Paul Revere’s “The Bloody Massacre,” 1770
Detail from Paul Revere, “The Bloody Massacre in King-Street, March 5, 1770,” Boston, 1770. (The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History)
Produced just three weeks after the Boston Massacre, Paul Revere’s historic engraving, “The Bloody Massacre in King-Street,” was probably the most effective piece of war propaganda in American history. Not an accurate depiction of the actual event, it shows an orderly line of British soldiers firing into an American crowd and includes a poem that Revere likely wrote. Revere based his engraving on that of artist Henry Pelham, who created the first illustration of the episode—and who was neither paid nor credited for his work.
A Verse Printed on Paul Revere’s “Bloody Massacre in King-Street”
Unhappy Boston! see thy Sons deplore,
Thy hallow’d Walks besmear’d with guiltless Gore
While faithless P____n and his savage Bands
With murd'rous Rancour stretch their bloody Hands
Like fierce Barbarians grinning o’er their Prey
Approve the Carnage and enjoy the Day.
If scalding drops from Rage, from Anguish Wrung
If Speechless Sorrow, lab’ring for a Tongue
Or if a weeping World can ought appease
The plaintive Ghosts of Victims such as these;
The Patriot’s copious Tears for each are shed,
A glorious Tribute which embalms the Dead.
But know, Fate summons to that awful Goal
Where Justice strips the Murd’rer of his soul,
Should venal C___ts the scandal of the Land,
Snatch the relentless Villain from her Hand,
Keen Execrations on this Plate inscrib’d
Shall reach a Judge who never can be brib’d.
The unhappy Sufferers were Mesr’s SamL Gray SamL Maverick JanS Caldwell
Crispus Attucks, & PatK. Carr Killed Six wounded two of them (ChristR Monk & John Clark) Mortally.
Source: “The Bloody Massacre perpetrated in King-Street Boston on March 5th 1770 by a party of the 29th Reg.” by Paul Revere, The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, GLC01868.
A Verse Printed on Paul Revere’s “Bloody Massacre in King-Street”
Unhappy Boston! see thy Sons deplore,
Thy hallow’d Walks besmear’d with guiltless Gore
While faithless P____n and his savage Bands
With murd’rous Rancour stretch their bloody Hands
Like fierce Barbarians grinning o’er their Prey
Approve the Carnage and enjoy the Day.
If scalding drops from Rage, from Anguish Wrung
If Speechless Sorrow, lab’ring for a Tongue
Or if a weeping World can ought appease
The plaintive Ghosts of Victims such as these;
The Patriot’s copious Tears for each are shed,
A glorious Tribute which embalms the Dead.
But know, Fate summons to that awful Goal
Where Justice strips the Murd’rer of his soul,
Should venal C___ts the scandal of the Land,
Snatch the relentless Villain from her Hand,
Keen Execrations on this Plate inscrib’d
Shall reach a Judge who never can be brib’d.
The unhappy Sufferers were Mesr’s SamLGray SamLMaverick JanSCaldwell
Crispus Attucks, & PatK. Carr Killed Six wounded two of them (ChristRMonk & John Clark) Mortally.
Source: Paul Revere, “The Bloody Massacre Perpetrated in King-Street Boston on March 5th1770 by a party of the 29thReg.,” The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, GLC01868.
Rancour (rancor) - bitterness
carnage - killing of a large number of people
copious - abundant
A Verse Printed on Paul Revere’s “Bloody Massacre in King-Street”
Unhappy Boston! see thy Sons deplore,
Thy hallow’d Walks besmear’d with guiltless Gore
While faithless P____n and his savage Bands
With murd’rous Rancour stretch their bloody Hands
Like fierce Barbarians grinning o’er their Prey
Approve the Carnage and enjoy the Day.
If scalding drops from Rage, from Anguish Wrung
If Speechless Sorrow, lab’ring for a Tongue
Or if a weeping World can ought appease
The plaintive Ghosts of Victims such as these;
The Patriot’s copious Tears for each are shed,
A glorious Tribute which embalms the Dead.
Source: Paul Revere, “The Bloody Massacre Perpetrated in King-Street Boston on March 5th1770 by a party of the 29thReg.,” The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, GLC01868.
Rancour (rancor) - bitterness
carnage - killing of a large number of people
copious - abundant
Background
Produced just three weeks after the Boston Massacre, Paul Revere’s historic engraving, “The Bloody Massacre in King-Street,” was probably the most effective piece of war propaganda in American history. Not an accurate depiction of the actual event, it shows an orderly line of British soldiers firing into an American crowd and includes a poem that Revere likely wrote. Revere based his engraving on that of artist Henry Pelham, who created the first illustration of the episode—and who was neither paid nor credited for his work.
Transcript
A Verse Printed on Paul Revere’s “Bloody Massacre in King-Street”
Unhappy Boston! see thy Sons deplore,
Thy hallow’d Walks besmear’d with guiltless Gore
While faithless P____n and his savage Bands
With murd'rous Rancour stretch their bloody Hands
Like fierce Barbarians grinning o’er their Prey
Approve the Carnage and enjoy the Day.
If scalding drops from Rage, from Anguish Wrung
If Speechless Sorrow, lab’ring for a Tongue
Or if a weeping World can ought appease
The plaintive Ghosts of Victims such as these;
The Patriot’s copious Tears for each are shed,
A glorious Tribute which embalms the Dead.
But know, Fate summons to that awful Goal
Where Justice strips the Murd’rer of his soul,
Should venal C___ts the scandal of the Land,
Snatch the relentless Villain from her Hand,
Keen Execrations on this Plate inscrib’d
Shall reach a Judge who never can be brib’d.
The unhappy Sufferers were Mesr’s SamL Gray SamL Maverick JanS Caldwell
Crispus Attucks, & PatK. Carr Killed Six wounded two of them (ChristR Monk & John Clark) Mortally.
Source: “The Bloody Massacre perpetrated in King-Street Boston on March 5th 1770 by a party of the 29th Reg.” by Paul Revere, The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, GLC01868.
Excerpt
A Verse Printed on Paul Revere’s “Bloody Massacre in King-Street”
Unhappy Boston! see thy Sons deplore,
Thy hallow’d Walks besmear’d with guiltless Gore
While faithless P____n and his savage Bands
With murd’rous Rancour stretch their bloody Hands
Like fierce Barbarians grinning o’er their Prey
Approve the Carnage and enjoy the Day.
If scalding drops from Rage, from Anguish Wrung
If Speechless Sorrow, lab’ring for a Tongue
Or if a weeping World can ought appease
The plaintive Ghosts of Victims such as these;
The Patriot’s copious Tears for each are shed,
A glorious Tribute which embalms the Dead.
But know, Fate summons to that awful Goal
Where Justice strips the Murd’rer of his soul,
Should venal C___ts the scandal of the Land,
Snatch the relentless Villain from her Hand,
Keen Execrations on this Plate inscrib’d
Shall reach a Judge who never can be brib’d.
The unhappy Sufferers were Mesr’s SamLGray SamLMaverick JanSCaldwell
Crispus Attucks, & PatK. Carr Killed Six wounded two of them (ChristRMonk & John Clark) Mortally.
Source: Paul Revere, “The Bloody Massacre Perpetrated in King-Street Boston on March 5th1770 by a party of the 29thReg.,” The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, GLC01868.
Rancour (rancor) - bitterness
carnage - killing of a large number of people
copious - abundant
Excerpt 100
A Verse Printed on Paul Revere’s “Bloody Massacre in King-Street”
Unhappy Boston! see thy Sons deplore,
Thy hallow’d Walks besmear’d with guiltless Gore
While faithless P____n and his savage Bands
With murd’rous Rancour stretch their bloody Hands
Like fierce Barbarians grinning o’er their Prey
Approve the Carnage and enjoy the Day.
If scalding drops from Rage, from Anguish Wrung
If Speechless Sorrow, lab’ring for a Tongue
Or if a weeping World can ought appease
The plaintive Ghosts of Victims such as these;
The Patriot’s copious Tears for each are shed,
A glorious Tribute which embalms the Dead.
Source: Paul Revere, “The Bloody Massacre Perpetrated in King-Street Boston on March 5th1770 by a party of the 29thReg.,” The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, GLC01868.
Rancour (rancor) - bitterness
carnage - killing of a large number of people
copious - abundant
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Detail from Paul Revere, “The Bloody Massacre in King-Street, March 5, 1770,” Boston, 1770. (The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American
