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Greetings! I am Lieutenant General Thomas Gage,
Commander-in-Chief of His Royal Majesty’s forces in North America.
I came to these shores in 1755 as part of General Braddock’s
expeditionary force with the objective of expelling French troops
from the Ohio country.
In 1763, following the Treaty of Paris,
which ended the Seven Years War
(known in the colonies as the French and Indian War)
I was selected to replace General Amherst as Commander-in-Chief
and made responsible for the administration of a territory
that spanned the entirety of North America east of the Mississippi River.
England had been pursuing their interests in these territories
since the early seventeenth century.
These vast spaces were seen as a practically in-exhaustible source
of raw materials, especially wood for the Royal Navy
and merchant ships, a solution to the problem of excess population
in English cities, a haven for the various groups of religious dissenters
and a steadily growing market for English manufactured goods.
Of course, in order to preserve and protect our interests here,
it became necessary to maintain a strong military presence
on land and at sea to secure our borders and ports
against the intrusion of French and Spanish settlers.
In addition there was the necessity of maintaining peaceful relation
with the native peoples who were wary of our growing population.
The colonies flourished as time went by and colonial merchants
were quick to take advantage of various European markets for their goods,
a practice that England frowned upon
as it deprived English businesses of the Lion’s share of profits.
Legislation was introduced over time to restrict trade
with nonEnglish markets which resulted, of course,
in an ever increasing habit of smuggling by colonial merchants.
To make matters worse, the “Seven Years War”
had left England with a very great debt
which would have to be made up somehow.
The traditional method of raising money was, of course,
raising taxes, and it seemed only logical that since
great deal of England’s war debt was the result of
defending our colonial territories, that the citizens of these territories
should contribute to the repayment of said debt.
Various methods were implemented.
The Stamp Act sought to raise money by the sale of official stamps
which were to be affixed to various paper goods
and official documents any and all of which had to be paid for
in hard English currency and not in colonial paper money.
The Stamp act was so vigorously protested against
that in was never actually put into practice.
The Stamp act was succeeded by the Townsend Acts
which sought to levy taxes on such imports as glass,
lead, paint, paper and tea.
In addition to raising revenue, the acts were to create
a more effective means of enforcing compliance with trade regulations
and punish the province of New York for failing to comply
with the Quartering Act.
The Acts established the precedent
that the British Parliament had the right to tax the colonies.
These acts were equally un-popular with the colonists
who responded by refusing to buy English imported goods.
The colonial response to these acts was even more vehement
than the uproar over the Stamp Act, and protests eventually
led to the so-called Boston Massacre and attacks on British ships
including the burning of the customs schooner Gaspee.
Eventually, the Townsend acts were repealed
with the exception of the tax on tea
which had been implemented to save
the East India Company from bankruptcy.
Colonial indignation over the tea tax was to lead to
the infamous “Boston Tea Party” which, in turn,
led to the imposition of the “Coercive Acts”
that the Americans took to calling “The Intolerable Acts”.
The “Coercive Acts” consisted of: The Boston Port Act,
which closed the port of Boston until such time
that restitution be made for the tea
that was thrown into the harbor.
The Massachusetts Government Act,
which took away Massachusetts’ charter
and placed it under direct control of the British government.
The Administration of Justice Act,
which allowed trials of accused Royal officials
to take place in England as it was assumed
they could not get a fair trial in the colonies.
And, The Quartering Act which required the colonies to provide housing
for British troops in occupied buildings (but not private homes).
This was an effort to house troops closer
to their areas of operation.
At the time the Coercive Acts were being considered by Parliament,
I had returned to England in order to enroll my sons
in proper English schools.
News of the Boston Tea Party reached England during my visit.
I was summoned by the King to deliver my assessment
of our situation in the colonies.
I told the King that I thought the colonists would be Lions
whilst we are Lambs, but, if we take the resolute part,
they will undoubtedly prove very meek.
I told him that I thought that the four regiments
he was planning to send to relieve as many regiments
in America, if sent to Boston, would be sufficient
to prevent any disturbances.
I also said that the repeal of the Stamp Act has encouraged
the Americans to increase their pretension to that
thorough independency which one state has of another,
but is quite subversive of the obedience which a colony
owes to its mother country.
Once the Coercive acts were passed
I was ordered back to Boston immediately.
By the time I arrived, the Boston Port Act
was already the talk of the town,
and would soon be fanning the flames of resistance
throughout the colonies,
eliciting resolutions calling for a Continental Congress
and resolves in support of Boston.
It being my duty to implement the Coercive Acts
I found it necessary to dissolve the Massachusetts Assembly
as they had sent delegates to the so-called Continental Congress.
I have concluded that democracy is too prevalent in America.
In addition, I withdrew the garrisons
from New York city, New Jersey, Philadelphia,
Halifax and Newfoundland and brought them to Boston
along with a large naval presence
under the command of Admiral Samuel Graves.
We are currently making arrangements to begin confiscation
of war making materials.
If force is to be used at length it must be a considerable one,
and foreign troops must be hired,
for to begin with small numbers will encourage resistance
and not terrify; and will, in the end cost more blood and treasure.
Gentlemen, I am desired by the freeholders
and other inhabitants of this town to enclose you
an attested copy of their vote passed in town meeting
legally assembled this day.
The occasion of this meeting is most alarming.
We have received a copy of an act of the British parliament,
which is also attached, wherein it appears that
the inhabitants of this town have been tried and condemned
and are to be punished by the shutting up of the harbor
and other ways, without their having been called to answer for,
nay, for aught that appears, without their having been
even accused of any crime committed by them,
for no such crime is alleged in the act.
The town of Boston is now suffering the stroke of vengeance
in the common cause of America.
I hope they will sustain the blow with a becoming fortitude,
and that the effects of this cruel act,
intended to intimidate and subdue the spirits of all America,
will, by the joint efforts of all, be frustrated.
The people receive this edict with indignation.
It is expected by their enemies,
and feared by some of their friends
that this town singly will not be able to
support the cause under so severe a trial.
As the very being of every colony considered as a free people
depends upon the event,
a thought so dishonorable to our brethren cannot be entertained
as that this town will now be left to struggle alone.
General Gage is just arrived here with a Commission
to supersede Governor Hutchinson.
It is said that the town of Salem, about 20 miles east of this metropolis,
is to be the seat of government.
That the Commissioners of the customs
and their numerous retinue
are to remove to the town of Marblehead,
a town contiguous to Salem,
and that this, if the general shall think proper,
is to be a Garrison town.
Reports are various and contradictory.
I have enclosed a copy of the town vote
for each of the colonies southward of your province,
which I beg you to forward with all possible dispatch,
together with your own sentiments thereon.
I am with very great regard, gentlemen,
your humble servant, Samuel Adams
To the committee of correspondence for the city of Philadelphia
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