As it appeared in The Yankee Doodle Times, part I Winter 1991-92
PREMIER ISSUE and part II Summer-Fall, 1992 Volume 1 Number 2

In March of 1775, as the colonies were approaching the Revolution, ThomasDitson, Jr., of Billerica became interested in joining the "train band" or Minutemen. So, early one morning he left his farm and family and travelled to Boston, hoping to but a musket of his own. He became a part of our history by enduring the following events, recorded by a newspaper of the time. The following is Part I of our transcription of an article from The Essex GAZETTE, (VOL VII, Numb 346; Mar7, to Mar 14, 1775), preserved on microcard, on film at the Boston Public Library, Micotext Section. The Act of Tarring & Feathering not repealed.

Last Thursday Morning a Countryman was Tarr'd and Feather's and carried through some of the Streets in this town by a Party of Soldiers attended by some Officers: - The following is the Man's own deposition, relative to that Affair. sworn to before a Magistrate; upon which we shall make no Remarks, but leave the Public to judge of the Conduct of some of those who are said to have been sent among us to preserve Peace and good Order, and to prevent Mobs, Tumults and unlawful Assemblies.
I Thomas Diston, jun. of Billerica, Husbandman, testify and declare, that while walking in Fore-Street, on the 8th of March, in the Afternoon, I enquired of some Townsmen who had any Guns to sell. The Man appeared to be a Soldier, and I went with him to a House where one was, whom the Soldier called Serjeant, and seeing some old Cloaths about the House, I asked whether they sold such Things; the Serjeant replied that they did frequently; I then asked his Price for an old red Coat ript to Pieces; he asked 3s 6d, Sterling, but I refused to give it. Then one M'Clenchy, the Soldier I met with at first in the street, said he had some old Cloaths to sell, and sent his Wife out after them to a Man he called a Serjeant, and the Man brought an old Coat and an old jacket; I then asked him if he has any Right to sell them, and the Serjeant said that they frequently sold them, and he would give a Writing if I desired it, but said there was no Occasion. I then bought the said Coat and Jacket, and gave two Pistareens, and then put the Cloaths in a Bag, which I left behind; after which I sent to M'Clenchy to see his Gun, which he said was a very fine Piece; I asked him if he had any Right to sell it, he replied he had, and that the Gun was his to dispose of at any Time: I then asked him whether he thought the Centry would not take it from me at the Ferry, as I had heard, that some Persons had had their Guns taken from them, but never thought there was any Law against trading with a Soldier; he then told me he had stood Centry, and that they frequently let them pass; he then asked me what I would give him for the Gun, I told him I would give him four Dollars if there was not Risque in carrying it over the Ferry; he said there was not, and that I might rely on his word. I then agreed to give four Dollars for his Gun, but did not take it nor pay the Money.
Coming away he follows me down Stairs and says that there was a Serjeant had a rusty old Piece that he would sell cheap; I asked him his Price, he said he would sell it for one Dollar and a half if I would pay the Money down, and he urged me to take it; I then agreed to give him said Sum. His Wife, as he called her, then came down, and said M'Clenchy what are you going to do, to bring the Man the Man into a Scrape; I then told them that if there was any Difficulty to give me my Money again, but he refused, and replied his Wife made an Oration for nothing and that he had a Right to sell his Gun to any Body. I was afraid from her speaking that there was something not right in it, and left the Gun, and coming away he followed me and urged the Guns upon me; I told him I had rather not take them for fear of what his Wife had said; he then declared there was no Danger, for he had spoken to the Officer or Centry, who said he had a Right to dispose of them, and urged me to pay the four Dollars I had offered for the Guns, which I then refused and desired I might have the one and half Dollar back which I had paid for the Gun, he refused, saying there was no Danger, and damned me for a Fool. I then paid him the four Dollars for the good Gun, but did not receive any one of them. After I had paid the Money, he then said take Care of yourself, and the first Thing I saw was some Men coming up; I stept off to go after my great Coat, but they followed and seized me and carried me to the Guard-House upon Foster's Wharf; this was about 6 or 7 o'clock in the Evening. When I came into the Guard-House they read me a Law which I never before saw or heard of. I was detained there till about 7 in the Morning, when I expected I should have been obliged to pay the Pound. 5 mentioned in the Law read to me, and hired a Regular to carry a Letter to some Friends over the ferry, which was to desire them to come to me as quick as possible with Money to pay my Fine. Soon after the Serjeant came in and ordered me to strip; I then ask'd him what he was going to do with me, he said damn you I am going to serve you as you have served our Men; then came in a Soldier with a Bucket of Tar and Pillow-bear of Feathers. I was them made to strip, which I did to my Breeches; they then tarr'd and feather'd me, and while they were doing it an Officer who stood at the Door, said tar and feather his Breeches which they accordingly did, and I was then tarred and feathered from head to foot, and had a Paper read to me, which was then tied around my Neck, but after-wards turned behind me, with the following words wrote upon it, to the best of my Remembrance. American Liberty or democracy exemplified in a Villain who attempted to intice one of the Soldiers of his Majesty's 47th Regiment to desert and take up Arms with rebels against his King and Country. - I was then ordered to walk out and got into a Chair fastened upon Trucks, which I did; when a Number of the King's Soldiers, as I imagined, about 40 or 50, armed with Guns and fixed Bayonets, surrounded the Trucks, and they marched with a Number of Officers before them, one of whom I was told was a Col. of the 47th Regiment, who I have since heard was named Nesbit, together with a Number of Drums and Fifes, from the Wharf up Kingstreet and down Fore-Street, and then through the Mainstreet, passing the Governor's House, until they came to Liberty-Tree, they then turned up Frog Lane and made a Halt, and a Serjeant, as I took him to be, said get down: I then asked where I should go, and he said where you please. Near the Governor's House, the Inhabitants pressed in upon the Soldier's, the latter appeared to be angry, and I was afraid they would have fired, they being ordered to load their Muskets, which they did.

THOMAS DITSON, jun. Suffolk ss. Boston, March 9, 1775.

THE above named Thomas Ditson, jun. personally appearing, maketh solem Oath to the Truth of the foregoing deposition, by him subscribed. Before, EDM. QUINCY, J Pacis