American Revolution War Begins Due To The Boston Massacre

American Revolution War Begins Due To The Boston Massacre – The Sons of the American Revolution honors our Revolutionary War patriot ancestors by promoting patriotism, serving our communities, educating and inspiring future generations about the founding principles of our Country.

One of the main causes of the American Revolution was The Boston Massacre, which took place on March 5, 1770. This historical event was a prime example of both the abuse of power by British soldiers in the American colonies as well as the importance of media portrayals in the causes of the Revolutionary War. Tensions had been building between British Regulars and the citizens of Boston following the death of Christopher Seider, a young boy who was inadvertently killed during a tax protest a few weeks prior.

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During this riot, a mob of men and boys gathered outside the shop of “importer” Theophilus Lillie. Ebenezer Richardson, a customs informant, tried to break up the crowd, which in turn focused their ire on Richardson. He was chased back to his home, where Richardson barricaded himself within. The crowd grew in size and demanded Richardson come out and face the mob. During the riot outside his home, Richardson was seen in the window with a musket, fired “swan shot” in the air, wounded Samuel Gore in the thigh and finger, and killed the 11-year-old, Christopher Seider. Following Seider’s burial tensions remained extremely high.

On March 2, 1770, ropemaker Samuel Gray got into a brawl with several soldiers looking for extra work at John Gray’s Ropewalk. This intermittent brawl went on for 3 days and nights between Boston’s gangs and the soldiers. Two days later, Wigmaker’s apprentice, Edward Gerrish accused a British officer, Capt. John Goldfinch, of not paying for his services. Gerrish shouted to Goldfinch “there goes that fellow who hath not paid my master for dressing his hair.” Goldfinch continued on his way and ignored Gerrish’s shouts.

Private Hugh White, a sentry at the Customs house and member of the 29th Regiment chimed in defending Goldfinch. Some words were exchanged between White and Gerrish, and White struck Gerrish on the side of the head with the butt of his musket. According to his deposition, Gerrish cried out, a few other apprentices came to Gerrish’s aid, and they began to hurl both epithets and snowballs at White. Hearing the noise, a crowd began to form. Other soldiers arrived on the scene, led by Captain Thomas Preston.

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With the knowledge that the mob could turn violent at any moment, Preston ordered the guard to turn out, go to Kings Street, and load their muskets. A club was thrown from the crowd, hitting Private Hugh Montgomery, knocking him down. Montgomery’s musket discharged. The other soldiers subsequently fired their muskets into the crowd, striking 11 individuals. Three people died on the scene: Crispus Attucks, Samuel Gray, and James Caldwell. Samuel Maverick died a few hours later, and Patrick Carr succumbed to his injuries two weeks later, bringing the traditional total of deaths to 5.

After the muskets went off, Preston sent the men back to the guard house. Hutchinson dispersed the crowd from the State House window stating, “The law shall have its course, we shall live and die by the law”. By 2 am, the sheriff detained Capt. Preston. An enormous funeral service was held for the victims, and Christopher Seider was reburied along with them.

Ironically, it was John Adams, eventual leader of the Revolutionary cause, who ultimately defended the soldier in court. Six of the soldiers were acquitted and two found guilty of manslaughter. It took very little time for the Sons of Liberty to use this event to further the Patriot cause. Paul Revere is often credited as creating a famous engraving depicting the Boston Massacre. This image, however, was copied from an earlier image created by Henry Pelham. Both images depict a bloody scene on King Street, and furthered resentment and anger toward the British troops in Boston. This event would become one of the major causes of the American Revolution.

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