March 5, 1770: The Boston Massacre occurs

Tensions in the British colonies had been escalating since the victory in the French and Indian War. Nowhere was this more apparent than in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Since the war’s conclusion, the British government imposed new taxes in order to resolve its war debt. Taxes on goods, such as molasses and paper, took a heavy toll on the New England economy. Protests erupted throughout the colony. In response, the British sent two regiments of regulars to Boston to quell the popular dissent.

The night of March 5, 1770 was an unseasonably cold in the snow covered city of Boston. A lone
sentry patrolled in front of the Boston Custom House. The faint sound of an argument echoed across the square. The argument was between a local wig merchant and a British lieutenant over a late payment. The sentry, Private Hugh White, ran over and chastised the merchant for yelling at the officer. The merchant began to yell at White; at which point, the private struck the merchant in the head with his musket. The merchant recoiled in pain. Several Bostonians heard the commotion and began to crowd around the square. As the night progressed, the crowd grew larger and more intractable. The mob now contained over 300 angry Bostonians. They began to pelt White with snowballs, clam shells, and anything else they could find. Six regulars (including Corporal William Wemms, Privates Matthew Kilroy, William Warren, Hugh Montgomery, John Carroll, and William McCauley), led by Captain Thomas Preston arrived at the scene to help disperse the mob. The soldiers formed a semicircle around the custom house. The mob began to throw larger projectile at the soldiers. They dared the soldiers to fire at them. Preston and his men held. At that very moment, a club struck the arm of Private Montgomery causing his musket to discharge. The startled soldiers began to fire in response. Preston was eventually able to curtail the firing, but not until three of the mob were killed. As the smoke from the melee cleared, the mob scurried like mice into the streets and alleyways of Boston.

The initial fallout from the Massacre was fairly immediate. The Sons of Liberty leaped on the opportunity to exploit the Massacre for their political purposes. They attended the funerals of the slain. They held rallies fomenting rage and hate against the "bloodthirsty" redcoats. The incident which was unnamed to this point, was beginning to be referred to as the "Boston Massacre." It was further brought to prominence, by the now famous, engraving by silversmith, Paul Revere. The colonists of Boston clamored for the heads of the men responsible, as the soldiers' trial was underway at the Boston court house.

The city hired attorney Robert Treat Paine to lead the prosecution. Reluctant patriot John Adams agreed to defend the men after much cajoling. During the trial, Paine and prosecution tried to prove that the soldiers fired first. However, Adams was able to provide testimony that showed that the crowd was daring the soldiers to fire instead. The defense was able to convince the jury. Five of the soldiers were fully acquitted, and two were charged with manslaughter (their punishment was to be branded on the thumbs).

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