prepared beforehand for this event, by the leaders. Certain it is that
there were several squads in different parts of the town, who disguised
themselves at their own or their neighbors' houses, and who then
rendezvoused at points previously designated, before going to the wharf.
Quite an Indian village was improvised at the junction of Hollis and
Tremont Streets. John Crane, Joseph Lovering, and the Bradlees occupied
opposite corners of this locality, the house and carpenter shop of Crane
adjoining the residence of the famous Dr. Mather Byles. Captain Thomas
Bolter and Samuel Fenno, also of the tea party, were near neighbors of
Crane, and like him, were carpenters. Joseph Lovering, Jr., related
that he held the light for Crane and some of his neighbors, to disguise
themselves, in Crane's shop. The four brothers Bradlee, and a
brother-in-law, were prepared for the occasion at their house opposite.
* * * * *
Perhaps the best contemporaneous account of the affair is the following,
from the "Massachusetts Gazette," of December 23:
"Just before the dissolution of the meeting," says the
'Gazette,' a number of brave and resolute men, dressed in
the Indian manner, approached near the door of the assembly,
and gave a war-whoop, which rang through the house, and was
answered by some in the galleries, but silence was
commanded, and a peaceable deportment enjoined until the
dissolution. The Indians, as they were then called, repaired
to the wharf, where the ships lay that had the tea on board,
and were followed by hundreds of people, to see the event of
the transactions of those who made so grotesque an
appearance. The Indians immediately repaired on board
Captain Hall's ship, where they hoisted out the chests of
tea, and when on deck stove them and emptied the tea
overboard. Having cleared this ship, they proceeded to
Captain Bruce's, and then to Captain Coffin's brig. They
applied themselves so dexterously to the destruction of this
commodity, that in the space of three hours they broke up
three hundred and forty-two chests, which was the whole
number in these vessels, and discharged their contents into
the dock. When the tide rose it floated the broken chests
and the tea insomuch that the surface of the water was
filled therewith a considerable way from the south part of
the town to Dorchester Neck, and lodged on the shores. There
was the greatest care taken to prevent the tea from being
purloined by the populace; one or two being detected in
endeavoring to pocket a small quantity were stripped of
their acquisitions and very roughly handled. It is worthy of
remark that although a considerable quantity of goods were
still remaining on board the vessel, no injury was
sustained. Such attention to private property was observed,
that a small padlock belonging to the captain of one of the
ships being broke, another was procured and sent to him. The
town was very quiet during the whole evening and the night
following. Those who were from the country went home with a
merry heart, and the next day joy appeared in almost every
countenance, some on account of the destruction of the tea,
others on account of the quietness with which it was
effected. One of the Monday's papers says the masters and
owners are well pleased that their ships are thus cleared."
Another Boston paper says:
"The people repaired to Griffin's wharf, where the tea
vessels lay, proceeded to fix tackles and hoist the tea upon
deck, cut the chests to pieces, and throw the tea over the
side.... They began upon the two ships first, as they had
nothing on board but the tea, then proceeded to the brig,
which had hauled to the wharf but the day before, and had
but a small part of her cargo out. The captain of the brig
begged they would not begin with his vessel, as the tea was
covered with goods belonging to different merchants in the
town. They told him 'the tea they wanted, and the tea they
would have, but if he would go into his cabin quietly, not
one article of his goods should be hurt.' They immediately
proceeded to remove the goods, and then to dispose of the
tea."
From the "Evening Post" of Monday, December 20, 1773:
"Previous to the dissolution, a number of persons, supposed
to be the aboriginal natives, from their complexion,
approaching the door of the assembly, gave the war-whoop,
which was answered by a few in the galleries of the house,
where the crowded assembly was convened. Silence was
commanded, and prudent and peaceable deportment again
enjoined. The savages repaired to the ships which contained
the pestilential tea, and had begun their ravages previous
to the dissolution of the meeting."
Extract from the log-book of the "Dartmouth:"
"Thursday, December 16. This twenty-four hours rainy
weather, terminating this day. Between six and seven o'clock
this evening, came down to the wharf a body of about one
thousand people, among them were a number dressed and
whooping like Indians. They came on board the ship, and
after warning myself and the custom-house officers to get
out of the way, they undid the hatches and went down the
hold, where was eighty whole, and thirty-four half chests,
of tea, which they hoisted upon deck, and cut the chests to
pieces, and hove the tea all overboard, where it was damaged
and lost."
* * * * *
John Andrews, an eye-witness, in a letter to a friend relates
particulars not elsewhere mentioned. While drinking tea at his house he
heard "prodigious shouts," and went to the Old South Meeting House to
ascertain the cause:
"The house was so crowded," he says, "that I could get no
further than the porch, when I found the moderator was just
declaring the meeting to be dissolved, which caused another
general shout out-doors and in, and three cheers. What with
that and the consequent noise of breaking up the meeting,
you'd thought the inhabitants of the infernal regions had
broke loose. For my part, I went contentedly home and
finished my tea, but was soon informed what was going
forward. Not crediting it without ocular demonstration, I
went and was satisfied. They mustered, I'm told, upon Fort
Hill, to the number of about two hundred, and proceeded, two
by two, to Griffin's wharf, where Hall, Bruce and Coffin
lay.... The latter arrived at the wharf only the day before,
and was freighted with a large quantity of other goods,
which they took the greatest care not to injure in the
least, and before nine o'clock in the evening every chest on
board the three vessels was knocked to pieces and flung over
the sides. They say the actors were Indians from
Narragansett; whether they were or not, to a transient
observer they appeared as such, being clothed in blankets,
with their heads muffled, and copper-colored countenances,
being each armed with a hatchet or axe, or pair of pistols,
nor was their dialect different from what I conceive these
geniuses to speak, as their jargon was unintelligible to all
but themselves. Not the least insult was offered to any
person save one Captain Connor, a letter of horses in this
place, not many years since removed from dear Ireland, who
had ript up the lining of his coat and waistcoat under the
arms, and watching his opportunity, had nearly filled them
with tea, but being detected, was handled pretty roughly.
They not only stripped him of his clothes, but gave him a
coat of mud, with a severe bruising into the bargain, and
nothing but their utter aversion to making any disturbance
prevented his being tarred and feathered."
* * * * *
Many interesting details are supplied by the reminiscences of the actors
themselves, long afterwards. In the "Recollections of a Bostonian,"
published in the "Centinel," in 1821-22, the writer says he spent the
night but one before the destruction of the tea as one of the guard
detached from the new grenadier corps, in company with Gen. Knox, then
one of its officers, on board one of the tea ships. He heard John Rowe
suggest to the meeting in the Old South, "Who knows how tea will mingle
with salt water?" a suggestion received with great applause. He further
states that when the answer of the governor was reported to the
meeting--
"An Indian yell was heard from the street. Mr. Samuel Adams
cried out that it was a trick of their enemies to disturb
the meeting, and requested the people to keep their places,
but the people rushed out and accompanied the Indians to
the ships. The number of persons disguised as Indians is
variously stated,--none put it lower than sixty, nor higher
than eighty. The destruction was effected by them, and some
young men who volunteered. One of the latter collected the
tea which fell into the shoes of himself and companions, and
put it in a phial and sealed it up,--now in his
possession.... The hall of council is said to have been in
the back room of Edes' printing-office, at the corner of the
alley leading to Brattle Street Church, from Court Street."
In 1827, Joshua Wyeth, of Cincinnati, related the following particulars
of the affair to Rev. Timothy Flint. Wyeth, then sixteen years old, was
a journeyman blacksmith in the employ of Watson and Gridley. He says:
"Our numbers were between twenty-eight and thirty. Of my
associates I only remember the names of Frothingham, Mead,
Martin and Grant. Many of them were apprentices and
journeymen, not a few, as was the case with myself, living
with Tory masters. I had but a few hours warning of what was
intended to be done. We first talked of firing the ships,
but feared the fire would communicate to the town. We then
proposed sinking them, but dropped that project through fear
that we should alarm the town before we could get through
with it. We had observed that very few persons remained on
board the ships, and we finally concluded that we could take
possession of them, and discharge the tea into the harbor
without danger or opposition. One of the ships laid at the
wharf, the others a little way out in the stream, with their
warps made fast to the wharf. To prevent discovery, we
agreed to wear ragged clothes and disfigure ourselves,
dressing to resemble Indians as much as possible, smearing
our faces with grease and lamp black or soot, and should not
have known each other except by our voices. Our most
intimate friends among the spectators had not the least
knowledge of us. We surely resembled devils from the
bottomless pit rather than men. At the appointed time we met
in an old building at the head of the wharf, and fell in one
after another, as if by accident, so as not to excite
suspicion. We placed a sentry at the head of the wharf,
another in the middle, and one on the bow of each ship as we
took possession. We boarded the ship moored by the wharf,
and our leader, in a very stern and resolute manner, ordered
the captain and crew to open the hatchways, and hand us the
hoisting tackle and ropes, assuring them that no harm was
intended them. The captain asked what we intended to do. Our
leader told him that we were going to unload the tea, and
ordered him and the crew below. They instantly obeyed. Some
of our number then jumped into the hold, and passed the
chests to the tackle. As they were hauled on deck others
knocked them open with axes, and others raised them to the
railing and discharged their contents overboard. All who
were not needed for discharging this ship went on board the
others, warped them to the wharf, when the same ceremonies
were repeated. We were merry, in an undertone, at the idea
of making so large a cup of tea for the fishes, but were as
still as the nature of the case would admit, using no more
words than were absolutely necessary. We stirred briskly in
the business from the moment we left our dressing-room. I
never worked harder in my life. While we were unloading, the
people collected in great numbers about the wharf to see
what was going on. They crowded around us so as to be much
in our way. Our sentries were not armed, and could not stop
any who insisted on passing. They were particularly charged
to give us notice in case any known Tory came down to the
wharf. There was much talk about this business next morning.
We pretended to be as zealous to find out the perpetrators
as the rest, and were all so close and loyal, that the whole
affair remained in Egyptian darkness."
* * * * *
In 1835, a small volume appeared, entitled "Traits of the Tea Party,"
with a memoir of G.R.T. Hewes. From it we glean the following incidents.
Mr. Hewes thinks that among the speakers at the meeting on the afternoon
of December 16, was John Hancock, who said that "the matter must be
settled before twelve o'clock that night." Hewes positively affirms that
he recognized Hancock, who worked by his side in the destruction of the
tea, not only by his ruffles, which were accidentally exposed, and by
his figure and gait, but by his voice and features, notwithstanding his
paint, and the loosened club of hair behind. In this he was undoubtedly
mistaken. Neither Hancock, Adams nor Warren were among the disguised
Indians. There were enough who were competent for the business without
them.
Just before the meeting dissolved, some one in the galleries (Mr. Pierce
thinks it was Adam Collson) cried out with a loud voice, "Boston harbor
a tea-pot to-night! Hurrah for Griffin's wharf!" This is probably the
disorder checked by the chairman, and which was in response to the
war-whoops outside. Three cheers were given by the meeting as it broke
up.
The disguise of the Indians was hastily prepared. Many of them arrayed
themselves in a store on Fort Hill. The original number of one of the
parties was fifteen or twenty. Many others joined in the act of breaking
up the boxes, who disguised themselves as best they could, and some,
chiefly extempore volunteers, were not disguised at all. Hewes himself,
while the crowd rushed down Milk Street, made his way to a blacksmith's
shop, on Boylston's wharf, where he hastily begrimmed his face with a
_soot_-able preparation, thence to the house of an acquaintance near
Griffin's, where he got a blanket, which he wrapped around his person.
When he reached the wharf, there were many there, but no crowd. The moon
shone brightly. From one hundred to one hundred and fifty were engaged.
The whole were divided into three equal divisions, with a captain and
boatswain for each. Hewes's whistling talent--a matter of public
notoriety--procured him the position of boatswain in the party, under
Captain Lendall Pitts, which boarded the brig. Many were fantastically
arrayed in old frocks, red woolen caps or gowns, and all manner of like
habiliments.
One of Pitts's first official acts was to send a message to the mate,
who was in his cabin, for the use of a few lights and the brig's keys,
so that as little damage as possible might be done to the vessel. The
keys were handed over without a word, and he also provided candles. The
three parties finished their separate tasks nearly at the same time, and
without unnecessary delay. A number of sailors and others had joined
them from time to time, and aided them in hoisting the chests from the
hold.
Collecting on the wharf, which was now covered with spectators, a fresh
inspection was instituted, and all the tea men were ordered to take off
their shoes and empty them, which was supposed to be done. Pitts, who
was a military man, and a prominent Son of Liberty, was appointed
commander-in-chief; the company was formed in rank and file by his
directions, with the aid of Barber, Proctor, and some others, and
"shouldering arms,"--such as they had, tomahawks included,--they marched
up the wharf, to what is now the east end of Pearl Street, back into
town, and then separated and went quietly home.
All was done in plain sight of the British squadron, which lay less than
a quarter of a mile distant. Admiral Montagu witnessed most of the
affair from a more convenient point--the house of a Tory, named Coffin,
on Atkinson Street, near the head of the wharf. Raising the window as
they came along, he said, "Well, boys, you have had a fine, pleasant
evening for your Indian caper, haven't you? But mind, you have got to
pay the fiddler yet!"
"Oh, never mind!" shouted Pitts, "never mind, squire! Just come out
here, if you please, and we'll settle the bill in two minutes." This
caused a shout, the fife struck up a lively air, the admiral put the
window down in a hurry, and the company marched on.
When Hewes reached home he told his wife the story. "Well, George," said
she, "Did you bring me home a lot of it?" The only tea known to have
been brought that night from the wharf was in the shoes of Thomas
Melvill. A sample gathered on the Dorchester shore by Dr. Thaddeus M.
Harris, is now preserved in the cabinet of the Antiquarian Society, at
Worcester.
[Illustration: DIAGRAM SHOWING THE ROUTE TAKEN FROM THE OLD SOUTH CHURCH
TO THE WHARF. (_See dotted lines._)]
One O'Connor, an Irishman, formerly a fellow apprentice with Hewes,
attempted to secrete some of the tea. Hewes noticed a suspicious
movement of his hands along the lining of his coat, and informed Pitts.
Catching him by the skirts of his coat, he pulled him back as he was
trying to escape, and he was quickly relieved of his cargo, as well as
the apparel which contained it, and a few kicks were applied to hasten
his retreat.
Early on the morning of the 17th, a long windrow of tea, "about as big
as you ever saw of hay," was seen extending from the wharves down to the
castle. A party of volunteers soon turned out in boats, and stirred it
up in the "pot" pretty effectually.
* * * * *
Those who undertook to preserve any of the poisonous herb were sharply
looked after by the patriots. A Boston paper of January 3, 1774, says:
"Whereas, it was reported that one Withington, of
Dorchester, had taken up and partly disposed of a chest of
the East India Company's tea, a number of the Cape or
Narragansett Indians went to the house of Captain Ebenezer
Withington, and his brother Phillip, last Friday evening,
and thoroughly searched their houses, without offering the
least offence to any one. Finding no tea, they proceeded to
the house of old Mr. Ebenezer Withington, at a place called
Sodom, below Dorchester Meeting House, where they found part
of a half-chest, which had floated, and was cast up on
Dorchester Point. This they seized and brought to Boston
Common, where they committed it to the flames."
Benjamin Simpson, a bricklayer's apprentice, says:
"After the meeting in the Old South was over, there was a
cry in the gallery of 'every man to his tent.' We repaired
to the wharf. I went on board both ships, but saw no person
belonging to them. In a few minutes a number of men came on
the wharf, (with the Indian pow-wow,) went on board the
ships, then lying at the side of the wharf, the water in the
dock not more than two feet deep. They began to throw the
tea into the water, which went off with the tide till the
tea grounded. We soon found there was tea on board the brig
also. A demand being made of it, the captain told us the
whole of his cargo was on board; that the tea was directly
under the hatches, which he would open if we would not
damage anything but the tea, which was agreed to. The
hatches were then opened, a man sent down to show us the
tea, which we hoisted out, stove the chests and threw tea
and all overboard. Those on board the ships did the same. I
was on board the ships when the tea was so high by the side
of them as to fall in, which was shovelled down more than
once. We on board the brig were not disguised. I was then
nineteen years old; I am now (1830) seventy-five."
Peter, the son of Benjamin Edes, the printer, in a letter to his
grandson, Benjamin C. Edes, written in 1836, says of the tea party:
"I know but little about it, as I was not admitted into
their presence, for fear, I suppose, of their being
known.... I recollect perfectly well that in the afternoon
preceding the evening of the destruction of the tea, a
number of gentlemen met in the parlor of my father's
house,--how many I cannot say. As I said before, I was not
admitted into their presence; my station was in another
room, to make punch for them, in the bowl[20] which is now
in your possession, and which I filled several times. They
remained in the house till dark,--I suppose to disguise
themselves like Indians,--when they left the house, and
proceeded to the wharves where the vessels lay. Before they
reached there they were joined by hundreds. I thought I
would take a walk to the wharves as a spectator, where was
collected, I may say, as many as two thousand persons. The
Indians worked smartly. Some were in the hold immediately
after the hatches were broken open, fixing the ropes to the
tea-chests, others were breaking open the chests, and others
stood ready with hatchets to cut off the bindings of the
chests and cast them overboard. I remained till I was tired,
and fearing some disturbance might occur, went home, leaving
the Indians working like good, industrious fellows. This is
all I know about it."
The account given by General Ebenezer Stevens to his son, Horatio Gates
Stevens, is as follows:
"I went from the Old South Meeting House just after dark.
The party was about seventy or eighty. At the head of the
wharf we met the detachment of our company (Paddock's
Artillery) on guard, who joined us. I commenced with a party
on board the vessel of which Hodgdon[21] was mate, (the
'Dartmouth') and as he knew me, I left that vessel with some
of my comrades and went aboard another vessel, which lay at
the opposite side of the wharf. Numbers of others took our
places on board Hodgdon's vessel. We commenced handing the
boxes of tea on deck, and first began breaking them with
axes, but found much difficulty, owing to the boxes of tea
being covered with canvas,--the mode that the article was
then imported in. I think that all the tea was destroyed in
about two hours. We were careful to prevent any being taken
away. None of the party were painted as Indians, nor, that I
know of, disguised, excepting that some of them stopped at a
paint shop on the way, and daubed their faces with paint."
[Illustration: Signature, Alexander Hodgdon]
Robert Sessions, of South Wilbraham, (now Hampden) Mass., another actor
in the scene, says:
"I was living in Boston at the time, in the family of a Mr.
Davis, a lumber merchant, as a common laborer. On that
eventful evening, when Mr. Davis came in from the town
meeting, I asked him what was to be done with the tea. 'They
are now throwing it overboard,' he replied. Receiving
permission, I went immediately to the spot. Everything was
as light as day, by the means of lamps and torches; a pin
might be seen lying on the wharf. I went on board where they
were at work, and took hold with my own hands. I was not one
of those appointed to destroy the tea, and who disguised
themselves as Indians, but was a volunteer; the disguised
men being largely men of family and position in Boston,
while I was a young man, whose home and relations were in
Connecticut. The appointed and disguised party proving too
small for the quick work necessary, other young men,
similarly circumstanced with myself, joined them in their
labors. The chests were drawn up by a tackle,--one man
bringing them forward, another putting a rope around them,
and others hoisting them to the deck and carrying them to
the vessel's side. The chests were then opened, the tea
emptied over the side, and the chests thrown overboard.
Perfect regularity prevailed during the whole transaction.
Although there were many people on the wharf, entire silence
prevailed,--no clamor, no talking. Nothing was meddled with
but the teas on board. After having emptied the whole, the
deck was swept clean, and everything put in its proper
place. An officer on board was requested to come up from the
cabin and see that no damage was done except to the tea. At
about the close of the scene, a man was discovered making
his way through the crowd with his pockets filled with tea.
He was immediately laid hold of, and his coat skirts torn
off, with their pockets, and thrown into the dock with the
rest of the tea. I was obliged to leave the town at once, as
it was of course known that I was concerned in the affair."
William Tudor, then a law student in the office of John Adams, and
acquainted with some of the members of the tea party, gives in his "Life
of James Otis," the following account of it: