Thursday, December 16, 1773
- Boston, Massachusetts -
Learn & Lather!
During the “destruction of the tea” on December 16, 1773, chests of black and green tea were dumped into the Boston Harbor. The tea was harvested in China and imported by the East India Company.
The day was uneventful until...
...mid-afternoon when countless men began making their way inside the Old South Meeting House. My pulse began to race as I knew what was soon to come. At about 7:00 p.m., the men returned outside and began to make their way—in a most orderly fashion— to Griffin’s Wharf. I followed alongside them as did a large crowd of onlookers. Once there, the men divided into groups. Some boarded the ships Dartmouth, Beaver, and Eleanor, while others guarded the gangplanks. Then, with readied axes, the men destroyed more than three hundred chests of tea. What a sight it was to see! The tea and debris were tossed into the harbor but as the tide was low, neither immediately flowed out to sea. After three hours, or thereabout, the men completed their task, and the streets began to empty. I so wish J.B. could have been here. Perhaps it’s time to tell her my secret…
Key (borrowed) – A glass vial containing tea leaves purported to have been removed from the Boston Harbor following the “destruction of the tea.” No ignition. Tea leaves are not authentic. Trip aborted.
Key (purchased, second attempt) – A page from the Massachusetts Gazette and the Boston Weekly News-Letter (Dec. 16, 1773 issue). Mr. Franklin is fully powered.
Arrival – Early a.m. Not ideal. Have arrived at least twelve to thirteen hours before the event. Will explore the town and try to remain inconspicuous.
Scent/s – Late p.m. The smell of tea continues to fill the air around Griffin’s Wharf, but I am surprised that the scent of tobacco (from the many onlookers’ pipes) has combined with the tea to create a most pleasant aroma; a fragrance that to me shouts “Huzzah!” [ Custom-coated fabric (SX1) collected the scent in 2 minutes, 13 seconds (conditions: cold and damp). ]
Header Image from Yale University: https://artgallery.yale.edu/collections/objects/113543