Captain Thomas Preston’s Account of the Boston Massacre
"On this a general attack was made on the men [the British soldiers] by a great number of heavy clubs and snowballs being thrown at them, by which all our lives were in imminent danger, some persons at the same time from behind calling out, damn your bloods-why don't you fire. Instantly three or four of the soldiers fired, one after another, and directly after three more in the same confusion and hurry. The mob then ran away . . . On my asking the soldiers why they fired without orders, they said they heard the word fire and supposed it came from me. This might be the case as many of the mob called out fire, fire, but I assured the men that I gave no such order; that my words were, don't fire, stop your firing."
- Captain Thomas Preston, 1770
Each of these statements is supported by Preston’s account of the Boston Massacre EXCEPT
Responses
APreston and his soldiers were in danger.
Preston and his soldiers were in danger.
BPreston never ordered his soldiers to fire on the colonists.
Preston never ordered his soldiers to fire on the colonists.
CThe colonists were attacking the British with clubs and snowballs.
The colonists were attacking the British with clubs and snowballs.
DThe British soldiers intended to shoot the colonists even though they were not provoked.