tinual insult without retorting upon theis adversaries. Some alleged
that Colonel Dalrymple and his officers should have kept their men
separate from the inhabitants; but this could not have been done, except
by keeping them prisoners in their quarters, and by discontinuing the
practice of mounting guard at the government offices. It was easy to
foresee, therefore, that sooner or later disastrous consequences would
ensue. And this was rendered more certain, because government had not
sent a sufficient number of troops to keep the populace of Boston in
awe. As soon as the arrival of troops at Boston was known at home,
General Pownal had pointed out the error, stating that if they intended
to govern the country by military force, they had not sent sufficient
troops; and that if they did not intend this, they had sent too many.
The people of Boston, he said, were set in array against the military;
that though the sword was not drawn, it was ready to leap from the
scabbard; and that though the word for action was not yet given,
mischief was on tip-toe, and the slightest circumstance would set it on
foot. These remarks were founded in truth. The Boston newspapers gave
insertion to a fictitious narrative of a defeat of a body of soldiers
by the people of New York, and to a series of fictions which represented
the English troops as a set of poltroons who would quail before the
sons of liberty. While these reflections were fresh in the minds of
the soldiers, one of them was involved in a quarrel, and was beaten by
several Bostonians, who were rope-makers belonging to the establishment
of Mr. John Gray. Incensed at the ill-treatment he had received,
twelve of his comrades returned with him to the spot and fell upon the
rope-makers, and compelled them to take refuge in flight. This served as
a prelude to a more serious conflict. Meetings were held by the mob, who
decided upon attacking the soldiers, and driving them out of Boston. The
day appointed for this was the 5th of March, and on the evening of that
day parties from all quarters assembled, armed with sticks and clubs,
and made an attack upon some of the troops in Dock-square. An officer
appeared, who ordered the men to their bai--racks, and they with
difficulty escaped thither. They were followed by the mob, who dared
them to come out; and their rage increasing, the mob began to tear up
the stalls of the market-place in Dock-square, and swore that they would
attack the main-g