The Boston Massacre

A letter from Sam Adams on the events of March 5. 

[Boston Gazette, January 7, 1771]

To the PRINTERS.

I Have taken occasion to mention the unhappy persons, who lost
their lives on the fatal fifth of March And I think it must appear
to every candid reader, that they were totally unconnected with
each other; and that it cannot be even suspected, that either, or
to be sure, more than one of them had any ill intention in coming
abroad on that evening; much less, that they were combin'd
together to do any sort of mischief: Nay, it is even to be
doubted, whether they ever had any knowledge of each other. I will
further observe, that there was not the shadow of evidence to
prove, that any other persons, excepting the Soldiers, had form'd a
design to commit disorders at that or any other time: Unless credit
is to be given in a court of law, to the hearsay of an hearsay; the
story which one man told another at sea, and months after the facts
were committed: Evidence which was in vain objected to by the council
for the crown; but to the honor of one of the prisoners council was
by him interrupted and stopped. This worthy gentleman declared in
open court that it was not legal, and that it ought not to have the
least weight in the minds of the jurors; upon which it was ruled,
that the witness should proceed no further, and he was dismiss'd.

I come now to consider the tragical scene, as it was acted in
King-street; in doing which, I shall confine myself chiefly, to
the evidence as it was given in court: If I vary from the truth,
let Philanthrop, or any one else correct me; it is far from my
design: And I am willing to appeal for facts, to the book which
Philanthrop has told us of; provided always, that the facts are
there stated with impartiality and truth: This I think it
necessary to premise, because I find it advertiz'd, that the book
is to be publish'd, not by the direction, but with the permission
of the court: A distinction, which appears to me to be of some
importance.

It may be necessary, first to enquire into the situation the
centinel was in, for whose relief the party was said to have
afterwards gone down. By the testimony given in court, by Col.
Marshall, who had spent the evening at a friend's house in dock-
square, it appears that at nine o'clock all was quiet there; and
passing thro' Royal - exchange lane into King street, where the
centry was, he found all as peaceable there; "the street never
clearer," was his expression. It is probable that very soon after
this, the difference arose between the centry and the barber's
boy; for Col. Marshall testified, that some time after, he heard a
distant cry of murder; and it is without doubt the centry struck
the boy, with his gun, - It was then that Colonel Marshall saw a
party turn out from the main-guard, and soon after another party
rush'd thro' Quaker-lane, all arm'd - It is probable, that these
were the Soldiers who, as they ran into Cornhill, abus'd the
people there, as I have before mention'd: Upon the appearance of
these parties, it is said, that the barber's boy, and his fellow-
apprentice, ran either into his Master's or a neighbor's shop. -
Mr. William Parker, one of the prisoner's witnesses declared, that
when he came into King street, which was after the affray began at
Murray's barracks, all was quiet and peaceable: But presently the
barber's boy, with two or three more, came to the centry - they
push'd one another against him (in resentment it is to be suppos'd
for) they said, he had knock'd the boy down - In the trial of
Capt. Preston, the boy himself swore in Court, that the centry had
struck him with his bayonet. Mr. Parker adds, that presently a
number, about fifteen, came thro' Silsby's lane, which leads from
Murray's barracks, with sticks like pieces of pine in their hands
- The most of them small boys, 1 or 2 of them large lubbers, as he
called them - they said, let us go to the main-guard; by which it
does not appear that they interested themselves in the dispute
with the centry, nor does it appear that they molested the main-
guard, if they went up to it - Soon after, five or six more came
up Royal exchange lane, which also leads from Murray's barracks,
with sticks like the others; but neither did the witness say, that
these interfered with the centry - Mr. Parker further said, that
he went up by Mr. Jackson's corner, and met twenty or thirty more
coming out of Cornhill, a good many men among them, some with
sticks and some with walking canes - These opened the matter to
him; and told him there had been a squabble at Murray's barracks,
but that the Soldiers were driven in, and all was over. -  These
different parties met in a cluster, at and near Quaker lane, and
not long after seem'd to disperse; and he soon went off himself,
not leaving above twelve or fifteen in the street: And, just as he
got home, which might not be more than ten minutes, he heard the
bells ring, and the guns discharg'd - No one I believe will
dispute the veracity, either of Col. Marshall or Mr. Parker
Mr Edward Payne, a merchant of note in this town, was also
summoned as a witness for the prisoners, and his testimony will
undoubtedly be rely'd upon, by all who know him or his character.
Mr. Payne came out after Mr. Parker left the street; for he
declared in Court, that at 20 minutes after nine, when the bells
rang, he went out into the street, and was told, as Mr. Parker had
been, that the soldiers had sallied out of their barracks, and had
cut & wounded a number, but were driven in again - He declared
that the centinel was walking by himself, and no body near him -
so that the barber's boy and his three or four comrades, were at
that time gone off - He heard a considerable noise in Cornhill,
and a noise of people coming up Silsby's alley - they were
inhabitants: Fourteen or fifteen, perhaps twenty, passed by him,
some with sticks, others without; as many of the latter as the
former - They cried where are they? It is necessary to connect the
circumstances, as the facts are related: Here therefore I will
remind the reader, that besides the Soldiers that came out of
Murray's barracks, and who now may be suppos'd to have been driven
in, there was also a party that had issued from the main guard,
and another party of Soldiers who came thro' Quaker-lane, all
arm'd with naked cutlasses, &c. who went into Cornhill not long
before, and there insulted every person they met: These were the
men whom the persons mentioned by Mr. Payne, in all probability
refer'd to, when they cried, where are they. -  Certainly no
persons could be tho't blame-worthy, for pursuing a banditti, who
had already put a number of peaceable people in great terror of
their lives, with a design to prevent their doing further mischief:
There is no foundation to suppose, that they had any other design:
Yet these are the persons, who, as some would have it, were the
faulty cause of the slaughter, that afterwards ensued: It was
indeed unfortunate that they happened to take that rout; for Mr.
Payne added, that a lad came up and said, that the centry had
knock'd down a boy, upon which the people turn'd about, and went
directly to the centry: By which, one would think, that they had
no design to attack the centry before: and that they would not
even have spoken to him, had they not been told that he had
injured the boy: Till then, the centry had not been the object of
their attention; and I must insist upon it, that they had then as
good right by the law, to resent the injury done to the boy, as
the party from the main-guard had afterwards, to resent the injury
done, if there was any, to the centry - The prudence in either
case I will not undertake to vindicate - Mr. Payne further said,
he was afraid of what might happen from the peoples surrounding
the centry, and wished they might be taken off - He returned to
his own door, which is nearly on the opposite side of the street,
and there heard the people cry to the centry, fire, damn you, why
don't you fire. - I have just observ'd, that Mr. Payne expressed
his concern at the peoples surrounding the centry: Mr. Henry Knox,
another witness for the prisoners, a young gentleman of a very
good reputation, was probably near the centry while Mr. Payne was
at his own door - He testified in court, that the people were
round the centry, and they said he was going to fire - That he was
waving his gun- That he (Mr. Knox) told him, if he fired he must
die - That in return he damn'd them, and said, that if they
molested him, he would fire - That the boys were damning him and
daring him     to fire - That he heard one say he would go and
knock him down for sweeping (his gun) - that he thought the centry
snapped - He added that he saw nothing thrown at the centry,
altho' he was near him till after the party came down and Mr.
Payne finished his testimony with saying, that he perceived
nothing but the talk that led him to think the Soldiers would fire.

Mr. Leigh, and Mr. Frost, both witnesses for the prisoners,
testified, that the barber's boy came up to the people, and
pointing at the centry, said, here 's the son of a b--ch that
knocked me down; upon which one of the witnesses said, the people
cried kill him - Both said, that the centry ran to the custom-
house steps, knocked at the door, but could not get in - neither
of them mention'd any thing thrown at him, nor any attack upon him
- he prim'd and loaded his gun and levelled it; told the people to
stand off, and called to the main-guard; upon which Capt. Preston
and his party came down - Mr. Bulkly, summoned also by the
prisoners, testified that he thought the centry was in danger, by
the number of people about him, and the noise; and mentioned no
other reason for his thinking so - he said that a person told
Capt. Preston, that they were killing the centry - This person was
probably one Thomas Greenwood, a servant in the custom-house; for
he himself declared before the magistrates, that he was in the
custom-house, and went from thence to the main-guard, and told one
of the Soldiers, if they did not go down to the centry, he was
afraid they would hurt him, tho' he had not seen any person insult
him - This man, at the same time depos'd, that he saw two or three
snow balls fall near the steps of the custom-house, but saw no
person throw any stones; tho' he had placed himself in the most
convenient room in the house for observation - Mr. Harrison Gray
mention'd the people round the centry, making use of opprobrious
language, and threatening; but said nothing of their attacking
him, or throwing anything at him - Mr. Hinckley declared, that the
people went to the centry, and at last some of them cried kill
him, but did not see any attempt to hurt him - Mr. Cornwall swore,
that he saw snow balls and 2 or 3 oyster shells thrown at the
centry, but did not think they hit him - he heard several young
gentlemen perswading the people to go off, and believed they all
would have gone off, if the Soldiers had not come down - Mr.
Helyer declared, that he came into King-street, and saw the centry
and twenty or thirty persons - some boys at their diversion - The
centry wav'd his gun in a way that had a tendency to exasperate
the people - Mr. Brewer saw the centry with his bayonet breast
high - a number of boys, twenty or more round him, talking but
doing nothing. Mr. Bailey was standing with the centry on the
custom-house steps - saw 20 or 30 boys of about 14 years old -
they were throwing pieces of ice at him, large and hard enough to
hurt him, but did not know whether they hit him. This must appear
very strange as he was so near him - his standing with him on the
steps, would lead one to think he was an acquaintance of the
centry; which is confirmed by another circumstance, for he said
that when the party came down, one of the Soldiers put his bayonet
to his breast, and the centry told him not to hurt him - Mr.
Simpson swore, that the centry knock'd at the customhouse door -
that a person came to the door and spoke to him, upon which he
turn'd and loaded his gun - There was one witness, and I think but
one, who mention'd pieces of sea-coal thrown at the centry; and
that was Andrew a Negro - A fellow of a lively imagination indeed!
- One, who I believe could tell as good a story even to my lord of
H. and give his lordship as circumstantial an account of "the
unhappy transaction", as some, who have already had the honor of
doing it, & who may think themselves to be Andrew's betters - he
is remarkable for telling romantick stories in the circles of his
acquaintance - And whether his fancy had beguil'd his own
judgment, or whether he had a mind to try his success at painting
upon so serious an occasion, or lastly, whether he was resolv'd to
do his utmost to save the prisoners, I pretend not to say; but he
certainly made some folks believe, that the ashes made of sea-coal
burnt with great savings in the adjacent offices, were like the
cinders thrown out of a blacksmith's shop -Andrew's evidence, if
not his judgment, was greatly rely'd upon; and the more, because
his master, who is in truth an honest man, came into court and
swore to his character; and further said, that Andrew had told
him, that He really believ'd the inhabitants were to blame - It
is, I am apt to think, in general true, that no man knows so
little of the real character of his servant, as the master himself
does: It is well known, that the Negroes of this town have been
familiar with the soldiers; and that some of them have been
tamper'd with to cut their master's throats: I hope Andrew is not
one of these. His character for integrity and even for learning,
for he can both read & write, has been upon this occasion wrought
to so high a pitch, that I am loth even to hint any thing that may
tend to depreciate it; otherwise, I should say, that there are
some, whose kitchens Andrew has frequented, who will not give him
quite so exalted a character, as others, who had not known him,
thought he deserved. - Several others, witnesses for the prisoners
testified to the same purpose; that the people encroach'd upon the
centry; that he loaded his gun and threatned to fire upon them;
and that they in return dared him to fire, and throw'd a few snow
balls. Mr. Hall said, that he presented his gun at the people, and
they threw snow balls and some oyster-shells at him; and they hit
his gun two or three times - Mr. Payne who saw the centry when he
was alone, and until the party came up and fired, "perceived
nothing but the talk, that he thought would have induced him or
any of the Soldiers to fire": Words are not an assault, and could
not warrant him to fire: Mr. Knox and others saw nothing thrown at
him nor any attack made on him: Mr.-----and some others said, they
saw snow balls and other things thrown at him; but it appears very
probable, from the course of the evidence, that if any thing was
thrown at him, it was not till he had loaded his gun, threatened
to fire, & waved it in such a manner as tended to exasperate
people; and as Mr. Knox tho't, had snapped his gun. The first
assault was made by the centry himself, when upon a foolish
provocation in words only, he struck the barber's boy: He renewed
the assault, when he loaded his gun and presented it upon the
people, threatning to fire upon them: In doing this, he put his
Majesty's subjects in terror of their lives, against the law of
the land; and they would have been justified in seizing him at
least - If he had thought himself in danger, instead of threatning
the lives of others, he must first, according to the law of the
land, have retreated if he could, and even from his post: Other
doctrine, I know, has been strongly inculcated of late, by those
who would set up, or tamely yield to, an uncontroulable military
power; but I trust in God, it will never be established here: It
never can, while the people entertain a just idea of the nature of
civil government, and are upon their guard against the daring
encroachments of arbitrary, despotic power. The people were
inclin'd to disperse, and did disperse, in the beginning of this
childish dispute; as appeared by the evidence of Mr. Parker: And
notwithstanding the mutual animosity, if the reader pleases, which
afterwards arose between the centry and them, they would have
finally dispers'd, in the opinion of another witness, if the party
had not come down from the main-guard.

VINDEX.
Jan. i.

 Here's the most famous version by Paul Revere.  It was widely published and distributed.  

 Here's the original by Henry Pelham. 

 It is distinguished by the superiority of perspective and also by the skull and crossbones.

 Here's another version that was printed in the paper.