The protest against British taxes known as the "Boston Tea Party," 1773. (Library of Congress)
American Revolution: The Boston Tea Party
HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - THE BOSTON TEA PARTY
On Thursday, December 16, 1773, the evening before the tea was due to be
landed, Captain Roach appealed to Governor Hutchinson to allow his ship to leave
without unloading its tea. When Roach returned and reported Hutchinson's refusal
to a massive protest meeting, Samuel Adams said to the assembly "This meeting
can do nothing more to save the country". As though on cue, the Sons of Liberty
thinly disguised as Narragansett[2] [3] Indians and armed with small hatchets
and clubs, headed toward Griffin's Wharf (in Boston Harbor) , where lay
Dartmouth and the newly arrived Beaver and Eleanour. Swiftly and efficiently,
casks of tea were brought up from the hold to the deck, reasonable proof that
some of the "Indians" were, in fact, longshoremen. The casks were opened and the
tea dumped overboard; the work, lasting well into the night, was quick,
thorough, and efficient. By dawn, over 342 casks or 90,000 lbs (45 tons) of tea
worth an estimated £10,000 had been consigned to waters of Boston harbor.[1]
Nothing else had been damaged or stolen, except a single padlock accidentally
broken and anonymously replaced not long thereafter.
Tea washed up on the shores around Boston for weeks. Attempts were made by the
citizens of Boston to carry off some of the tea. A small number of small boats
were rowed where the tea was visible, then beating it with oars to render it
unusable.[4]
The fourth East India Company ship carrying tea did not arrive with the other
three because it had run aground in Provincetown. All fifty-eight tea chests
were salvaged and put onto a fishing schooner, which arrived safely in Boston
and into Bostonian's teapots.[5]
The Eyewitness Account of the Boston Tea Party As Told By George Hewes
"The tea destroyed was contained in three ships, lying near each other at what
was called at that time Griffin's wharf, and were surrounded by armed ships of
war, the commanders of which had publicly declared that if the rebels, as they
were pleased to style the Bostonians, should not withdraw their opposition to
the landing of the tea before a certain day, the 17th day of December, 1773,
they should on that day force it on shore, under the cover of their cannon's
mouth.
"On the day preceding the seventeenth, there was a meeting of the citizens of
the county of Suffolk, convened at one of the churches in Boston, for the
purpose of consulting on what measures might be considered expedient to prevent
the landing of the tea, or secure the people from the collection of the duty. At
that meeting a committee was appointed to wait on Governor Hutchinson, and
request him to inform them whether he would take any measures to satisfy the
people on the object of the meeting.
"To the first application of this committee, the Governor told them he would
give them a definite answer by five o'clock in the afternoon. At the hour
appointed, the committee again repaired to the Governor's house, and on inquiry
found he had gone to his country seat at Milton, a distance of about six miles.
When the committee returned and informed the meeting of the absence of the
Governor, there was a confused murmur among the members, and the meeting was
immediately dissolved, many of them crying out, "Let every man do his duty, and
be true to his country"; and there was a general huzza for Griffin's wharf.
"It was now evening, and I immediately dressed myself in the costume of an
Indian, equipped with a small hatchet, which I and my associates denominated the
tomahawk, with which, and a club, after having painted my face and hands with
coal dust in the shop of a blacksmith, I repaired to Griffin's wharf, where the
ships lay that contained the tea. When I first appeared in the street after
being thus disguised, I fell in with many who were dressed, equipped and painted
as I was, and who fell in with me and marched in order to the place of our
destination.
"When we arrived at the wharf, there were three of our number who assumed an
authority to direct our operations, to which we readily submitted. They divided
us into three parties, for the purpose of boarding the three ships which
contained the tea at the same time. The name of him who commanded the division
to which I was assigned was Leonard Pitt. The names of the other commanders I
never knew.
"We were immediately ordered by the respective commanders to board all the ships
at the same time, which we promptly obeyed. The commander of the division to
which I belonged, as soon as we were on board the ship appointed me boatswain,
and ordered me to go to the captain and demand of him the keys to the hatches
and a dozen candles. I made the demand accordingly, and the captain promptly
replied, and delivered the articles; but requested me at the same time to do no
damage to the ship or rigging.
"We then were ordered by our commander to open the hatches and take out all the
chests of tea and throw them overboard, and we immediately proceeded to execute
his orders, first cutting and splitting the chests with our tomahawks, so as
thoroughly to expose them to the effects of the water.
In about three hours from the time we went on board, we had thus broken and
thrown overboard every tea chest to be found in the ship, while those in the
other ships were disposing of the tea in the same way, at the same time. We were
surrounded by British armed ships, but no attempt was made to resist us.
"We then quietly retired to our several places of residence, without having any
conversation with each other, or taking any measures to discover who were our
associates; nor do I recollect of our having had the knowledge of the name of a
single individual concerned in that affair, except that of Leonard Pitt, the
commander of my division, whom I have mentioned. There appeared to be an
understanding that each individual should volunteer his services, keep his own
secret, and risk the consequence for himself. No disorder took place during that
transaction, and it was observed at that time that the stillest night ensued
that Boston had enjoyed for many months.
"During the time we were throwing the tea overboard, there were several attempts
made by some of the citizens of Boston and its vicinity to carry off small
quantities of it for their family use. To effect that object, they would watch
their opportunity to snatch up a handful from the deck, where it became
plentifully scattered, and put it into their pockets.
"One Captain O'Connor, whom I well knew, came on board for that purpose, and
when he supposed he was not noticed, filled his pockets, and also the lining of
his coat. But I had detected him and gave information to the captain of what he
was doing. We were ordered to take him into custody, and just as he was stepping
from the vessel, I seized him by the skirt of his coat, and in attempting to
pull him back, I tore it off; but, springing forward, by a rapid effort he made
his escape. He had, however, to run a gauntlet through the crowd upon the wharf
nine each one, as he passed, giving him a kick or a stroke.
"Another attempt was made to save a little tea from the ruins of the cargo by a
tall, aged man who wore a large cocked hat and white wig, which was fashionable
at that time. He had sleightly slipped a little into his pocket, but being
detected, they seized him and, taking his hat and wig from his head, threw them,
together with the tea, of which they had emptied his pockets, into the water. In
consideration of his advanced age, he was permitted to escape, with now and then
a slight kick.
"The next morning, after we had cleared the ships of the tea, it was discovered
that very considerable quantities of it were floating upon the surface of the
water; and to prevent the possibility of any of its being saved for use, a
number of small boats were manned by sailors and citizens, who rowed them into
those parts of the harbor wherever the tea was visible, and by beating it with
oars and paddles so thoroughly drenched it as to render its entire destruction
inevitable."
