Christian Barnes, the wife of a colonial businessman, wrote to a friend in Scotland in 1769 of escalating unrest in the Boston area.

… It is long since I have dabled in Politicks, and sorry I am to resume the subject. … nor would I now trouble you with it but that I want to vent myself, and … ‘To whom shall I complain if not to you?’  The Spirit of discord and confusion which has prevail’d with so much violence in Boston has now begun to spread it self into the country. These Poor deluded People with whom we have lived so long in Peice & harmony have been influenced by the Sons of Rapin to take every method to distress us. … The first thing that fell a Sacrifice to their mallace and reveng was the Coach, which caused so much decention between us. This they took the cushings out of and put them in the Brook, and the next night Cut the Carraig to peices. Not long after they Broke the Windows at the Pearl Ash Works. …

The greatest loss we have as yet met with was by a mob in Boston, who, a few Nights ago, atacked a wagon Load of goods which belong’d to us. They abused the Driver, and cut a Bag of Pepper, which contain’d three hundred pd, leting it all into the street; then gather’d it up in their Hand[kerchie]fs & Hatts, and carried it off.

This excerpt is from In the Words of Women, Chapter 1, pages 14-15.