Charles' Opinion of the Boston Massacre
Charles is a British Soldier in His Majesty's Troops 29th
Regiment.
"This unfortunate incident could not be avoided because the
Patriots are unreasonable and hot-tempered troublemakers. We are
ordered by General Gage, the Commander in Chief of the British Army
in America, to protect the men who collect the customs duties for the
King and uphold the King's laws in the colonies. There are not enough
barracks so many of us are forced to live in empty buildings as most
of the colonists are unwilling to quarter us. When we are on duty,
the locals insult us and throw sticks, rocks and chunks of ice. It's
hard to keep still when we are being taunted into a fight.
Sam Adams himself
encouraged the dock workers to start this incident. My friend Hugh White had
the misfortune of being on sentry duty in front of the King's Customs House.
There is a large treasury of money in that building. A surly young boy brought
a large, unruly crowd to the spot claiming that Hugh had knocked him down. Our
officer on duty, Captain
John Preston, came quickly with relief troops. He tried to persuade the
rioters to leave but their number just increased and confusion filled the air.
Someone yelled "Fire" and it triggered the gunshots. It ended quickly as the
terrorists fled, leaving their few dead and wounded conspirators. They have
no one to blame but themselves."