George
Hewes, a Boston shoemaker, was one of sixty colonists that boarded a British ship
on December 16, 1773 containing a cargo of tea from The East India Company in
Boston Harbor. Sixty years later he recalled the events of that night remember
today as one of the key cornerstone events in Early American history leading up
to the American Revolution.
"On
the day preceding the seventeenth, there was a meeting of the citizens of the
county of Suffolk, convened at one of the churches in Boston, for the purpose
of consulting on what measures might be considered expedient to prevent the landing
of the tea, or secure the people from the collection of the duty. At that meeting
a committee was appointed to wait on Governor Hutchinson, and request him to inform
them whether he would take any measures to satisfy the people on the object of
the meeting.
"To the first application
of this committee, the Governor told them he would give them a definite answer
by five o'clock in the afternoon. At the hour appointed, the committee again repaired
to the Governor's house, and on inquiry found he had gone to his country seat
at Milton, a distance of about six miles. When the committee returned and informed
the meeting of the absence of the Governor, there was a confused murmur among
the members, and the meeting was immediately dissolved, many of them crying out,
"Let every man do his duty, and be true to his country"; and there was
a general huzza for Griffin's wharf.
"It
was now evening, and I immediately dressed myself in the costume of an Indian,
equipped with a small hatchet, which I and my associates denominated the tomahawk,
with which, and a club, after having painted my face and hands with coal dust
in the shop of a blacksmith, I repaired to Griffin's wharf, where the ships lay
that contained the tea. When I first appeared in the street after being thus disguised,
I fell in with many who were dressed, equipped and painted as I was, and who fell
in with me and marched in order to the place of our destination.
"When
we arrived at the wharf, there were three of our number who assumed an authority
to direct our operations, to which we readily submitted. They divided us into
three parties, for the purpose of boarding the three ships which contained the
tea at the same time. The name of him who commanded the division to which I was
assigned was Leonard Pitt. The names of the other commanders I never knew.
"We
were immediately ordered by the respective commanders to board all the ships at
the same time, which we promptly obeyed. The commander of the division to which
I belonged, as soon as we were on board the ship appointed me boatswain, and ordered
me to go to the captain and demand of him the keys to the hatches and a dozen
candles. I made the demand accordingly, and the captain promptly replied, and
delivered the articles; but requested me at the same time to do no damage to the
ship or rigging.
"We then were
ordered by our commander to open the hatches and take out all the chests of tea
and throw them overboard, and we immediately proceeded to execute his orders,
first cutting and splitting the chests with our tomahawks, so as thoroughly to
expose them to the effects of the water.
In about three hours from the time we went on board, we had thus broken and thrown
overboard every tea chest to be found in the ship, while those in the other ships
were disposing of the tea in the same way, at the same time. We were surrounded
by British armed ships, but no attempt was made to resist us.
"We
then quietly retired to our several places of residence, without having any conversation
with each other, or taking any measures to discover who were our associates; nor
do I recollect of our having had the knowledge of the name of a single individual
concerned in that affair, except that of Leonard Pitt, the commander of my division,
whom I have mentioned. There appeared to be an understanding that each individual
should volunteer his services, keep his own secret, and risk the consequence for
himself. No disorder took place during that transaction, and it was observed at
that time that the stillest night ensued that Boston had enjoyed for many months.
"During the time we were throwing
the tea overboard, there were several attempts made by some of the citizens of
Boston and its vicinity to carry off small quantities of it for their family use.
To effect that object, they would watch their opportunity to snatch up a handful
from the deck, where it became plentifully scattered, and put it into their pockets.
"One Captain O'Connor, whom
I well knew, came on board for that purpose, and when he supposed he was not noticed,
filled his pockets, and also the lining of his coat. But I had detected him and
gave information to the captain of what he was doing. We were ordered to take
him into custody, and just as he was stepping from the vessel, I seized him by
the skirt of his coat, and in attempting to pull him back, I tore it off; but,
springing forward, by a rapid effort he made his escape. He had, however, to run
a gauntlet through the crowd upon the wharf nine each one, as he passed, giving
him a kick or a stroke.
"Another
attempt was made to save a little tea from the ruins of the cargo by a tall, aged
man who wore a large cocked hat and white wig, which was fashionable at that time.
He had sleightly slipped a little into his pocket, but being detected, they seized
him and, taking his hat and wig from his head, threw them, together with the tea,
of which they had emptied his pockets, into the water. In consideration of his
advanced age, he was permitted to escape, with now and then a slight kick.
"The
next morning, after we had cleared the ships of the tea, it was discovered that
very considerable quantities of it were floating upon the surface of the water;
and to prevent the possibility of any of its being saved for use, a number of
small boats were manned by sailors and citizens, who rowed them into those parts
of the harbor wherever the tea was visible, and by beating it with oars and paddles
so thoroughly drenched it as to render its entire destruction inevitable."
---- George Hewes
