Bernard found it impossible to call out the militia, since many of them were part of the mob. Instead, Hutchinson and the sheriff went alone to Oliver's residence, and bravely confronted the tumultuous crowd on the street. They were quickly driven off with hurled rocks and debris.
By morning, the rioting had dissipated and the city was quiet. Governor Bernard published a reward for the demonstration's leaders, while Hutchinson seethed over the breakdown of civil order and the impotence of city officials to do anything about it. Unfortunately for him, the worst was yet to come.
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Sources for this article:
Langguth, A. J., Patriots: The Men Who Started the American Revolution, Simon & Schuster, 1988
Raphael, Ray, A People's History of the American Revolution, The New Press, 2001
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