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April 1770, The Gentleman's Magazine Reports on the Boston Massacre

April 1770-Dated Pre Revolutionary War Era, "The Gentleman's Magazine" with an early Report of the BOSTON MASSACRE, signed in Type by John Hancock, John Adams, Joseph Warren, and others, Choice Extremely Fine.

Complete original edition of "The Gentleman's Magazine" dated April 1770, published in London, England by D. Henry, 48 pages, measuring 8.5" x 5.25, disbound. Appearing on the inside cover page of this spectacular historic issue is a detailed Report of the Boston Town Committee on the Massacre, as reported in the 1st report of the slaughter by the Boston Gazette, with the signatures of SAMUEL ADAMS, JOHN HANCOCK and JOSEPH WARREN in block type at the end of the report. This issue also contains the detailed eyewitness account of the event by British officer, Captain Thomas Preston, who commanded the troops that fateful night in Boston and was accused of ordering the troops to fire on the citizens of Boston. A light vertical crease to the paper of this initial report. Otherwise, this all-important page is very clean, with fresh bright period paper, and boldly printed. A superb content historical contemporary Boston Massacre report.

Additional Information:

The Boston Massacre, known to the British as the Incident on King Street, was a confrontation on March 5, 1770 in which British soldiers shot and killed several people while being harassed by a mob in Boston. The event was heavily publicized by leading Patriots such as Paul Revere and Samuel Adams. British troops had been stationed in the Province of Massachusetts Bay since 1768 in order to support crown-appointed officials and to enforce unpopular Parliamentary legislation.

Amid tense relations between the civilians and the soldiers, a mob formed around a British sentry and verbally abused him. He was eventually supported by eight additional soldiers, who were hit by clubs, stones, and snowballs. They fired into the crowd without orders, instantly killing three people and wounding others, two of whom later died of their wounds.

The crowd eventually dispersed after Acting Governor Thomas Hutchinson promised an inquiry, but they re-formed the next day, prompting withdrawal of the troops to Castle Island. Eight soldiers, one officer, and four civilians were arrested and charged with murder, and they were defended by future President John Adams. Six of the soldiers were acquitted; the other two were convicted of manslaughter and given reduced sentences. The men found guilty of manslaughter were sentenced to branding on their hand.

Depictions, reports, and propaganda about the event heightened tensions throughout the Thirteen Colonies, notably the colored engraving produced by Paul Revere.

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