How Did Captain Thomas Contribute To The Boston Massacre

On March 5, 1770, three men died of gunshot wounds and two others died from their injuries.

The events leading to their deaths are crucial to understand. Great Britain had stationed soldiers in Boston

to enforce laws and defend protests. The colonists were resisting the British laws because Britain had

been enforcing taxes created by the British Parliament in which the Colonies had no representation.

Tension between the colonists and soldiers erupted on the night of March 5. A mob of colonists, including

young boys, began throwing snowballs, rocks, oyster shells, and pieces of coal at a British soldier

stationed in front of a customs house. Many more soldiers gathered around the attacked sentry. Armed

with buckets and clubs, the

Personal accounts from Daniel Cornwall and Matthew

Murray show that Preston did not give any order. Murray testified that “[he] heard no order given…[and]

was looking at the Captain when the [gun] was fired” (Matthew Murray). Cornwall attested “[he] was

within two yards of [Preston]…[and] was looking at him [but did] not hear any order” (Daniel

Cornwall). Based on this evidence, Captain Thomas did not speak to his men about firing on the colonists.

Daniel Cornwall was only two yards away from Preston, enough to hear any words come out of the

Captain’s mouth. Matthew Murray was looking at Preston when the shots were fired, but did not hear a

command from Captain Preston. Captain Thomas Preston is innocent in the slaying of five Boston

colonists based on the statements given by the witnesses.

The British soldiers involved in the Boston Massacre are not guilty in the deaths of five colonists

because they acted out of self-defense. According to Newton Prince, “Some of the [colonists] said let’s

attack the Main Guard, or the Centinel…” (Newton Prince). If the colonists attacked the soldiers

The colonists harassed the soldiers by throwing snowballs at them and

hitting their guns with sticks. This means if the British troops were repeatedly bullied, they could suffer

extreme injuries. Clearly, the soldiers needed a way to defend themselves so they loaded their weapons.

James Woodall “…saw one Soldier knocked down. His Gun fell from him. [He] saw a great many sticks

and pieces of sticks and Ice thrown at the Soldiers. The Soldier who was knocked down took up his Gun

and fired directly” (James Woodall). Woodall’s statement supports the British troops firing out of self-

defense because if the soldier had not fired, he could have been beaten to death. Sadly, once one soldier

fired, many followed but as stated in the Collins English Dictionary, “Murder is the deliberate and illegal

killing of a person.” The British soldiers did not intentionally shoot at the colonists. They were being

attacked by clubs and sharp objects when one of the soldiers fired out of self-defense. During the

commotion, others fired and tragically left five colonists dead. Patrick Carr was one of the men killed