Under the Liberty Tree: A Story of The 'Boston Massacre'

In Short

Under the Liberty Tree is a historical novel for young readers that reconstructs the tense days leading up to the Boston Massacre. Through the eyes of four young Bostonians—Amos Richardson, Jim Gray, Hardy Baker, and little Chris Snyder—the story traces how juvenile street protests and personal grievances intertwine with the larger colonial resistance. After a shopkeeper’s warning leads to the fatal shooting of young Chris, civil unrest explodes into the King Street conflict. It survives as a vivid, eyewitness-style dramatization of colonial unrest, grounded in historical detail.

The Story

The story opens beneath the boughs of the Liberty Tree in early 1770, where a group of young Bostonians gathers to discuss local merchants who refuse to honor the non-importation agreements against British goods. Driven by personal grudges against British officers and a desire for political action, the boys erect a wooden pole topped with a carved figurehead and the names of offending shopkeepers directly in front of Master Theophilus Lillie's shop.

The symbolic warning quickly draws a boisterous, unpredictable crowd on Hanover Street. When Ebenezer Richardson, an infamous informer, attempts to tear down the marker with a countryman’s cart, the gathering turns hostile. Retreating into his home under a shower of dirt and ice, Richardson fires his musket blindly into the street. The blast mortally wounds eleven-year-old Chris Snyder and injures young Christopher Gore. Amos Richardson, nephew to the informer, gently cradles the dying boy while wrestling with immense personal guilt over whether their prank provoked the tragedy.

Following Chris Snyder’s funeral, public outrage intensifies. While local leaders counsel patience and preach against desecrating the Sabbath, younger hotheads like Hardy Baker, a boastful barber's apprentice, actively provoke further conflict. Hardy displays a black eye received from a Custom House sentry as a badge of honor, using it to incite crowd anger. Amos attempts to curb Hardy’s reckless brawling, even coming to blows with him to protect his family's reputation after their house is attacked by angry neighbors.

Tensions reach a breaking point on the evening of March 5. When Hardy leads a loud crowd to the Custom House and singles out the sentry who struck him, the crowd begins pelting the solitary soldier with snowballs and ice. Captain Preston and a small guard unit arrive with fixed bayonets to secure the post. As the mob presses forward, shots ring out in the chaos, killing several citizens, including Jim Gray’s older brother, Sam, and Crispus Attucks.

In the harrowing aftermath, Governor Hutchinson promises an investigation, while a committee led by Samuel Adams demands the total removal of both British regiments from Boston. Lieutenant-Colonel Dalrymple accedes, and local citizens form their own night-watch to maintain order until the troops depart. The story closes with the solemn, unified funeral procession for the victims of the massacre and the eventual felling of the Liberty Tree years later during the Loyalist occupation.

How It Unfolds

A symbol of defiance Amos Richardson and his companions gather at Liberty Hall to debate shopkeepers breaking the non-importation agreement. They decide to place a decorated warning pole outside Master Theophilus Lillie's shop under the cover of night.

Tragedy on Hanover Street A massive crowd gathers around the symbol the following morning. When the informer Ebenezer Richardson tries to overturn the pole, the crowd grows aggressive, prompting him to fire his musket from a window and strike young Chris Snyder.

The first martyr Little Chris Snyder succumbs to his wounds, sparking citywide mourning and anger. Amos and Jim Gray struggle with profound guilt, while Paul Revere and local leaders attempt to comfort them and channel the grief into organized resistance.

Rising street friction A brawl between ropewalk workers and British soldiers escalates local hostility. Hardy Baker uses a minor altercation with a Custom House sentry to incite violence, prompting a brief fistfight with Amos, who refuses to join street riots.

Blood on King Street Hardy leads an angry mob to confront the Custom House sentry, forcing Captain Preston's guard to intervene. In the ensuing confusion and taunting, the soldiers open fire, killing several citizens including Jim’s brother Sam.

The troops withdraw Following the killings, Samuel Adams and the Committee of Safety pressure the government to remove all British troops from Boston. The citizens establish their own armed patrol while preparing a massive public funeral for the fallen.

The People

• Amos Richardson wants to stand up against British tyranny while maintaining personal integrity and self-restraint. His relative’s role as an informer constantly threatens his reputation, forcing him to choose between peaceful discipline and destructive street violence.
• Hardy Baker wants public recognition, vengeance for his unpaid debts, and the status of a colonial patriot. His arrogance, love of agitation, and reckless provocation directly spark the crowd gathering at the Custom House before the shooting.
• Jim Gray wants to support the Sons of Liberty alongside his friend Amos. The tragic death of his elder brother Sam during the King Street shooting leaves him deeply grieved and permanently transforms his understanding of the conflict.
• Chris Snyder wants to participate in the meetings beneath the Liberty Tree despite his young age. His innocent involvement in setting up the warning pole ends in his death, turning him into the colony's first political martyr.
• Ebenezer Richardson wants to defend British authority and break local boycotts. His fiery, panicked reaction to the crowd in front of Lillie’s shop results in the fatal shooting that sets off the entire crisis.

In Its Own Voice

"He dares not strike me, for he knows how much influence I have in this town."

Hardy Baker boasts to his companions under the Liberty Tree, overestimating his standing in Boston while demanding money from a British officer.

"I can take care of myself. It isn't much of a hurt, this on my shoulder."

Young Christopher Gore tries to downplay his injury after being struck by musket shot during the firing on Hanover Street.

"If you fire you must die for it!"

Henry Knox warns the solitary Custom House sentry as the angry crowd presses forward throwing ice and snowballs just before the massacre.

What It's Really About

The novel explores how minor, unorganized acts of youthful protest can spiral into historical tragedies when fueled by systemic oppression and mob energy. It highlights the dangerous boundary between principled political resistance and reckless street violence, contrasting mature leadership with headstrong agitation. By tracking how a simple shop boycott escalates into the fatal shooting of a child and ultimately the Boston Massacre, the book argues that tragic events are often set in motion by lower-level provocations long before military commanders give orders.

Why Read It Today

This narrative offers an engaging, ground-level entry point into Revolutionary history for readers who enjoy period fiction focused on ordinary young people. It paints an authentic, unvarnished portrait of colonial Boston, capturing the tense, chilly streets, the heated political arguments in workshops, and the volatile atmosphere surrounding the British occupation.

The story does not shy away from period difficulties, including archaic speech patterns, local political jargon, and the raw, uncomfortable realities of mob violence and grief. Modern readers will find a surprisingly nuanced depiction of historical events, where historical figures like Paul Revere appear alongside flawed, everyday youths whose poor choices carry severe consequences. It leaves a lasting impression of how fragile public peace can be during times of political crisis.