Jump’d on His Stomach and Cut Off His Head

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by Benjamin Hichborn Date: December 10, 1775 “… One Drew now a Lieutenant of the [HMS] Scorpion or Viper, I am uncertain which, and Bruce a private belonging to the [HMS] Preston, landed on Bunkers Hill, soon after the battle of the 17th of June….  In a day or two after, Drew went upon the […]

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Hold On and Hold Out Until Oppression, Injustice, and Tyranny Shall Be Superseded by Freedom, Justice, and Good Government

To the Committee of Middletown [Connecticut] Boston, November 17, 1774. Gentlemen, -Your kind letter of the 17th of October came safe to hand. When we reflect on the great importance of the controversy in which we are engaged; when we consider that America will be free and happy or servilely wretched, according as we conduct […]

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Two Characters as Great in Proportion to their Age as Any that I Have Ever Known in America

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by John Adams to Josiah Quincy, Sr. Date: July 29, 1775 We jointly lament the loss of a Quincy, and a Warren; two characters, as great in proportion to their age, as any that I have ever known in America.  Our country mourns the loss of both, and sincerely sympathises with the feelings of the […]

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On the Fortitude, on the Wisdom, and on the Exertions of This Important Day is Suspended the Fate of this New World

 “Philadelphia, 17th Sept. 1774. SIR, Your Letter of the 11th Instant, directed “To the Honorable Thomas Cushing, Esq; and the other Gentlemen of the Congress, Members for Massachusetts-Bay,” together with the Resolutions entered into by the Delegates of the several Towns in the County of Suffolk, and their Address to his Excellency Governor Gage were […]

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Not Afraid to Provoke the Troops by Every Wanton Insult

Author: Anonymous Application of Doctor Warren to General Gage Boston, September 27, 1774. A few days ago General Gage paid for, and deposited in his Majesty’ s Magazine, a quantity of military stores, which had been provided many years since at the desire of Colonel Bradstreet, and had laid from that time on the hands […]

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Ebenezer Storer Called on the Carpet

 “Cambridge, October 18, 1774. Sir, It is reported in this town that Mr. N.R. Thomas declared at your table that the Governor would take up a number of persons in Boston, and send them to England as Dyer was sent, so soon as he completed his works, and obtained reinforcements which he expected. This report […]

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Joseph Warren Breaks Expectation for First Continental Congress Secrecy to Reinforce Religious Tolerance

Date: September 26, 1774 “Messieurs Printers As I have been informed that the conduct of some few persons of the Episcopal denomination, in maintaining principles inconsistent with the rights and liberties of mankind, has given offence to some of the zealous friends of this country, I think myself obliged to publish the following extract of […]

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Tremblingly Alive All O’er

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[Joseph Warren in Boston to Samuel Adams at Philadelphia] Date: September 29, 1774 Dear Sir, – My last letter of the 26th instant you will doubtless have received by the post before this reached you. Since then, there have been arrivals from England, by which we learn that the ministry are still inflexible and obstinate. […]

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Duplicitous Dr. Church Shares Intelligence

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[Dr. Benjamin Church to Samuel Adams] “Sunday Evening Sept 4th 1774 Dear Sir: Having closed my former letter, Further Intelligence coming to hand I seize a leisure minute to give it [to] you. Mr. Stearns just arrived from Paxtons informs me that the Inhabitants of Springfield, Leicester Paxton Spencer and the Towns adjacent had risen […]

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One Grand Aggregate on the Whole of Which the Condition of Each Individual Part Must Most Sensibly Operate

by Thomas Young to Samuel Adams  “Boston 4th Sepbr 1774 “Dear Sir By the enclosed papers you will perceive the temper of your countrymen in the condition, your every wish, your every sigh, for years past, panted to find it. Thoroughly aroused and unanimously earnest, something very important must, inevitably come of it. That treacherous, […]

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