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Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing) 1 1 Browse Search
Edward H. Savage, author of Police Recollections; Or Boston by Daylight and Gas-Light ., Boston events: a brief mention and the date of more than 5,000 events that transpired in Boston from 1630 to 1880, covering a period of 250 years, together with other occurrences of interest, arranged in alphabetical order 1 1 Browse Search
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Browsing named entities in Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing). You can also browse the collection for November, 1747 AD or search for November, 1747 AD in all documents.

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Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History (ed. Benson Lossing), entry impressment (search)
Impressment. In 1707 the British Parliament, by act, forbade the impressment of seamen in American ports and waters for privateering service, unless of such sailors as had previously deserted from ships-of-war. The custom had been a source of annoyance and complaint for several years, and was continued despite the action of Parliament. In November, 1747, Commodore Knowles, while in Boston Harbor, finding himself short of men, sent a press-gang into the town one morning, which seized and carried to the vessels several of the citizens. This violence aroused the populace. Several of the naval officers on shore were seized by a mob and held as hostages for their kidnapped countrymen. They also surrounded the town house, where the legislature was in session, and demanded the release of the impressed men. The governor called out the militia, who reluctantly obeyed. Then, alarmed, he withdrew to the castle. Knowles offered a company of marines to sustain his authority, and threa