Boston 6 March 1770
Hond. Sir
Terrible as well as strange things have happen'd
in
this Town since my arrival Skirmish after Skirmish
between the Inhabitants & the Soldiery with
dangerous
Wounds on both Sides, till at Length Monday Night
exhibited
an awful Scene, it is difficult to determine which were
the Aggressors, but a Detachment from the main Guard
fired upon the Populace by which five Persons were killed
or have Since died of their Wounds, the besides a number of
others wounded particularly Mr Edwd Payne had a Musket
Ball thro' his Arm. the Bells in Town rang as for
Fire for
a Long Time which collected Thousands of People on the other
Hand ye 29th Regiment was drawn up. during which
the
noise of the Bells the Bustle of the Town the Beating of Drums
& the Reports of killed and wounded, as I was
confined to my
Chamber with the Gout, painted in my Imagination all the
Horrors of a civil War, the Govr &
with some of the Council were together till
near three o'Clock this Morning; the People on one side and
the Regiment on the other were a long Time Silent Spectators
of each other, at length the military offer'd to
draw off
to their Barracks provided the People would disperse first
which the latter absolutely refused unless they would first
draw off and leave them possession of the Ground, which
at length they complied with upon which all dispersed
This Afternoon Doctor Sewalls Meeting
House was much crowded
by the Inhabitants of this and the neighbouring
Towns, the
L. Govr &
Council also Sitting. Message after Message was Sent
to the L. Govr desiring him to get the
Troops immediately removed
out of the Town,
at length Col. Dalrimple promised to remove
the 29th immediately if that would Satisfy them, tho'
in So doing he
Should run a Risque with Regard to himself, but they
Soon gave
him to understand that no Peace was to be expected while there
was a Soldier left in Town, and that if he would not remove
them they would take measures to remove them themselves, for
which
purpose numbers of the neighbouring Train-Bands
had offered
their Assistance at a Short warning, finally the
Lieut Govr at the
unanimous desire of the Council interceded with the Colo for
their total Removal, who was thereby prevailed on and pro-
mised the People that they Should be removed to the Castle
Tomorrow, upon which they returned quietly to their Habi-
tations. (March 7th) The Town is quiet,
the Troops preparing
to leave it, Guards and Centuries at an End, thus has an
unarmed Multitude, in their own opinion gained a compleat
Victory over two Regiments of his Majestys regular Troops.
the Soldiers who fired and the Officer who was with them are
confined in Goal for their Trials, the latter bears the
most
amiable Character of any one in the Army, and it is Said he
endeavoured to prevent the exasperated Soldiers from firing
even at the Risque of his own Life.
There is Something in the
Boston Air very inimical to
my Feet, as 24 Hours here generally give me a Touch of the
Gout, I have now been confined almost ever Since I have
been in Town, that my being here has been to but
little Purpose, however I have found, by an Account of
Rects which Col Brattle gave Allen a Copy
of, with the
Several Dates annexed to each, that the £94 – 14 -- 8 is what
he reckoned the Merchants Notes at. as the Several Sums
of £346– £100– £214– and £94– are included in a Rect
of the Same Date viz
22d Decr 1759 which upon that Supposition
they ought to be, I find that I had got all the Sums right
even to the very last of the
5th April 1761 £50– which
in the List he gave Allen he calls £150 tho' by
my
Account and that exhibited at the Probate Office by
himself it is no more than 50. after which follow
the Several Sums viz
(1761) Octr 15th. £50.
(1762) Jany 21 50 – 8 – 0
July 22d £200.
Sepr 21 –24–0–0. which Sums I can no way
account for without Seeing the Receipts, and I think by
the help of them I could discover Some very mysterious Be-
haviour in Short Sir I cannot think it possible that I Should
have much if any Money at all to Refund to Allens Estate
In the former Part of the Letter I have upon better Information
made Some Corrections and Erasements, which pray excuse
The Creditors of one White of
Haverhill were notified
by Majrs Frye & myself to attend at
Salem the
14th of Mar.
when Said White is to Swear out of Goal. I should be
glad
to know whether another Justice would not answer
Notification.
My Gout confines me above Stairs tho' it is not
attended
with much Pain I design if possible to get Home this Week
Mr Walter & Family & Mrs Oliver
are pretty well and
Send their Dutiful Regards together with mine to you
and yours
Your dutiful Son
Honble Benja Lynde Esq
P.S. If our People can find my large easy
Shoe
which Lydia Hill had I Should be glad they would Send it
me
by Bordman
A Oliver Esq
as to his mony -
March 1770
In [??] on Ja: Howard or House
N End is 165: