Captain Daniel Malcolm (c. 1725 – October 23, 1769) was an American merchant, sea captain, and smuggler. Malcolm was known for resisting the British authorities in the years leading up to the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...

. He was the brother of

John Malcolm Major-General Sir John Malcolm GCB, KLS (2 May 1769 – 30 May 1833) was a Scottish soldier, diplomat, East India Company administrator, statesman, and historian. Early life Sir John Malcolm was born in 1769, one of seventeen children of Geo ...

, a minor British customs officer who was violently tarred and feathered by a Boston mob. When the

Townshend Acts The Townshend Acts () or Townshend Duties, were a series of British acts of Parliament passed during 1767 and 1768 introducing a series of taxes and regulations to fund administration of the British colonies in America. They are named after the ...

were passed, Malcolm instigated a boycott on British imports. He led a group of Boston merchants to stop importing products for a year in 1769. He was particularly noted for smuggling sixty casks of wine without paying any dues. When British customs men showed up to confiscate the contraband stowed in his cellar, he refused. Malcolm was able to muster four hundred men and boys to block British reinforcements. This episode is said to have contributed to the Liberty Affair involving John Hancock. Malcolm publicized the illegal seizure of a vessel owned by Hancock, who was also a known smuggler. It is said that he took risk in providing this eye witness account, which was published in the Boston Chronicle's January 9, 1769 issue. The Liberty Affair led to a riot that was one of the main factors in the British government's decision to send troops to Boston, a move that would culminate in the Boston Massacre on March 5, 1770. Malcolm died on October 23, 1769 and was buried in Boston's

Copp's Hill Burying Ground Copp's Hill Burying Ground is a historic cemetery in the North End of Boston, Massachusetts. Established in 1659, it was originally named "North Burying Ground", and was the city's second cemetery. History The cemetery was founded on Februa ...

. He is said to have asked to be buried in the location, ten feet deep "safe from British bullets". His body was left alone but his tombstone was singled out for target practice by the Red Coats.

References

People of Massachusetts in the American Revolution 1725 births 1769 deaths {{US-bio-stub