On this day 250 years ago, Samuel Adams and the Boston Committee of Correspondence issued an order to Francis Rotch, the owner of the Dartmouth and Beaver, to set sail for London without unloading the East India Company tea onboard the ships. Francis Rotch apparently wanted to comply, but Royal Governor Hutchinson refused to allow him to depart.

Source: https://www.bostonteapartyship.com/samuel-adams#:~:text=On%20October%2021%2C%201773%2C%20Adams,took%20aim%20at%20the%20consignees.