Ron Jacques of Laconia, New Hampshire is a professional educator. He has been a dedicated, caring, and hard working teacher of middle school students covering the subject area of Social Studies for many years. Ron’s interest in the components of Social Studies carry into his personal life as well. He is well versed in history, civics, politics, and geography. Conversations with Ron are often stimulating and enlightening.
As a devoted instructor Ron is among those teachers who go above and beyond to deliver quality education to his students. An example of this commitment is displayed in this segment of Guest Writings. The First Shots in Boston is an original play written for seventh grade students and performed annually by Ron’s classes. Enjoy peering into the how the fortunate students of Ron get to learn about American revolutionary history and the literary format of script writing—all while having fun.
THE FIRST SHOTS IN BOSTON
Characters:
Lydia Seider, Christopher Seider, Verity Stewart, Lance Corporal, Private Charles, Constance Taylor, Crispus Attucks, George Thatcher, John Wilson, Ebernezer Richardson, Thomas Knox, Robert Patterson, John Gray, Peter Woods, Patrick Walker, Robert Smith, Nicholas Ferriter, William Warren, Hugh White, Edward Langford, Henry Knox, James Bailey, Richard Palmes, Patrick Keaton, Captain Preston, Governor Thomas Hutchinson, Samuel Adams, Henry Pelham, Paul Revere, John Adams, James Warren, and Edward Gerrish
SCENE 1
Narrator: It is Thursday, February 22nd, 1770 in the city of Boston. Recently, the British government has sent 2,000 British soldiers to the city to help keep order and to enforce new taxes and trade duties. Not only do the soldiers annoy the citizens of Boston because they don’t like the taxes and duties, but adding 2,000 mouths to feed to a city of 16,000 is putting a strain on the city’s limited resources. Since the soldiers are not paid very well, they often try to take part time jobs away from local workers.
There are three types of colonists in Boston: loyalists, who love being British and want to follow all of the rules of the British govern-ment; neutralists, who don’t like the rules of the British government but are afraid to stand up against them; and patriots, who don’t like the rules and want to do everything they can to fight against them even if it means getting in trouble and arrested. The patriots not only make life difficult for the British soldiers but they also make life difficult for the loyalists and the other people in the city who follow the governmental rules. As time goes on, tensions in the city increase.
Lydia Seider and her younger brother Christopher are walking from their house near the Water Mill down Back Street, across Princes Street, and onto Salem Street. Walking with them is Verity Stewart, Lydia’s and Christopher’s cousin. Lydia and Verity are going to go practice cross stitching with Lydia’s best friend, Constance Taylor. Christopher is walking along with them to Princes Street on his way to protest at a loyalist’s storefront with a bunch of his friends. As they come to Princes Street, they run into two British soldiers patrolling the North End, a Lance Corporal and a Private.
Lance Corporal: Hold on, there! Stop and identify yourselves!
Lydia: We are just local children going to our friend’s house on Salem Street. I am Lydia Seider, this is my brother Christopher, and this is my cousin, Verity Stewart. We mean no trouble!
Lance Corporal: I’m sorry, young ladies, but children like yourselves have been disrupting trade and commerce at local shops. It is our jobs to bring an end to this practice.
Lydia: I assure you, our family is loyal to the King. We would never do such a thing!
Narrator: The Private and Verity exchange glances and smile at each other when they can do so unobserved.
Lance Corporal: I am not concerned about you ladies. You look like respectable young ladies and there have never been any girls your age at any of these disturbances. Your brother, however, looks familiar. (He addresses Christopher) Have you ever been to any of these protests?
Lydia: (Before Christopher can respond) We have no mother, Sir, and our father works all day. I must watch my brother all the time and I can promise you that he never leaves my sight. He has not gone to any protests!
Lance Corporal: (Looking at Christopher) Is that true?
Christopher: It is, Sir.
Lance Corporal: Fine. You can continue to your friend’s house. (He points at Christopher) But I have better not see you around town in the future without your sister!
Christopher: You won’t, Sir.
Lance Corporal: Very good!
Narrator: The Lance Corporal and the Private start walking again down Princes Street. The Private looks back at Verity as they move away.
Lydia: (Quietly to her brother) Stay with us to Constance’s house. Then you can go your own way. (Christopher nods)
Verity: Nice lie! Your mother’s dead?
Lydia: It worked, didn’t it? Those idiots don’t deserve the truth!
Narrator: They remain silent until they arrive at Constance’s house. Lydia knocks on the door and Constance lets them all in.
Constance: (Looking at Christopher) Why are you here? Are you finally going to learn to cross stitch? I knew you always wanted to. (Christopher replies with a smirk)
Lydia: We were stopped by soldiers on the way here. I wanted Christopher to come here until the coast was clear. They were total jerks to him! That Officer was very pushy! Christopher, wait here behind the door for a few minutes and then go wherever you’re going to. But be very careful! Promise me that you will keep an eye out for those two soldiers and stay away from them!
Christopher: I will. Don’t worry! I’ll see you at home this afternoon!
Lydia: Okay. See you then!
Narrator: Christopher waits a while behind the door before going out to meet his friends. Lydia, Verity, and Constance go sit down by the fireplace and take their samplers out of their bags. They begin cross stitching.
Constance: I hate having those soldiers here in Boston! Why can’t they just leave us alone?
Lydia: I don’t know! I hate them too! They just love to harass us!
Verity: Still, did you see that young soldier? You have to admit that he was kind of cute.
Lydia: I don’t have to admit any such thing! I didn’t even look at him! All I saw were a couple of lobsterbacks. They aren’t even men to me! I can’t believe you! All you think about are cute guys!
Constance: Really, Verity, I can’t believe you either! They’re the enemy!
Verity: They’re only doing their jobs. Besides, we’re all British. There’s no cute guys here in Boston! The King doesn’t seem to want to do us any favors, so the least he can do is send us some cute soldiers.
SCENE 2
Narrator: It is later in the morning of February 22nd. Three men, Crispus Attucks, John Wilson, and George Thatcher, are playing cards in the crew quarters of a merchant ship sailing from the Bahamas to Boston.
George: Crispus, you’re from the Massachusetts Colony, aren’t you? You must be looking forward to getting back home tomorrow!
Crispus: Yes, I was born in Framingham. As far as my looking forward to it, my answer is “yes” and “no.” I have friends there but there are also dangers for me there. I worry that I could get impressed into the British Navy while I’m there. Things are so tense in Boston now! Anything could happen now that so many redcoats are there.
John: We’re all worried about impressment! Sailors like us are getting forced to sail in the British Navy against our wills all the time!
Crispus: Yes, but you know they won’t treat me the same as they would treat you!
George: You mean because you are African?
Crispus: African and Indian! That’s two strikes against me! We always have to do the hardest labor!
John: Is it true that there is a reward out for you, that you’re an escaped slave?
Crispus: Not anymore! That was twenty years ago! I heard my old master is dead now. I have been a freeman a long time now.
George: What are you going to do while you’re in Boston?
Crispus: Work as much as I can. I’ve got a job in a couple weeks on a boat going to North Carolina. In the meantime, I’ve got a couple of part time jobs I can do in Boston. I sometimes work as a rope maker and, if I can’t do that, I can usually work on the docks.
George: You’re going to North Carolina! That doesn’t sound like a smart move!
Crispus: I won’t be there for long. The ship I’m going on is going there to get a load of tobacco to take over to England. I’ll try to get on another ship back to the Bahamas. There is no place that is very safe for me these days. Being on the sea is the safest place for me, as long as I stay on small ships that do legal trade. I always have to be looking over my shoulder.
George: Tell me something, Crispus, is rope making very hard work?
John: Here we go!
Crispus: No, it’s really boring but it’s not hard work. It’s just braiding fibers together, there’s no heavy lifting.
George: That sounds good! Do you think you could bring me along with you when you go work at the rope maker? I need to earn some extra money in Boston, too.
Crispus: Sure! There’s usually plenty of work at the rope maker shop. How about you, John, do you want to go with us to the rope maker, too?
John: No thanks! I’m not going to be in Boston for more than a day. I’m going to go to Fall River and get on a whaler.
George: A whaler! Whaling is really hard work! And dangerous, too!
John: I know! I’ve worked on a whaler before! I’m okay with it!
Crispus: It’s got to be easier to do if you have done it before!
George: Better you than me!
John: Speaking of work, we should make sure the ship is rigged for the afternoon and the night. I’ve got to do the night watch tonight.
Crispus: Okay, let’s go!
George: You guys go ahead, I’ll be up on deck in a moment!
John: (Quietly, so George doesn’t hear him) We won’t hold our breaths waiting for you!
SCENE 3
Narrator: It is still February 22nd, later in the day, and Christopher has caught up with his friends. They are hanging outside the dry-goods shop of Theophilus Lillie on Middle Street in the North End. Earlier in the day, a member of the Sons of Liberty put an “Importer” sign up outside the shop indicating that Lillie was not cooperating with the boycott of British goods. In other words, he was selling only goods that were taxed by the British government. Patriots didn’t like merchants who did this.
Boys like Christopher and his friends would spend their days outside shops with the “Importer” sign posted on them and throw dirt, rotten food, and sticks at the customers coming out of those shops.
The man living next to Lillie’s shop was Ebenezer Richardson. He was a well-known loyalist and informer. The Sons of Liberty hated him because he told British authorities that John Hancock’s ship was carrying black market goods.
Ebenezer came out of his house and tried to tear down the “Importer” sign so they boys would go away. Before he could tear it down, the boys, including Christopher, starting throwing things at him. He ran back to his house to go back inside. Just before going inside, he looked across the street and saw two Sons of Liberty, Thomas Knox and Robert Patterson watching the scene with amusement.
Ebernezer: Perjury! Perjury! By the eternal God, I’ll make it too hot for you before night! (He went inside and locked the door)
Thomas: Come out! I’ll have your heart out, your liver out!
Ebernezer: (After unlocking the door and coming back outside, shaking his fists) You boys go home! Get out of the streets!
Narrator: Robert Patterson comes up to the front of the group of boys and picks up a rock.
Robert: Do your worse, boys! (He throws his rock. The boys immediately pick up rocks and throw them at Ebernezer’s house. Windows begin to shatter as Ebernezer goes back inside his house. Female voices inside the house can be heard screaming. A passerby, George Wilmot, runs around the back of the house to go in the back door and help Ebernezer.)
Thomas: Follow me, boys! (Thomas and a few of the boys run around the back of the house and start throwing rocks at the back of the house, too.)
Narrator: Ebernezer and George appear in the broken front window with muskets in their hands. The boys in the front of the house stop throwing rocks.
Ebernezer: You hit my wife and my daughters with your rocks! If you don’t leave now, I’ll make it too hot for you and, as sure as there is a God in Heaven, I’ll blow a lane through you! (The boys don’t move. They are shocked by this unexpected change in events. Ebernezer puts his gun on the windowsill and pulls the trigger. The pellets goes through Robert’s pants, through the hand of one of the boys, and through Christopher’s chest. Christopher collapses, wounded but still alive. He dies that night at nine o’clock.)
SCENE 4
Narrator: Christopher Seider’s funeral was held at Faneuil Hall on Monday, February 26th. Two thousand people attended it. The city of Boston paid for it at the insistence of Samuel Adams.
On Wednesday, February 28th, Verity is shopping for her family’s dinner at a popular North End marketplace. As she is waiting for a meat pie to be packaged up, a young man cautiously approaches her. It is the British Private who had admired her when he and his commanding officer had stopped Lydia, Christopher, and her on the morning of Christopher’s death. This time the Private is off-duty and in street clothes.
Private: Excuse me, your name is Verity, is it not?
(Verity turns to face him)
Verity: Yes. Do I know you?
Private: My Corporal and I stopped you and your cousins the other morning as you were walking to your friend’s house.
Verity: Oh, yes! Now I remember you. You look different when you don’t have your uniform on!
Private: The boy who was killed was your cousin that you were with, wasn’t he?
Verity: (Looking down) Yes.
Private: I can’t tell you how sorry I am about what happened! I feel horrible about it!
Verity: Thank you for saying so. It is tragic! It’s not your fault, of course.
Private: It is and it isn’t. It’s not directly my fault but it probably wouldn’t have happened if we weren’t here and our government wasn’t acting the way it is acting. I came here to Boston so I could see the colonies and to have some adventures. To be honest, it was the only job I could get! But sometimes, like now, I’m not very proud of what I am doing here!
Verity: I know what you mean. Sometimes, we all have to do things we don’t really want to do. Especially at time like these. Just know that I don’t hold you responsible! But I’m not sure the rest of my family, including my cousin, would agree with me!
Private: I understand. My name is Charles but my friends call me Charlie.
Verity: Nice to meet you, Charlie! I wish it was under better circum-stances.
Charlie: So do I. Do you come here to the market often?
Verity: I usually come a couple times a week. (The shop clerk hands her the boxed pie.)
Charlie: May I meet you sometimes and keep you company while you shop? Maybe we could get tea if you have time.
Verity: Okay, I guess. But only if you’re not in uniform. You under-stand, don’t you?
Charlie: Yes, I understand. It would be better for both of us to meet while I’m not in uniform!
Verity: Well, I’m sorry, but I’ve got to get home now. Hopefully, we will meet here again!
Charlie: Yes, I hope so! Good evening to you! Until we meet again!
Verity: (Smiling) Good evening to you, Charlie! (She turns and walks away)
SCENE 5
Narrator: It is Friday, March 2nd and Crispus Attucks and George Thatcher are working at John Gray’s South End Ropeworks to make some extra money before they go back out to sea.
George: You’re right, Crispus! This work isn’t hard at all!
Crispus: You don’t find this boring?
George: I don’t care about boredom! I just want to do easy work and get paid for it!
Crispus: Well, we just starting doing this. Let’s see how you feel about this later on this afternoon.
George: We’ll see but right now, I’m happy with this work!
Crispus: I’m glad you’re happy.
Narrator: Three of their fellow workers, Peter Woods, Robert Smith, and Nicholas Ferriter, are standing by the open doorway looking out into the street. Peter sees a British soldier, Patrick Walker, going by the shop.
Peter: Do you want work?
Patrick: Yes, I do, by faith!
Peter: Well, go clean my stinking house. (Peter, Robert, and Nicholas laugh)
Patrick: By God, I’ll have satisfaction! (Patrick throws a punch at Nicholas but misses him. Nicholas doesn’t miss when he swings back. Patrick is knocked off his feet and his sword falls out of his coat. Nicholas, still laughing, picks up the sword and carries it into the shop to a rear storeroom.)
Patrick: Hey, bring that back! I need it!
Nicholas: You should have thought of that before you took a swing at me! (Patrick tries to follow Nicholas into the shop but John Gray, the owner of the shop, stops him)
John Gray: Hey, you, where do you think you’re going? You can’t come in here!
Patrick: He took my sword and I need it back!
John Gray: I don’t care if he took your underwear! You’re not coming in here!
Patrick: But what about my sword?
John Gray: Come back later this afternoon and I’ll see if I can get it back for you. Now leave! (Patrick turns around and walks out of the shop without his sword)
John Gray: Nicholas, bring me the lobsterback’s sword and get back to work!
Nicholas: Okay, boss!
Narrator: About twenty minutes later, Patrick comes back with twelve other armed soldiers and his commander, William Warren.
Patrick: I’ll have my sword back, now! (John Gray hands his sword back to him.)
William Warren: Why are these workers of yours abusing my soldier here?
John Gray: (Whispers to Peter) Go to the other nearby shops and tell them that we need help here! (Peter leaves and John Gray says to the commander) Your man here can’t take care of his own business? I told him I would give it back to him but we’re busy working here. He can’t just come in here to bother us!
William Warren: (To Patrick, pointing at Nicholas) Is this the one who took it from you?
Nicholas: He took a swing at me first!
William Warren: You probably deserved it! Didn’t you hit him back? You can’t assault a British soldier! I could arrest you right now!
Robert: Go ahead, try to arrest him! See how far you get! (He moves towards William Warren. A British soldier shoves him back.)
Robert: Keep your hands off of me, you lousy redcoat! (He pushes the soldier back. Now a few workers and soldiers get into a shoving and yelling match. Crispus starts to move forward but George grabs his arm to stop him.)
George: Hold back, Crispus! You can’t afford to get in trouble!
Narrator: Suddenly, several workers from other local shops show up at the door. Some of them come into the shop. Many of them are carrying clubs. William Warren sees them and realizes that he and his soldiers are suddenly outnumbered.
William Warren: Come on, men, we got the sword back. Let’s return to our barracks! (They work their way, receiving a few leftover shoves, out of the shop and into the street. A large number of workers follow them all the way back to their barracks.)
SCENE 6
Narrator: Over the next couple of days, there are similar confrontations all over the city. It is now the evening of Monday, March 5th. Even though it is very cold out, bands of hundreds of rebels are wandering the streets, confronting British soldiers wherever they find them. British officers try to keep as many soldiers as possible in their barracks but some soldiers still have sentinel and guard duty.
Private Hugh White, for example, is assigned lone guard duty in the sentry box outside the Boston Customs House on King Street. A nearby barber’s apprentice, Edward Gerrish, and a dozen other apprentices from local shops gather around White. They begin pressing in on him and he uses his musket to push them away. The town constable, Edward Langford, is nearby and sees what is happening.
Edward Gerrish: I think this is the scoundrel who knocked me down the other day!
Hugh: It wasn’t me! I’ve never seen you before!
Edward Gerrish: Liar! Kill him! Kill him! Knock him down! (Soon other apprentices join him in his pronouncements)
Crowd: Kill him! Kill him!
Edward Langford: Leave the sentry alone, boys! (To Hugh) Don’t be afraid! They’re only boys! They won’t hurt you! They may swear and speak bad words but they won’t hurt you.
Narrator: Edward Langford moves on down King Street. A couple of loyalist boys run back to the barracks to tell the commander there that Hugh is in trouble. Hugh White leaves his sentry box and goes to stand on the Custom House’s steps. This gets him out of the crowd but they begin to press in on him again. Young men like Henry Knox and James Bailey lead the way. Hugh White lowers his gun into a firing position to try to scare them off.
Henry: If you fire, you must die for it!
Hugh: If you molest me, I will fire!
James: Fire and be sent to Hell!
Henry: We should knock him down just for snapping at us!
Narrator: Now snowballs and ice balls are being thrown at Hugh. Someone runs to ring the bell in the Brattle Street Church. People begin pouring out into the streets because the bell was the warning of a fire. They soon realize that it wasn’t ringing for a fire but for a fight. Now the crowd around the Custom House grows to fifty to sixty men. At the back of the crowd, new arrivals include Crispus Attucks, George Thatcher, and a new acquaintance, Patrick Keaton. At the same time, a rescue party of eight soldiers arrive to help out Hugh White. The soldiers are led by Captain Thomas Preston. They push their way through the crowd using their bayonets. They form a line between the crowd and Hugh. Captain Preston stands before his men, right in front of the crowd. Crispus starts pushing his way towards the front of the crowd. George stops him.
George: Crispus! Don’t do it! You’re supposed to leave in a couple of days. You can’t leave if you’re in jail!
Crispus: I know but sometimes you just have to make a stand!
George: Now is not the right time!
Crispus: For me, it’s never the right time. I just want to stop being afraid all the time.
George: I understand. Please be careful!
Crispus: I will.
Narrator: When Crispus makes it to the front of the crowd, Henry Knox, James Bailey, and Sons of Liberty member Richard Palmes are already there standing right next to Captain Preston. Since the crowd knows that the soldiers are not allowed to fire on civilians without a Riot Act being issued, they continue to taunt and threaten the soldiers. They also continue to throw snowballs, ice balls, and even oyster shells.
Henry Knox: (To Captain Preston) For God’s sake take care of your men for if they fire, your life must be answerable.
Captain Preston: I am aware of it! (One of his Privates points his bayonet at James Bailey, so Captain Preston says to him.) Leave him alone!
James Bailey: Why don’t you fire? You can’t kill us!
Richard Palmes: (Stepping between James and Captain Preston, he says to Captain Preston) Are your soldiers’ guns loaded?
Captain Preston: With powder and ball.
Richard Palmes: Sir, I hope you don’t intend on having your soldiers fire on civilians.
Captain Preston: By no means.
Narrator: Private Hugh Montgomery is standing next to Captain Preston. Someone throws a piece of wood and it hits Private Montgomery. As he staggers back, he raises his gun so it points at Crispus Attucks. Crispus grabs the end of Montgomery’s musket to point it away from his body. Private Montgomery, recovering from the blow from the piece of wood, realizes that Crispus had grabbed his gun so he tries to pull it back from him. The gun starts to point back up at Crispus when Private Montgomery pulls the trigger. The musket ball goes through Crispus’ lung and liver. He dies right away. Another soldier, Matthew Kilroy fires at the same time and his shot goes through civilian Samuel Gray’s head. Both of their bodies fall to the street.
Captain Preston: Why did you fire? (Three of his soldiers only heard the last word so they fired their guns. Another civilian, James Caldwell is hit in the back and dies. Soldiers begin to reload. Members of the crowd see this as their chance to do something.)
Patrick Keaton: Let’s go in upon them and stop them from firing again!
Narrator: The crowd doesn’t move fast enough. The soldiers get off a second round of shots. Civilians Robert Patterson, Christopher Monk, John Clark, Patrick Carr, Edward Payne, John Green, and David Parker are all wounded by the musket balls. Samuel Maverick, who is running away from the scene, is killed when a shot ricochets off of a building and hits him in the chest. While all this was going on, someone goes and tells Governor Thomas Hutchinson what is happening. He rushes down to King Street and gets there right after the second volley.
Governor Hutchinson: Where is the commanding officer?
Captain Preston: I am here, sir.
Governor Hutchinson: Why did you fire without a riot order?
Captain Preston: I was obliged to, to save my sentry.
Richard Palmes: Then you have murdered three or four men to save your sentry!
Governor Hutchinson: Captain, take your men back to the barracks and make sure they stay there! (All of the soldiers follow his orders. The Governor walks over to the Old State House across King Street and comes out on the balcony. From there, he addresses the crowd.) I assure you that justice will be done. I will live and die by the law. Now go home. (Reluctantly, the crowd begins to disperse. The bodies of the dead and wounded are carried off to places where they could be treated and taken care of.)
SCENE 7
Narrator: Late in the afternoon, the day after the shootings, Private Charlie went to the same North End marketplace hoping to find Verity there again. Sure enough, she was there. Once again, even though he was out of uniform, he approached her cautiously.
Charlie: Good afternoon, Verity.
Verity: Good afternoon.
Charlie: Did you hear what happened last night? It’s all so unbelievable!
Verity: I know. I can’t believe it either. What’s going on here, Charlie? I mean, where is this all going to end?
Charlie: I wish I knew. Things are going from bad to worse so quickly. I fear the worst is going to happen.
Verity: What could be worse than last night?
Charlie: We could end up in a war!
Verity: No one wants that!
Charlie: I don’t know. I think some of the Sons of Liberty do.
Verity: (Angry) No, they don’t! (There is a moment of silence as they find themselves in disagreement)
Charlie: Anyways, I have something to tell you. It seems that the Governor’s Council and the town of Boston have demanded that all British soldiers leave the city and relocate on Castle Island. Things are just too hot for us in the city right now! We are going to start moving there tomorrow.
Verity: Oh, I see. That’s probably for the best.
Charlie: I know. But it means that I won’t be able to visit you here as easily. I didn’t want you to think that, if I don’t show up for a while, that it was because I didn’t want to see you.
Verity: Right. I appreciate you letting me know. (Suddenly, she spots Lydia also in the market. To make matters worse, she sees that Lydia has seen her talking to Charlie) Oh, no!
Charlie: What?
Verity: You remember my cousin Lydia?
Charlie: Yes.
Verity: Well, she’s over there and she saw me talking to you. You better get out of here before she recognizes you.
Charlie: Oh. Okay. I’ll try to see you again as soon as I can.
Verity: Okay. I’ll see you then! (Charlie turns and walks away. As soon as he is gone, Lydia comes over to speak to Verity.)
Lydia: Good afternoon, Verity! Who was that guy I saw you talking to? He looks familiar.
Verity: Well, I might as well tell you. You remember the soldiers who stopped us the morning that poor Christopher was shot?
Lydia: Yes.
Verity: You remember that I thought one of them was cute?
Lydia: (Starting to sound upset) Yes.
Verity: That was him.
Lydia: (Now she is very upset) Verity, you can’t be serious! My brother, your cousin, is dead and you’re hanging out with his murderer!
Verity: He didn’t kill Christopher! A Bostonian shot Christopher.
Lydia: Maybe not but he is protecting the government whose policies led to Christopher’s death, the very same policies that the Bostonian who shot him supported. (Verity looks down ashamed) What would our family think if they knew you were friendly with a British soldier? I know what my parents would think! And I think I know what your parents would think if they knew. (Verity suddenly looks up in shock.)
Verity: Oh, Lydia! Please don’t say anything to my parents! I beg of you, don’t say anything!
Lydia: Okay, I won’t. But you have to promise me that you will never see him again!
Verity: I promise! It’s unlikely I could have seen him again anyways because, according to him, all of the soldiers are being taken out of the city and being relocated on Castle Island. That’s what he was here telling me.
Lydia: Finally, some good news! That’s where they belong. Good riddance, I say. (Lydia and Verity leave the marketplace to go home.)
SCENE 8
Narrator: City officials decided that the funerals for Crispus Attucks, Samuel Maverick, Samuel Gray, and James Caldwell should all be held on the same day, Thursday, March 8th. Families had little choice but to agree. The fallen four were martyrs, so they now belonged to everybody. Families could hold their own separate funerals but their four funeral processions had to come together on King Street where all four men had died. The four caskets would then be carried to the cemetery and laid in a common plot together next to the casket of Christopher Seider.
Since Crispus Attucks had no local family left to make his funeral arrangements for him, Samuel Adams arranged for his funeral to be held in Fanueil Hall. Six pallbearers would be needed to carry his casket from Fanueil Hall to King Street and then to the cemetery. Since John Gray had been his boss at the rope making shop, Samuel Adams asked him to select the pallbearers.
On Wednesday, March 7th, John Gray finds George Thatcher at Fanueil Hall silently showing respect next to the Crispus Attucks’ casket.
John Gray: Excuse me, George, may I have a word with you?
George: Of course.
John Gray: I’m glad I found you here. I have been hoping to see you before tomorrow. First of all, let me say, that I am very sorry for your loss.
George: Thank you. And for your loss, too. I didn’t know Crispus long but I knew him to be a good friend and a very brave man.
John Gray: I couldn’t agree more! You would consider yourself a friend of Crispus’ then?
George: Yes, I would.
John Gray: Good. I was wondering then if you might agree to serve as one of his pallbearers to carry him to the cemetery. I am also going to be a pallbearer. There would be six of us in all so it should not be a very heavy load for any of us. It should not be hard work.
George: I would be honor to! I don’t care how hard of work it is going to be, I will do it. I would carry his casket all by myself if I had to. Thank you for asking me!
John Gray: You’re welcome. I’ll see you here tomorrow then.
George: Yes. I will see you then.
SCENE 9
Right after the event of the evening of March 5th, an artist named Henry Pelham made a drawing showing the event. The Sons of Liberty, including Samuel Adams wanted a picture like his that could be published in the other colonies to turn people against the British authorities. Samuel Adams liked Pelham’s drawing but felt it didn’t go far enough in condemning the British. On Monday, March 12th, Adams took Pelham and his drawing to the shop of another Son of Liberty, Paul Revere. Revere was an accomplished silversmith and engraver. He would know how to make Pelham’s drawing give the message they wanted it to give. Revere greets Adams and Pelham at the door of his shop.
Paul: Come in gentlemen! Have a seat.
Samuel: Thank you, Paul. Please allow me to get directly to business.
Paul: By all means!
Samuel: You know that we need to get some pictorial representation of this event, what Henry here calls a bloody massacre, out to the other colonists so they can see how ruthless the British are. (Turning towards Henry Pelham.) Henry please show Paul your excellent drawing.
Henry: I would be happy to. (He takes the drawing out of his pocket and puts it on Paul Revere’s desk.)
Paul: (Paul looks it over.) This is excellent! Well done.
Samuel: Paul, as you know, this picture cannot be reproduced but, if we had an engraving based on this picture, it could be reproduced many times. Could you make such an engraving?
Paul: Of course!
Henry: Your engraving could be similar to mine but it would be your own version of the event, right?
Paul: Yes. I always do my own work. Could you please leave this with me to inspire me? I promise I will return it in pristine condition.
Henry: Sure. When can I be expecting it back?
Paul: How about a week from now?
Henry: That’s fine. Now, if you will excuse me, gentlemen, I have another appointment I must get to. I can show myself the way out.
Paul: Great, and thank you so much. This is great work!
Samuel: Yes, thank you, Henry. I will talk to you soon. (Henry Pelham leaves. After he is gone, Samuel and Paul discuss the picture more thoroughly) So, Paul, what do you really think of it?
Paul: It really is good but it doesn’t go far enough. I can make slight changes to it that will get our point across.
Samuel: That is exactly what I was thinking needed to be done. I want to make it look like the Custom House is more involved in the massacre. (He points to the drawing.) You see here how he put a small puff of smoke coming out of one of the windows?
Paul: Yes, but just barely. I can make the puff of smoke larger and I can show the barrel of a musket coming out of the window. I can also change the name of the Custom House on its sign. I can change it to the “Butcher’s Shop.” Another change I can make is to add a poem below the picture. I’ll write a poem that criticizes Preston, his men, and any judges that might find them not guilty.
Samuel: Excellent! I knew that you were the right man for this job. Please remember that the sooner we get this out there, the more effective it will be.
Paul: I will get on it right away!
Samuel: Thank you. I’ll leave you to your work! I will also show myself the way out.
Paul: Fine! Have a great rest of your day!
Samuel: You also!
SCENE 10
Narrator: It is now Wednesday, June 13th and with the British soldiers out of the city, life is slowly returning to normal in Boston. There is still tension in the city. The taxes are still being applied and most people still don’t like them. There are more arguments between loyalists and patriots but everybody is careful not to take the arguments too far. No one wants another incident like what had happened on March 5th.
Lydia never told anybody about Verity meeting up with the British Private. She is still very upset about losing her brother to all of the foolishness that went on during the winter but she puts on a brave face. The girls still get together to practice their cross stitching.
It had been over three months since Verity last saw Charlie. She has accepting the fact that she will probably never see him again. She’s not sure how she feels about it. On one hand, she is glad because she knows they couldn’t possibly have a future together. On the other hand, she misses the fact that he was a cute boy who showed some interest in her. They clearly had a connection. Verity is thinking these things as she makes her way through the marketplace. She looks up and suddenly sees Charlie coming her way. Her heart skips a beat as she is filled with mixed emotions.
Verity: Charlie, what are you doing here?
Charlie: I’m sorry but I had to see you one more time. I’m being transferred to New York so I doubt I will ever have the chance to see you again.
Verity: I promised my cousin that I would never see you again!
Charlie: This wasn’t your fault. It was never your fault. I was the one who always found you. You never came to find me. I just wanted you to know that I really think you’re special and I really care about you. And, I could be wrong about this, but I think you really care about me too.
Verity: Even if I do care about you, and I’m not saying I do, it would never work out between us. We’re on opposing sides in a conflict that shows no signs of letting up. Our relationship is doomed.
Charlie: I know. I’ve just have to know one thing and then I’ll leave you alone forever: Did you ever care about me?
Verity: I don’t know. I guess I did. I guess I still do. I mean, you seem like a very nice guy. I truly hope you have a long, happy, fulfilling life. I hope you find happiness, I really do.
Charlie: Thank you! And I hope the same for you. If we had only met in a different time, in a different place, things may have worked out for us.
Verity: Maybe so.
Charlie: Well, I guess I had better be getting back to my unit. Before I go, may I kiss you good-bye?
Verity: No! That is, I don’t think it would be a very good idea.
Charlie: A hand shake then?
Verity: A hand shake would be fine! (They shake hands.)
Charlie: Good-bye, Verity!
Verity: Good-bye, Charlie!
SCENE 11
Captain Preston surrendered himself to authorities on March 6th, the day after the shootings. The other eight soldiers, including Hugh White, the sentry, were all arrested shortly after to await trial. Three local lawyers, including the future second president of the United States, John Adams, were convinced to defend the soldiers at trial.
Captain Preston was tried first and separately. His trial went from October 24th to October 30th, 1770. He was found not guilty of all charges because no witnesses said that they heard him say, “Fire!”
The trial of the other eight soldiers went from November 27th to December 14th, 1770. Six of the eight were also found not guilty. Two of them, Hugh Montgomery and Matthew Kilroy, were found guilty of manslaughter because witnesses said they saw the two of them shot directly into the crowd. The two soldiers were punished by having their thumbs branded, then they were released.
It is now Friday, December 21st. John Adams is at his home in Quincy. The stress of the trials of the Boston Massacre are over and it is almost Christmas so John Adams is relaxing. His friend James Warren has come up from Plymouth to visit him. They are sitting in Adam’s study discussing the events of the day.
James Warren: You know, John, I have the upmost respect for you and your decisions professionally but there is one question that I just have to ask you.
John Adams: Why did I recently defend the British soldiers?
James Warren: Yes. Why?
John Adams: As you know, I’m as opposed to the policies of the British government as any other of the Sons of Liberty. My opposition to the Stamp Act is well known on both sides of the Atlantic.
James Warren: The British must have been as surprised by your willingness to defend their soldiers as the Sons of Liberty were!
John Adams: Quite! Despite my opposition to the British, I firmly believe that all men deserve legal representation and a fair trial. Then, after seeing and hearing the evidence of the trial, I realized that the nine defendants were not to blame for what happened. I think any of us would have reacted the way they did if we were confronted by a mob taunting, teasing, and throwing objects at us.
James Warren: So are you saying that it was really the mob that was to blame?
John Adams: Not at all. They had every right to protest against the injustices inflicted upon them. Their actions may not have been appropriate, but they were not guilty of a crime.
James Warren: So if the soldiers weren’t to blame and the mob wasn’t to blame, who was to blame?
John Adams: The ones to blame were the British leaders who made the rules and put the soldiers here. As we all now, they aren’t going to let us put them on trial, are they?
James Warren: Not likely.
John Adams: There’s another reason why I did it.
James Warren: What’s that?
John Adams: If those soldiers had been found guilty and executed, to the rest of the world, we would have looked like the people in Salem who hung the witches. We would have looked like uncivilized heathens or cannibals. If this conflict with the King continues, we will need the support of other nations to help us and if we had executed those soldiers, other nations would think that we are unworthy of their help, that we deserve all of the hardships the King throws at us.
James Warren: And is there a lesson to be learned here?
John Adams: Yes. This massacre is the strongest proof that standing armies are dangerous. Whenever you put a standing army and civilians together, bad things are going to happen.
THE END
