Paul Revere Collection at the American Antiquarian Society

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The Illustrated Inventory of Paul Revere's works
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Revere Collection Box 6

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Box 6
Jonathan Mulliken’s The Bloody Massacre, after Paul Revere.
[1770]; framed: (23.5 x 28 cm). Link to record.
Brigham plate 15. Link to Brigham.

Historic event

Scenic/street view

Separately published print

Violence/death

Framed, black and white engraving featuring British soldiers firing guns into a gathering of colonists. Beneath the image is a poem which reads: “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 Sorrows 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.” Beneath is scripted engraved text which reads “The unhappy Suffers were Mess s Sam L Gray, Sam L Maverick, Jam S Caldwell, Crispus Attucks, & Patk Carr. Killed Six. wounded: two of them (Christ R Monk & John Clark) Mortally.” Title above image reads “The Bloody Massacre perpetrated in King – Street Boston on March 5th 1770 by a party of ye 29th Regt.”

Scene features the American colonists to the left and the British regiment soldiers firing rifles with bayonets to the right. There are eight soldiers, all wearing coats and hats with one of their legs extended. In the foreground, behind the regiment, is the British commander, Captain Preston, with sword. Between the soldiers and colonists is smoke. There are approximately twenty-four colonists in various states of panic and casualty from gunshot. Three are prostrate on the ground and bleeding; two shot in the head, and one in the chest. Two men help another wounded man away who has been shot in the chest. A fifth man in the background is bleeding from the head. One man extends his arm towards the soldiers, face in panic. In the foreground is a dog and next to him the text “Jona Mulliken NewburyPort Sculpt” In the background are several buildings including, and labeled, Butcher’s Hall and the Custom House; in the center is the State House with clock. To the left is a raised steeple of the First Church with cupola, and a chimney billowing smoke as well as a crescent moon facing left in the upper-left corner. The weathervane of the Old State House intersects with the text. Card on file with frame reads: “The Bloody Massacre perpetrated in King Street Boston” Jonathan Mulliken (1746-1782), engraver, after a print by Paul Revere II (1735-1818); Newburyport, 1770; ink on paper. Clockmaker Jonathan Mulliken of Newburyport made use of his experience engraving numerals and letters on brass clock faces to re-engrave and sell a popular print issued by Paul Revere in 1770 that was itself a plagiarized copy of a broadside prepared by Henry Pelham (1748-1806) of Boston.”