men who died in the massacre. They were
represented by John Adams, Josiah Quincy Jr., and Sampson Salter
Blowers. All of the jurors were from other colonies because they could
not find anyone in Boston to be on the jury. The trial lasted
eight days. When the jury reached a verdict they found all the men
innocent except Hugh Montgomery and Matthew Kilroy. They were both
charged with manslaughter.
Their punishment was to be branded with
an “M” on their thumbs, marking them permanently. That way if they
returned to Boston in the future, the Bostonians would have the right
to hurt or even
kill them.
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