May 1, 1776

This decidedly biased article, first printed in Watertown, Massachusetts, on April 22 describes the arrival in Halifax, Nova Scotia, of the British ships which had evacuated Boston in March and “the most deplorable reception” of the “tories.” By this account, “scarcely a family” was allowed to “put foot on shore, at least till the butchering officers had secured to themselves some sort of habitation.” 

This particular report focused on Foster Hutchinson, “brother to Tom the arch traitor,” the former royal governor of Massachusetts, Thomas Hutchinson. Foster and his family had sailed from Boston, but apparently “were obliged to abide in the steerage of the transport they went down in.” Foster Hutchinson’s petition to the Loyalist Claims Commission years later asserted that his “loyalty to the best of Kings and attachment to the British Government were well known” in his native Boston, and “his political principles he never disguised in the most dangerous times.” Then, “when it was determined to evacuate the town of Boston” in 1776, he “was obliged to embark himself wife and nine children eight of them female together with two servants” for Halifax “without being able to bring with him even his necessary houshold furniture.”

The Pennsylvania Journal; and the Weekly Advertiser
Printed by William and Thomas Bradford

WATERTOWN, April 22.
[...]
It is reported a vessel is arrived at the eastward from Halifax, which brings an account of the arrival of the fleet from Boston, and of the most deplorable reception the tories meet with, scarcely a family being permitted to put foot on shore, at least till the butchering officers had secured to themselves some sort of habitation; in particular we are informed, that Foster Hutchinson (brother to Tom the arch traitor) whose head was never on the right side, though he could not help that, together with his whole family, were obliged to abide in the steerage of the transport they went down in. Thus we hope every wicked (tory) counsellor will fall into the pit which he has been digging for his (whig) neighbour.