The Fifth Of March: A Story of the Boston Massacre

On her way home, Rachel runs into a friend of Jane’s, who explains there’s to be a riot at the docks over customs officers tracking goods. Rachel says nothing about this when she gets home: She appreciates her position in the Adams house and won’t jeopardize it with talk of rebellion and riots. John Hancock, a wealthy Patriot merchant who is at the center of the riots, arrives to hide out and asks John Adams to be his legal counsel against the Crown. Adams agrees, which worries Rachel because “I didn’t want anything to happen that would change our life on Brattle Square” (23).

The next morning, Rachel’s Uncle Eb sends for her, and she reluctantly goes to his fabrics shop. Uncle Eb never treated her well, and they parted ways when he came to Boston to establish himself as a merchant, which he’s done by becoming a Tory—a merchant who is loyal to the Crown—though he sells goods from Britain despite having signed papers promising not to. Uncle Eb knows John Adams will represent John Hancock against the Crown, and he reveals that John will be offered a position with the Massachusetts government. He wants Rachel to tell him John’s decision ahead of time so he can curry favor with the governor. When Rachel refuses to spy for him, Uncle Eb threatens to tell the Adamses about her relationship with Jane—a known rabblerouser. Fearful but knowing she has to be bold, Rachel says she will think on what to tell her uncle before leaving.

Back home, Rachel feels comforted by the orderly structure of the house, and she decides she will be more like Abigail Adams—quietly confident in who she is and what she stands for. She asks Abigail about the books in John’s library, and Abigail is thrilled that Rachel wants to read: She believes education to be what allows people to understand things beyond themselves. Rachel confesses why her uncle summoned her, and Abigail is pleased that Rachel trusted her with the truth. She is also flattered that her husband will be offered such a position, though she has no comment about what he will choose. Rachel asks whether Abigail will advise him, and Abigail says she will not because “I trust him to do the right thing” (37).

Abigail sends Rachel to Henry Knox (owner of a local bookstore), who will pass along books for Rachel and the Adams children. Upon entering the store, Rachel feels at home in a way she never has. She takes an immediate liking to Henry, confessing that she fears she is too ignorant of the world and that she cannot learn because she is not highborn. Henry echoes Abigail’s words about knowledge being for anyone, adding that “the only truly ignorant are those who think they know all” (41).

Rachel also tells Henry about her uncle’s demand that she spy on the Adamses, confessing that she fears she’ll need to give up her friendship with Jane as to not compromise her position with her employers. Henry advises that Rachel keep the friendship if it is important to her. People from both sides of the current altercation have come into his store, and he has spoken civilly to both. He believes intelligence is the ability to disagree but still respect one another, and he is sure the Adamses will respect Rachel’s friendship with Jane even if they don’t like who Jane is associated with.

The night John Adams is to get the news about his government position, Abigail confides to Rachel that she believes this decision is a turning point. If John rejects the offer, they will make an enemy of the Crown. If he accepts, the family will be rich and secure, but they will be forced to prosecute their Patriot friends. Abigail and John have tried not to take sides in the confrontation, but Abigail now thinks that “one must declare one’s self. If one is to be true to one’s self at all” (50). When Rachel argues that things could just stay as they are, Abigail disagrees: The current situation is not good for many people. Rachel vows never to take sides because she can’t afford to get involved. Still, she worries what will happen if Uncle Eb tells the Adamses of her friendship with Jane.

While the representative from the Crown dines with the Adamses, Rachel takes the children for a walk to buy them sweets. Abigail is pregnant, and Rachel asks for pre-nonimportation tea. The shopkeeper doesn’t have any, but Jane is there and offers to get some. Rachel declines and hurries away, feeling guilty for avoiding her friend. The next day, John’s cousin Sam Adams, the man behind the Patriots’ rebellion, comes to visit. John implores Sam to keep his crowd under control until after John Hancock’s case so he can argue that the taxation laws are unconstitutional. Rachel is afraid the request will spark an argument, and she is pleasantly surprised to see the cousins work things out civilly.

John Adams decides to reject the Crown’s offer, and Rachel frets over whether to tell her uncle. Later that week, a friend of Jane brings non-importation tea to Rachel and informs her that the Patriots are watching her uncle. Rachel is overjoyed because the entire house has missed the beverage, and as she brings a tray up to Abigail, she thinks “tea will fix everything” (69).

Uncle Eb comes to the Adams house to ask Rachel what she knows. Rachel refuses to tell him anything. When he threatens to tell Abigail about Jane, Rachel says she already did. Uncle Eb is furious and disowns Rachel. Though Rachel dislikes her uncle, she feels wounded and realizes “you don’t have to hold someone in high esteem to be grievous hurt when they put you out of their life forever” (78). John Adams thanks Rachel for refusing to tell her uncle about his decision. He understands her sorrow over being disowned, as his choice will make him lose many friends who don’t agree with him.

Three months later, a fleet of British ships dock in Boston and over a thousand soldiers come ashore. Rachel fears the troops are there to bring war on Boston, even more so when a group sets up outside the Adams house.