Bloody Butchery - Runaway Fight of the Regulars!

You have a couple of days to read this primary source called a Broadside. Here is a little background info: Broadsides are single-sheet printed documents. They were frequently displayed or posted in public areas such as in taverns, outside meeting houses, or around municipal buildings. A variety of materials were printed on broadsides including poems, government proclamations, songs, and advertisements. Frequently they contained graphic images and a variety of typefaces and symbols. Although often printed on large pieces of paper, they could be of any size. A broadside may be compared to a poster or a handbill advertisement of today.

The American account of the events at Lexington and Concord is recounted in this dramatic broadside. Note the heavy black borders and the coffins that adorn the top of the broadside. Both the graphics and the inflammatory prose are designed to instill sorry and outrage in the reader and to inspire sympathy with the American cause of the rebellion.

This broadside depicts the British troops as attacking the Americans or "provincials" with a "savage barbarity" that included "shooting down the unarmed, aged, and infirm, they disregarded the cries of the wounded, killing them without mercy, and mangling their bodies." This broadside also exonerates the Americans, claiming that "not one instance of cruelty that we have heard of was committed by our victorious militia." Rather the Americans, "listening to the merciful dictates of the Christian religion. They breathed a higher sentiment of humanity."

This broadside was printed in Salem, Massachusetts by E. Russell. Russell was a Boston printer who moved to Salem in 1774 and published the Salem Gazette.

Once again, it will take some time to read but it is a good read. Go to the link at the top right and read what the broadside said. Here are some questions to answer for Thursday:

1. Who is identified as firing first at Lexington? Describe the situation....
2. Throughout this Broadside - The British (Regulars) are accused of doing terrible things..? Come up with a list of these accusations...
3. What is different about Prince Easterbrooks in comparison with all other colonists killed and wounded on April 19th?
4. What age is the youngest person to die on this first day of the war? Who is it?
5. What graphic image is printed on the Broadside? Do you think it had an effect?