On this day 250 years ago in Boston, one month after he had been arrestted by British soldiers, Peter Edes recorded in his diary that
Escorted from goal again, with the additional company of 3 Sailors, thieves and house-breakers, surrounded by Soldiers. The 3 Sailors examin’d, Mr. Hunt, Starr, and myself were ask’d who prosecuted us, etc. and one Capt. Symmes of the regulars was Summoned by Major Moncreif, as an evidence against Master Lovell and Leach. Till this time we did not know our crimes, or on what account we were committed; but now we found that Master Lovell was charg’d with being “a Spy and giving intelligence to the rebels.” Master Leach for being “a Spy, and Suspected of taking plans.” Mr. Hunt for “Speaking treason.” Mr. Starr and mine for concealing fire-arms. When Capt. Symmes appeard, he was So ignorant ofMaster Lovell and Leach, that he took one for the other; that instead of being a just evidence, he appear’d ashamed and confounded, and went off. At 2 o’clock we were Sent back to our Stone edifice under a Strong guard.
Source: https://www.masshist.org/database/viewer.php?item_id=1978&mode=transcript&img_step=6#page6
And on this day 250 years ago in Cambridge, Massachusetts, William Tudor wrote to John Adams attending the Continental Congress that
The Day after the Arrival of the Adjutant General I had a Letter from him acquainting me with his having Directions from the Commander in Chief to offer me the Place of Judge Advocate to the Army. I immediately accepted the Post, and have every Day since been busy at Courts Martial. And [the legal writings of] Lords Coke, Holt and Hale are made to give Way to your congressional military Code.
Source: “To John Adams from William Tudor, 19 July 1775,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Adams/06-03-02-0048. [Original source: The Adams Papers, Papers of John Adams, vol. 3, May 1775 – January 1776, ed. Robert J. Taylor. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1979, pp. 79–82.]
We should remember that Americans created a new nation because British officers were allowed to arrest people without charges, and from the very beginning our new Nation’s army was required to follow the laws issued by Congress.
On This Day In The Revolution 