There are several primary accounts of the Boston Tea Party, but three of the most well-known are the accounts provided by George Hewes, Samuel Cooper, and Thomas Hutchinson.
George Hewes was a participant in the Boston Tea Party and his account was written in 1834, many years after the event. Hewes' account provides a first-person narrative of the event and is focused on the actions of the Sons of Liberty, who he viewed as the heroes of the event. His account is sympathetic to the colonial cause and portrays the actions of the Sons of Liberty as a bold act of rebellion against British tyranny.
Samuel Cooper was a prominent Boston pastor and patriot who wrote his account of the Boston Tea Party in 1773, shortly after the event. Cooper's account is more moderate in tone than Hewes' and portrays the event as a regrettable but necessary act of protest against British policies. He expresses sympathy for the merchants whose property was destroyed but also criticizes the British government for refusing to address colonial grievances.
Thomas Hutchinson was the governor of Massachusetts at the time of the Boston Tea Party and his account was written in 1773, shortly after the event. Hutchinson's account is critical of the colonial protestors and portrays them as lawless mobs who destroyed private property without justification. His account is sympathetic to the British government and portrays their response to the Boston Tea Party as necessary to maintain law and order.
The overall point of view of each account is shaped by the writer's political perspective and personal experiences. Hewes and Cooper were both sympathetic to the colonial cause and viewed the Boston Tea Party as a necessary act of protest against British policies. Hutchinson, on the other hand, was loyal to the British government and viewed the actions of the colonial protestors as lawless and unjustified.
While each writer's point of view differs, they share some similarities in their accounts. For example, all three accounts agree that a group of colonists dressed as Native Americans boarded British ships and dumped tea into Boston Harbor. However, their interpretations of the event and its significance differ based on their personal experiences and political perspectives.