Under the Liberty Tree Part 10

"Certainly I do, my lad. If Governor Hutchinson insists it is not the desire of reputable citizens that the soldiers be sent away, it seems necessary he should be convinced of his mistake, and--"

"Surely Hardy Baker and Attucks, and their following, would not be taken for reputable citizens?"

"True, lad, but at the same time they echo the sentiments of even such men as Master Samuel Adams. Do you observe that in all this excitement no one in authority among us has advised that we remain quiet? It appears to me they are willing matters should take their course, and will not attempt to prevent the hotheads, hoping that through unreasoning violence good shall come."

Amos, remembering all he had heard since the murder of little Chris, began to believe Jim's brother was correct in his statement. He knew full well that if Master Samuel Adams or Master John Hanc.o.c.k requested the citizens to desist from gathering on the street, or from making any demonstration against the soldiers, their wishes would have been respected, and such brawlers as Hardy Baker been forced to remain quiet.

It was a revelation to him that a n.o.ble purpose might be attained through ign.o.ble means, and immediately he ceased to regard the barber's apprentice as a menace to the public peace.

The party, headed by Attucks, continued straight on toward Dock Square, and at nearly the same time a like party came down from King Street, while yet another could be seen at the head of Union Street.

No less than six hundred men were now approaching a common centre with cries of:

"Let us drive out these rascals! They have no business here! Drive them out!"

"It is as was rumoured," Sam Gray said, quietly. "There is concerted action here, and before morning Governor Hutchinson will understand that it is the citizens of Boston, not a rabble, who demand the removal of the troops. If the better cla.s.s of people wish the redcoats to remain, why do not some of them stand here to prevent mischief?"

Jim made no reply. He already realised that this was a movement of the populace, and not an ordinary street brawl.

Each moment the crowd that had a.s.sembled in the square increased in numbers; but it remained as orderly a gathering as ever a.s.sembled at Liberty Hall until a squad of soldiers, evidently for no other purpose than to show their contempt of the people, strode into the square, forcing a pa.s.sage through the crowd in an offensive and insolent manner.

Then came that cry which aroused those who heard it more quickly than had the pealing of the alarm-bell.

"Town-born, turn out! Down with the 'b.l.o.o.d.y backs'!"

The soldiers lost their air of security and defiance as these words were pa.s.sed from one side of the square to the other like the waves of the sea, and caught up in every direction by those on the adjacent streets, until it seemed as if the very air was tremulous with the cry:

"Town-born, turn out!"

The soldiers disappeared; but the summons for those who would defend their city's rights had so excited even the cooler-headed ones that action was an absolute necessity, and yet no leader had at that moment arisen to map out a course of action.

If their movements were concerted up to the time of meeting in Dock Square, it was evident the plan of operations had not been carried further than that, and the excited ones looked about eagerly for the enemy, but, seeing none, began to vent their fury on inanimate objects.

The market stalls were torn down that the timbers might be used as weapons; the fire-bells rang out their brazen peals; here and there men excited almost to the verge of frenzy discharged a musket or pistol in the air, and constantly were the numbers of the throng increased, until Amos and Jim thought it was as if all the male inhabitants of the city had gathered in one place to defend the town.

The pealing of the bells brought to the tumultuous scene those who did not sympathise with the movement, as well as those that approved of it, and among the former cla.s.s were several well-known citizens, who, believing the greatest danger was to be apprehended from such an uprising, endeavoured, by all their powers of persuasion, to induce the people to return to their homes, leaving to such as Adams and Hanc.o.c.k the task of ridding the city of the redcoats.

So earnestly did these peacemakers labour that the respectful attention of the greater portion of the gathering was soon secured, and even those who brandished weapons, calling frantically to their comrades to follow them to the barracks, listened, half persuaded, to the words of these temperate men.

In half an hour the shouting, yelling throng had so far been reduced to silence that Amos believed all danger of violence was over, when suddenly there sprang up, as if from the very ground beneath them, a tall man dressed in a scarlet cloak, his head covered with a white, flowing wig, and, mounting the wreck of the market stalls, he stood, a commanding figure, illumined by the rays of the moon.

"You have come here as men determined to obtain your rights," he cried, in a ringing voice, which could be heard distinctly by all, "and will you depart as children? Will you listen to those who counsel soft words when you are confronted by the muskets of your enemies?

Will you, town-born, be thrust aside by the Britishers at every corner of the streets? Have you come here simply to shriek for your rights, and then to disperse quietly, lest you displease the hirelings of the King? Are you afraid of punishment which may follow, that you would slink away now? It is the town-born who must defend the town. It is the town-born who shall relieve the town from the burden under which it groans, and it is the town-born who this night should appear before the main guard as their masters, not as their servants."

"To the main guard! To the main guard!"

The mult.i.tude caught up the cry, and as if in a twinkling the throng was in motion, each pressing forward by the nearest way toward the barracks.

The streets were choked with people, and as the vast throng spread itself out toward the nearest approach to the quarters of the guard, they were, by force of circ.u.mstances, divided into three divisions.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Samuel Gray and his two companions were carried, without effort on their part, with one of these bodies, and, by a singular chance, pressed into close companionship with the barber's apprentice and his comrades.

The direction taken by this last division led them directly past the Custom House, and as they approached it Amos heard the shrill voice of Hardy, high above the cries and shouts of his companions:

"There's the scoundrel who knocked me down! That sentinel in the doorway blackened my eye because I dared ask to see Lieutenant Draper!"

The attention of the throng was thus directed to the single soldier who stood on duty at the Custom House.

"Knock him down as well! Give him a dose of his own medicine!"

"Death to the 'b.l.o.o.d.y backs'!"

"Kill him! Kill him!"

Now the excited ones no longer thought of the main guard. They saw before them an armed enemy, and he it was who had abused one of the town-born.

Some continued to utter threats; but many flung bits of ice, frozen dirt, and even such harmless missiles as s...o...b..a.l.l.s, while not a few pressed toward the soldier, as if to make him prisoner.

The man looked down upon his a.s.sailants defiantly, and, as if to show more clearly what punishment it was possible for him to inflict upon them, began deliberately to load his musket.

This action intensified the anger of the younger people, and they pressed yet closer.

"Advance one step further, and I kill the man nearest!" the sentinel cried.

"If you fire you must die for it!" Henry Knox[F] shouted from among the throng.

"I shall shoot if they come nearer!"

As he said this the soldier levelled his weapon, evidently determined to execute the threat, and at the same time he shouted l.u.s.tily for the main guard.

"That's right! Bring on your main guard! But we'll kill you first,"

Attucks cried, fiercely, as he made a dash forward, forcing his way through the press, owing to his great strength.

Before he could reach the sentinel, Captain Preston, the officer of the day, with a guard of eight men, came on the double quick from the Town House, and forced his way, at the point of the bayonet, to the sentinel's side. Once there, the newcomers provoked the throng to yet greater fury, as they repeated the action of the sentinel, by loading their muskets deliberately.

There were but few among that gathering who were not carried away by the excitement of the moment; yet some retained their presence of mind, and among these last was Henry Knox, who, calling several nearest him to his a.s.sistance, succeeded in gaining Captain Preston's side.

There, seizing the officer's arm, to attract his attention, he cried, imploringly:

"For G.o.d's sake, take your men back, Captain! Your life and theirs will pay the penalty of an encounter now! The mob are beside themselves with rage, and this small squad could do nothing against them, once they were let loose."

The officer shook off his well-meaning adviser as he ordered his men to stand firm and defend themselves with their bayonets.

How it happened Amos never really understood; it was as if, while he was yet calm and collected, a sudden flare had come across his eyes, and he realised nothing more until he was in the foremost of the throng, pressing eagerly forward toward the red-coated enemy, without regard to possible danger, as he joined those around him in yelling and hooting.

Men and boys in the rear were firing whatever missiles came to hand, and friends were struck as often as foes.