Captain Preston The Boston Massacre

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British Perspective: On the account of one Captain Thomas Preston of the 29th Regiment of the British Royal Army, the Boston Massacre is seen as a tragic event resulting from misunderstandings and justified actions of self-defense. Recounting the events of March 5, 1770, Thomas Preston was found describing the crowd as “a mob” and “were outrageous”, highlighting just how frightful the situation may have been for both him and his fellow British soldiers in Boston. Incidentally, the crowd eventually grew into extreme acts of aggression that no doubt could have threatened the lives of the British soldiers, as the crowd soon, “Advanced to the points of the bayonets, struck some of them, and even the muzzles of the pieces, and seemed to be endeavoring too close with the soldiers.” This incident no doubt fed the crowds anger towards the British soldiers and caused massive confusion and …show more content…

The miscommunication appears to be just as surprising for Captain Preston in this situation as was for the onlooking crowd witnessing the events As Captain Preston reflects, “On my asking the soldiers why they fired without orders, they said they heard the word fire and supposed it came from me.” Overall, this provides me with extensive in-depth knowledge as to the confusion arising in this event, ultimately leading to a bloody miscommunication. After reflection, I believe the tone used throughout the excerpt from the London chronicle is one of frustration and anger, as it describes the events leading to the firing in a manner in which it could be read to critique how the Colonist handled the event, as well as mild confusion as to why the British soldiers ultimately received punishment with their Captain while the Colonist despite the deaths and injuries remained unresponsible in this

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