some with fire-arms, and others with cutlasses
and bludgeons, crying out, that
"they would
"do for those rascals, the officers and soldiers,
"that night." This was more than an hour
before the firing. He says further, that he re-
turned home about nine o'clock, and as he came
near the market-place, he saw a greater
number
of people than before, tearing up the butchers
stalls for clubs, and swearing they would mur-
der the first officer or soldier they should meet
with. They then gave three huzzas, and cried,
"Now for the bloody-back rascals." And some
of them said,
"Let us attack the main-guard."
Others proposed to attack Smith's barracks; and
others said,
"Away to the rope-walk." And
instantly the mob divided into three divisions,
of some hundred men in each division: and the
bells at the same time were ringing. The ser-
jeant-major then went to a friend's house and
changed his dress: and in repairing from thence
to his barrack through the several streets that led
to it, he saw several armed towns-people crying
out,
"Murder, kill all the dogs: for we will
"have no commissioners nor soldiers in
Boston.
"And damn the scoundrel that first ordered them
"here. We will soon rid the town of them
"all:" or words to that effect. And all this he
saw and heard before the firing in
King's-street.
Nothing, as I conceive, can prove more clearly
the design of the towns-people to make an attack
that evening on the soldiers.