The Writings of Samuel Adams - Volume 2

by Samuel Adams

ARTICLE SIGNED “VINDEX.”

[Boston Gazette, December 24, 1770.]

To the Printers.

In the late trials of Preston and the Soldiers, it was observ’d that the Court constantly from day to day adjourn’d at noon and at sun-set —Our enemies, who are fruitful in their inventions, may possibly from hence take occasion to represent that it was dangerous for the Court to sit in the tumultuous town of Boston after dark. At the first view it may perhaps bear this complexion in the eye of a prejudiced stranger; for such adjournments in capital causes it may be were never before known here: But the representation would be without the least foundation in truth. It is possible that among other reasons this might be one, that the judges are all of them, to use the words of a good old Patriarch, well stricken in years, and one of them labours under infirmities of Body. I have another observation to make on this occasion, but I reserve it till a future opportunity.

I have already said that the Soldiers in coming down from the main- guard to the custom-house behaved with an haughty air—that they abused the people as they pass’d along—pushing them with their bayonets—and damning them; and when they had got to their post, they in like manner abused and struck innocent persons there who offer’d them no injury—and all this was even before they form’d, in doing which it does not appear to be danger to them or any one else. These facts, I think were prov’d, if we may believe persons of good credit, who declared them upon their oaths in Court:—And that they came down under a pretence of suppressing a riot, without a civil magistrate or peace officer, which ought always to be remembered, no one will dispute.

There was indeed a sort of evidence bro’t into Court, which, if it is at all to be rely’d upon, may serve to invalidate in some measure what has been said—namely the declaration of one of the deceas’d persons, as it was related by a gentleman who dress’d his wounds, and to whom he is said to have declared it. This man, as the doctor testified, told him among many other things, that he saw some Soldiers passing from the main-guard to the custom-house and the people pelted them as they went along. But whether these Soldiers were Preston and his party; or other Soldiers who are mention’d by another witness, as going from the main-guards towards the Centry, having short coats and arm’d with bayonets, swords or sticks, and one of them with a pair of kitchen tongs, chasing the people as they went, must remain an uncertainty—If he meant the former, it is somewhat strange that among all the witnesses on both sides, no one saw the people pelting them as they went along but he. This man confess’d to the doctor that he was a fool to be there—was surprized at the forbearance of the soldiers; believed that they fired in their own defence & freely forgave the man that shot him. But it is to be observed, he did not declare this under oath nor before a magistrate: It was however the dying speech,—very affecting and all, true no doubt; altho’ no one knew the character of this believing penitent either in point of veracity or judgment.—By the testimony of his land-lady in Court, one would not form the best opinion of him; but de mortuis nil nisi bonum.

There were others ready to be sworn, if the Council for the crown had thought it worth while to have bro’t them forward, that they also could relate what this man had told them, viz. that his doctors had encouraged him that he would soon recover of his wounds, and he hoped to live to be a swift witness against the soldiers—Great stress was laid by some upon the simple declaration of this man, who in all probability died in the faith of a roman catholick. This, however, I am apt to think, will not disparage his declaration in the opinion of some great men at home, even tho’ he did not make his confession to a ghostly physician.

Before I proceed to enquire into the danger the Soldiers were in, if they were in any at all, and who were in fault, I will take the liberty to lead the reader back to a consideration of the temper the Soldiers in general discovered, and their correspondent conduct, for some considerable time before the fatal tragedy was acted—It is well known indeed that from their first landing, their behavior was to a great degree insolent; and such as look’d as if they had enter’d deeply into the spirit of those who procur’d them,—and really believed, that we were a country of rebels and they were sent here to subdue us. But for some time before the fifth of March, they more frequently insulted the inhabitants who were quietly passing the streets; and gave out many threats, that on that very night the blood would run down the streets of Boston, and that many who would dine on Monday would not breakfast on Tuesday; and to show that they were in earnest they forewarn’d their particular acquaintance to take care of themselves—These things were attested before the magistrates by credible persons under oath.—Accordingly when the Monday evening came on, they were early in every part of the town arm’d with bludgeons, bayonets and cutlasses, beating those whom they could, and assaulting and threatning others—By the way, I will just observe for the information of a certain honorable gentleman, that the name of bludgeons was unheard of in this town till the Soldiers arrived—This behavior put the inhabitants in mind of their threatenings; and was the reason that those of them who had occasion to walk the streets, came out arm’d with canes or clubs. Between eight and nine o’clock, the Soldiers in Murray’s barracks in the centre of the town rush’d out with their naked cutlasses insulting, beating and wounding the inhabitants who were passing along: This, in so frequented a street, naturally collected numbers of people who resented the injury done and an affray ensued—About the same time a difference arose in King- street, between a centry there and a barber’s boy, who said to his fellow-apprentice in the hearing of the centry “there goes Capt.——- who has not paid my master for dressing his hair:” The centry foolishly resented it, and word took place; and the boy answering him with pertness, & calling him a name, the centry struck him. Here was the first assault in King-street.—But for what reason the evidence of this matter was not bro’t into Court, at the last trial, as it had been at the trial of Preston, the reader if he pleases may conjecture. At the same time a gentleman not living far from the custom-house, and hearing as he tho’t a distant cry of murder, came into the street, which he had just before left perfectly still, and to use his words, “never clearer”: He there saw a party of Soldiers issue from the mainguard, and heard them say, damn them where are they, by Jesus let them come; and presently after another party rush’d thro’ Quaker-lane into the street, using much such expressions:—Their arms glitter’d in the moon-light. These cried fire, and ran up the street and into Cornhill which leads to Murray’s barracks; in their way they knocked down a boy of twelve years old, a son of Mr. Appleton, abused and insulted several gentlemen at their doors and others in the street:— Their cry was, damn them, where are they, knock them down; and it is suppos’d they join’d in the affray there, which still continued—They also then cried fire, which one of the witnesses took to be their watch-word.

By this time the barber’s boy had return’d to the centry with a number of other boys to resent the blow he had received: The centry loaded his gun and threatened to fire upon them, and they threatened to knock him down—The bells were ringing as for fire: Occasion’d either by the Soldiers crying fire as is before mention’d, for it is usual in this town when fire is cried, for any one who is near a church to set the bells a ringing; or it might be, to alarm the town, from an apprehension of some of the inhabitants, that the Soldiers were putting their former threats into execution, and that there would be a general massacre: It is not to be wonder’d at, that some persons were under such apprehensions; when even an officer at Murray’s barracks, appeared to encourage the Soldiers and headed them, as it was sworn before the magistrate.—This officer was indicted by the grand jury, but he could not be found afterwards—Some other officers, and particularly lieutenants Minchen and Dickson, discovered a very different temper.

The ringing of the bells alarmed the town, it being suppos’d by the people in general there was fire; and occasion’d a concourse in King- street which is a populous part of it. As the people came into the street, the barber’s boy told them that the centry had knock’d him down—and a person who had come into the street thro’ Royal-exchange lane, which leads from Murray’s barracks, (and possibly had observ’d the behavior of the Soldiers there) and seeing the centry, cried here’s a Soldier—Various were the dispositions and inclinations of the people according to their various “feelings” no doubt; for mankind, it is said, “act from their feelings more than their reason:” The cooler sort advis’d to go home: The curious were willing to stay and see the event, and those whose feelings were warmer, perhaps partook of the boys resentment. So it had been before at Murray’s barracks, and so it always will be among a multitude: At the barracks some, to use the expression of one of the witnesses, called out home, home; while some in their heat cried, huzza for the main-guard—there is the nest—This was said by a person of distinction in court, to savour of treason! Tho’ it was allow’d on both sides, that the main- guard was not molested thro’ the whole evening.

I would here beg the reader’s further patience, while I am a little more particular, in relation to the affray at Murray’s barracks; for it may be of importance to enquire how it began there.—Mr. Jeremiah Belknap, an householder of known good reputation, had been sworn before the magistrate; and why he was not bro’t in as a witness at the trial, is not my business to say, and I shall not at present even conjecture—Mr. Belknap, who lived in Cornhill near Murray’s barracks, testified, that on the first appearance of the affray there, hearing a noise he ran to his door, and heard one say he had been struck by a Soldier: he presently saw eight or nine Soldiers arm’d with clubs and cutlasses, come out of Boylston’s alley, which is a very short passage leading from Murray’s barracks into the street—he desired them to retire to the barracks—one of them with a club in one hand and a cutlass in the other, with the latter, made a stroke at him: Finding no prospect of stopping them, he ran to the main-guard and called for the officers of the guard—he was inform’d, there was no officer there—he told the Soldiers, with drawn cutlasses, who he suppos’d were of the party from Murray’s barracks—Another gentleman, one of the prisoners witnesses, swore in Court, that a little after eight o’clock he saw at his own door, which is very near the barracks, several Soldiers passing and repassing, some with clubs, others with bayonets: And then he related the noise & confusion he afterwards heard, & the squabble he saw, but no blows—that he saw two Soldiers, each at a different time, present his gun at the people, threatning to make a lane through them; but the officers drove them in—The tragedy was compleated very soon in King-street—The firing was reserv’d for another party of Soldiers, not much if at all to their discredit in the judgment of some, and under the command of an officer who did not restrain them. The witness heard the report of the first gun soon after the people cried home, home; and declared that he tho’t they had fired upon the main guard, for he heard the drum at the main guard beat to arms—Another, who was sworn in Court, a witness for the Crown declared, that about nine o’clock, passing near Draper’s (or Bolyston’s) alley, which leads into Murray’s barracks, and thro’ which he intended to go, he heard some boys huzzaing—he judged there were not more than six or seven, and they were small; they ran thro’ dock-square towards the Market—Presently after he saw two or three persons in the alley with weapons—a number of Soldiers soon sallied out, arm’d with large naked cutlasses, assaulting every body coming in their way—that he himself narrowly escaped a cut from the foremost of them who pursued him; and that he saw a man there, who said he was wounded by them and he felt of the wound—The wounded man stopped, and this occasioned the people who were passing to gather round him— Thinking it dangerous fo him to proceed, the witness returned home— A Captain of the 14th, one of the prisoners witnesses was also sworn in Court: He testified that in Cornhill he saw a mob collected at the pass (Boylston’s alley) leading to Murray’s barracks—the people were pelting the Soldiers he tho’t had a fire-shovel—as soon as they knew him, he prevailed on them to go to the bottom of the pass, and with some difficulty he got down—This witness, it seems, must have been later than the others; and Mr. Belknap, perhaps gives as early an account of it, as any can, but the Soldiers themselves.

I would only ask how it came to pass that the Soldiers, on that particular evening, should be seen abroad, in every part of the town, contrary to the rules of the army, after eight o’clock—If the officers, who should have restrain’d them, were careless of their duty, whence was so general a carelessness among the officers at that juncture? It was said, there was no officer at the main-guard, which may in part account for it. Or, if the Soldiers were all at once ungovernable by their officers, and could not be restrain’d by them, a child may judge from the appearance they made, that there had been a general combination, agreable to their former threats, on that evening to put in execution some wicked and desperate design.

VINDEX.

Dec. 18th.