y as these soldiers seemed to be."

But the affray was of small proportions, and soon over. The actual
outbreak originated in a quarrel between a barber's boy and a sentry,
stationed in King Street below the east end of the Town House.[24] Boys
and men gathered, the sentry called out the guard, fire-bells were rung,
and the crowd increased. The captain of the guard was not the man for
the emergency. Said Henry Knox, afterward general and Secretary of War,
"I took Captain Preston by the coat and told him for God's sake to take
his men back again, for if they fired his life must answer for the
consequence; he replied he was sensible of it, or knew what he was
about, or words to that purpose; and seemed in great haste and much
agitated." The gathering still increased, there was crowding and
jostling, snowballs and possibly sticks were thrown; the soldiers grew
angry and the officer uncertain what to do. "The soldiers," testified
John Hickling, "assumed different postures, shoving their bayonets
frequently at the people, one in particular pushing against my side
swore he would run me through; I laid hold of his bayonet and told him
that nobody was going to meddle with them. Not more than ten seconds
after this I saw something white, resembling a piece of snow or ice,
fall among the soldiers, which knocked the end of a firelock to the
ground. At that instant the word 'Fire!' was given, but by whom I know
not; but concluded it did not come from the officer aforesaid, as I was
within a yard of him and must have heard him had he spoken it, but am
satisfied said Preston did not forbid them to fire; I instantly leaped
within the soldier's bayonet as I heard him cock his gun, which that
moment went off.... I, thinking there was nothing but powder fired,
stood still, till ... I saw another gun fired, and the man since called
Attucks, fall. I then withdrew about two or three yards.... During this
the rest of the guns were fired, one after another, when I saw two more
fall.... I further declare that I heard no other affront given them than
the huzzaing and whistling of boys in the street."

After the firing, other soldiers were summoned to the spot, and more
townspeople appeared. The soldiers, says the official narrative, "were
drawn up between the State House and main guard, their lines extended
across the street and facing down King Street, where the town people
were assembled. The first line kneeled, and the whole of the first
pl