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~ The Siege of Boston ~

After Lexington and Concord, thousands of citizen soldiers from the colonies surrounded the British troops camped inside the city of Boston. (see 1774 on timeline)

The idea was to drive the British Army out of Boston. However, the colonial residents of Boston remained trapped inside as well.

"It's hard to stay cooped up here and feed upon salt provisions, more especially without one's wife...I find an absolute necessity to he here myself, as the (British) soldiery think they have a license to plunder every one's house and store who leaves town..."

John Andrews, Boston resident
June 1, 1775

"Was it not for a triffle of salt provisions that we have, "twould be impossible for us to live. Pork and beans one day, beans and port another, and fish when we can catch it."

John Andrews, Boston resident
June 1, 1775

"This day was invited by two gentlemen to dine upon rats."

Timothy Newell, Boston resident
August 1, 1775

"The country is all in arms, and we are absolutely invested with (and surrounded by) many thousand men, some of them so daring as to come very near our outposts…They have cut off all supplies of provisions from the country."

Lieutenant Evelyn, British Soldier
April 23, 1775

All content copyright Mark Wilensky

Mr. Wilensky is a fifth-grade teacher in Jefferson County Colorado, where he has been accused of teaching his Colonial America and Revolutionary War classes with enthusiastic zeal. Read More...